Biotechnology Ignition Grant

BIG supports early biotech innovators and startups for proof-of-concept and technology validation. BIRAC’s program offers grant-in-aid up to ₹50 lakh for up to 18 months. BIG grants of up to ₹50 lakh are administered through a network of roughly eight BIG Partner institutions nationwide — Venture Center in Pune being among the most prominent — which handle mentoring, milestone monitoring and staged fund release rather than BIRAC disbursing directly. The 18-month grant window is explicitly framed around bridging the gap between a discovery/invention and a marketable product or IP, so BIRAC expects a defined go/no-go plan rather than open-ended research. Because eligibility spans individual entrepreneurs through registered startups, first-time applicants without a company yet can still apply, provided they are prepared to incorporate if selected.