Apply for BIRAC 6th Call for Proposals under SPARSH on Waste to Value!

Deadline: 30 September 2017

The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) has announced its 6th Call for Proposals under Social Innovation Programme for Products: Affordable and Relevant to Societal Health (SPARSH) on “Waste to Value”.

SPARSH aims at promoting development of innovative solutions to address society’s most pressing social problems through biotechnological approaches. The Scheme has two components:

Product Development
Social Innovation Immersion programme (SIIP)

The focus of the 6th call of SPARSH is on turning biological residues and wastes into greener everyday products through innovative biotechnologies and bio refineries approach. The type of waste to be utilized and valorised may include:

Waste
- Agro industries
  - Agriculture residue
  - Horticulture industries
  - Agricultural weeds
  - Livestock and Poultry
  - Waste from aquatic industries
  - Food processing industries
- Industrial waste
  - Dairy
  - Distillery
  - Paper and pulp
  - Tannery
- Municipal Solid waste
  - Domestic and kitchen waste
  - Waste from restaurant and canteens
  - Others
- Other waste
Value
- Biobased Products
  - Chemicals
    - Bio-based plastics and polymers
    - Textiles
    - Fine and Speciality chemicals
    - Platform chemicals
  - Food and Feed
    - Nutraceuticals
    - Food ingredients/additive
    - Pigments
    - Dietary supplements
  - Others
- Biofuels & Bioenergy
  - Biofuel
  - Biogas
  - Electricity
- Environmental remediation (Efficient ways for disposal)

Funding Information

Funding support to a maximum of Rs. 50 lakhs would be in the form of Grant-in-aid.
Up to a maximum of 24 months

Eligibility Criteria

Proposals are invited only for “Affordable Product Development” under two categories as below:
- Validation of process or technology
- Pilot Scale Implementation
This category is open to:
- Companies
  - Companies incorporated under the Indian Companies Act, 2013 having a minimum of 51% Indian ownership.
- Limited Liability Partnership
  - Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) incorporated under the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008 having a minimum half of the persons who subscribed their names to the LLP document as its Partners should be Indian citizens.
  - The Applicant should own the background Intellectual Property based on which the proposal is made.
- Indian institution/ universities/ public research organization
  - Academic institutions established in India and having NAAC/ UGC/ AICTE or any equivalent recognition certificate or any other Public/Government supported organization
- Partnership Firms/ Society/ Trust/ NGO/ Foundation/ Association
  - Partnership Firms/ Society/ Trust/ NGO/ Foundation/ Association established in India under the relevant Indian Law having at least half of the stakeholders (partners/ trustees/ members/ associates etc.) as Indians.
- NOTE: Applicants and Co- applicants should not have any other legal disqualification that will prohibit them from participating in the scheme process and execution of necessary agreements thereafter.