BIRAC BIG Grant (Biotechnology Ignition Grant): funding your proof of concept

What you get

• Up to INR 50 lakh as grant-in-aid
• A project duration of up to 18 months to reach proof of concept
• Mentoring, monitoring, networking and business-development support from a BIG Partner (8 partners nationally, plus associate partners)

Eligibility

• Young biotech startups and innovators, including researchers taking a technology towards market through a startup
• Ideas with commercialisation potential at the proof-of-concept stage
• Detailed eligibility is in BIRAC's BIG Scheme guidelines (linked on the page), not on the page itself

How the BIRAC BIG grant works

Credit types and validity

• Grant-in-aid of up to ₹50 lakh (non-equity)
• Project duration of up to 18 months to reach proof of concept
• Mentoring, monitoring, networking and business-development support from a BIG Partner (8 national partners plus associate partners)

How the credits are applied and when they expire

BIG is cash grant-in-aid for an approved proof-of-concept project lasting up to 18 months. Each selected BIG Innovator is assigned to a BIG Partner, which handles mentoring and monitoring during the project. Detailed funding and eligibility rules are in BIRAC's BIG Scheme guidelines PDF linked from the BIG page.

Approval time

Not published (calls open 1 January and 1 July and usually stay open about 45 days; selection timeline is in the scheme guidelines)

For founders in India

This is an Indian government (DBT/BIRAC) scheme for Indian biotech startups and innovators. That includes researchers taking a technology to market through a startup. Applications go through BIRAC's online portal, using its proformas.

How to apply, step by step

1. Watch for the call for proposals. BIRAC announces it twice a year, on 1 January and 1 July, and it usually stays open for about 45 days
2. Read the BIG Scheme guidelines and the registration guidelines linked on birac.nic.in/big.php
3. Register on BIRAC's online portal and download the proformas for online submission
4. Submit your proposal online before the call closes. Selected BIG Innovators are then assigned to a BIG Partner

Documents and details to keep ready

• Proposal in BIRAC's proforma for online submission (linked on the BIG page)
• Registration on the BIRAC portal according to the BIG registration guidelines
• Other documents are set out in the BIG Scheme guidelines PDF and are not listed on the page

Tips before you apply

• Mark 1 January and 1 July: calls open twice a year for about 45 days, and the next is expected on 1 January 2027
• Read both the BIG Scheme guidelines and the registration guidelines before drafting
• Register on the BIRAC portal early and download the online-submission proformas
• Frame the proposal around a clear proof-of-concept milestone with commercial potential

Terms to know

• Grant-in-aid for up to 18 months
• Two calls a year (1 Jan and 1 Jul), each open for about 45 days. The next expected call is 1 January 2027