Grant · India

Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG)

BIRAC grant scheme for early biotech startups taking an idea to proof of concept, giving up to ₹50 lakh grant-in-aid over up to 18 months, run through partner incubators that screen and mentor grantees.

Status unknown Run by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Department of Biotechnology, Government of India

Visit the programme's site

Verified 18 October 2026 · From the programme's own pages

Terms

Funding: not published Up to ₹50 lakh grant-in-aid, released in 3-4 milestone-based instalments (₹20 lakh on signing the grant agreement, up to ₹5 lakh on completion)
Instrument: Grant
Equity taken: not published
Programme fee: not published
Duration: 78 weeks
Cohort size: not published
Cohorts: not published
Delivery: Remote
Stages: Idea, pre-seed
Sectors: Biotech, Medtech, Health tech, Agrifood, Climate, Energy
Open to founders from: India
Perks: Technical mentoring
IP support
Legal support
Regulatory advice
Investor connects
Trainings

Project period of up to 18 months, milestone-based. Implemented through BIG Partner incubators across India, which check eligibility and mentor grantees. Not for basic research, low-novelty projects or late-stage clinical or field trials. Categories: devices and diagnostics, drugs, industrial biotech, agriculture, biosimilars and stem cells, vaccines, bioinformatics.

Application dates

Status unknown

Dates not published. BIRAC says it issues BIG calls at least twice a year, typically from 1 January and 1 July, open for about 30-45 days; no 2026 call is listed and the most recent (25th) call ran 1-30 November 2025.

Usual timing: BIRAC says it issues BIG calls at least twice a year, typically from 1 January and 1 July, open for about 30-45 days; no 2026 call is listed and the most recent (25th) call ran 1-30 November 2025.

Who can apply

Company or LLP registered in India
Incorporated no more than 5 years before the call is launched
At least 51% owned by resident Indian citizens or Indian-owned companies
Own functional R&D facility, or incubated at an incubator
BIG support is given only once to any startup
Stage: idea, pre-seed

What founders should check

The programme does not publish how much equity it takes. Ask before you accept a place.
It does not publish a fee. Ask whether you pay for desks, services or the programme itself.
It runs remotely. Check the time zone of live sessions.
Dates for the next cohort are not published. BIRAC says it issues BIG calls at least twice a year, typically from 1 January and 1 July, open for about 30-45 days; no 2026 call is listed and the most recent (25th) call ran 1-30 November 2025.

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