About BIG Scheme

The Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG) is a flagship scheme of BIRAC which recognizes and invests in innovative ideas in the biotech sector. The ideas should have clear potential to translate into commercial products/technologies. BIG supports individual entrepreneurs/ start-ups from ideation to Proof of Concept (PoC). Under BIG scheme, BIRAC provides grant-in-aid of upto INR 50 lakhs (approx. USD 75,000) for a period of 18 months

• Supports ideation to PoC
• Nurtures entrepreneurship to enable translation of ideas into commercially viable products/ technologies to address unmet need
• Enables Biotech Startup Ecosystem in the country to become globally competitive

What is supported?

BIG scheme supports innovation under Healthcare, Lifesciences, Diagnostics, Medical Devices, Drugs, Vaccines, Drug Formulations and delivery systems, Industrial Biotechnology, Agriculture, Secondary agriculture, Waste Management, Sanitation, Clean Energy and related areas. * (domain supported under a-IDEA)

The project proposals can be submitted in any of the following seven categories:

• Devices & Diagnostics
• Drugs including drug delivery
• Industrial Biotechnology including Secondary Agriculture
• Agriculture
• Biosimilar & Stem Cells
• Vaccines
• Bioinformatics & facilities

BIRAC encourages proposals involving integration of Biotech with applied sciences that may include Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Sensors, Big Data Analytics, Cloud Computing, Machine Learning, Automation, Robotics and related disciplines to potentially facilitate transforming healthcare, life sciences, agriculture, secondary agriculture and other bio-based industry/ markets.

What is not supported?

• Basic/exploratory research projects
• Projects having low element of novelty
• Projects involving systematic clinical trials, field trials or late stage validation/certification of the technology.

Note: BIG grant is not a research fellowship and cannot be used to support PhD or any other academic research.

Project Duration

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