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Unclaimed
Discovery tool, not advice. Every figure is the published rule, not a decision on your case.
Grants

BIRAC Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG)

जैव प्रौद्योगिकी इग्निशन ग्रांट

Status

Status not published

The call for proposal is announced twice a year, i.e. on 1st January and 1st July. Call for proposals typically remains open for about 45 days.

Check with the funder
Amount
5,000,000 INR

Up to INR 50 Lakhs as grant-in-aid per BIG Innovator, for a research project with commercialization potential of up to 18 months duration, to take an innovative idea to Proof of Concept.

Funder

Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a PSE of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India

public · national

Deadline: Fixed cut-off dates — The call for proposal is announced twice a year, i.e. on 1st January and 1st July. Call for proposals typically remains open for about 45 days.

Your odds
Not published

This funder does not publish a success rate. We rank it using the rate observed across similar programmes and label it as an estimate rather than implying we know.

Effort
major

Major bid — written case, budget, possibly partners.

Who can apply

Aimed at young startups and individual researchers/innovators in biotechnology and life sciences. Administered through 8 BIG Partners (C-CAMP, KIIT-TBI, IKP, Venture Center, FITT IIT Delhi, SIIC IIT Kanpur, a-IDEA NAARM, SINE IIT Bombay) plus 11 associate partners. DPIIT recognition is not stated as a prerequisite for BIG on the official page.

How to apply

  1. Register on the BIRAC portal following the BIG registration guidelines. — link
  2. Read the BIG scheme guidelines (revised November 2025) and prepare the proposal in the prescribed proforma. — link
  3. Submit the proposal online during an open call window (opens 1 January or 1 July, ~45 days). — link
  4. Shortlisted applicants are evaluated and, if selected, are mentored and monitored through one of the 8 BIG Partner institutions.

What you will need

Related reading: How grant deadlines actually work · DPIIT recognition for Indian startups, explained

Apply on the funder's site

Source. https://birac.nic.in/big.php

"BIG provides early-stage funding support of INR 50 Lakhs as grant-in-aid for a period of 18 months to translate their innovative ideas into Proof of Concept. ... The call for proposal is announced twice a year, i.e. on 1st January and 1st July. Call for proposals typically remains open for about 45 "

Verified on 14 August 2026

Source: birac.nic.in

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