BIRAC Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG)

BIG Grant (Biotechnology Ignition Grant)

Funds early-stage Indian biotechnology ventures through proof-of-concept support and startup development stages.

The Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG Grant) is BIRAC's flagship early-stage biotech grant, providing up to INR 50 Lakhs (₹5,000,000) as non-equity, non-dilutive grant-in-aid for 18-month proof-of-concept projects. BIRAC — the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council — is a not-for-profit public-sector enterprise established by the Government of India's Department of Biotechnology in 2012 to catalyze biotech entrepreneurship in India. The BIG Grant is directed at Indian-registered start-ups, innovators, and early-stage biotech companies that have not yet reached commercial validation, and covers all biotech sectors including healthcare, medical devices, agritech, food and nutrition, and synthetic biology. Guidelines were updated in November 2025.

Grant funding is disbursed in milestone-based installments, typically three to four tranches over the 18-month project period, and the deliverable is a validated proof of concept ready for further commercialization steps. Calls are announced twice yearly on 1 January and 1 July and are open for approximately 45 days each. Applications are submitted online via the BIRAC portal and are managed through one of eight BIG Partners distributed across India: CCAMP (Bangalore), KIIT-TBI (Bhubaneswar), IKP Knowledge Park (Hyderabad), Venture Center (Pune), FITT-IIT Delhi (New Delhi), SIIC IIT Kanpur, a-IDEA NAARM (Hyderabad), and SINE IIT Bombay (Mumbai), as well as through the broader BIG Associate Partner network. A regional sub-call for the North-Eastern Region addresses geographic equity in biotech support.

Eligible applicants are Indian-registered entities — companies, individuals, or research institutions — typically less than five years old at the time of submission, operating at TRL 2 through 5, and at the pre-commercial proof-of-concept stage. The BIG Grant does not fund basic research projects; it requires a clear innovation objective and a path toward commercialization. Strong applications describe a specific technological problem, a plausible PoC methodology, and a credible commercialization plan. BIRAC operates the BIG program as part of a broader ladder of biotech support instruments, so BIG graduates are well positioned to apply for subsequent BIRAC programs such as the BIPP Grant.