Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) announces 12th Call for Proposals under the Biotechnology Ignition Grant Big Scheme (BIG). The last date to submit applications is Feb. 15, 2018. As part of this scheme, successful BIG Innovators receive up to INR 50 lakh (appox. $100K) for research projects with commercialization potential with duration of up to 18 months. The call for proposal is announced twice a year, i.e. on 1st January and 1st July which remain open for about 45 days.
The Applicant must be either an Incubatee or have a registered company with a functional R&D laboratory to be eligible for this grant. The scheme is designed to stimulate commercialization of research discoveries by providing very early stage grants to help bridge the gap between discovery and invention.
The purpose of the BIG Scheme is to: Foster generation of ideas with commercialisation potential, Upscale and validate of proof of concept, Encourage researchers to take technology closer to market through a start up, Stimulate enterprise formation, Promote the creation of new start-ups based on innovative technology ideas and/or to support early start-ups to establish and validate their technology ideas up to the POC stage.
The BIG Scheme is currently managed through 6 BIG Partners across the country who works with the Ignition grantees (BIG Innovators) to provide mentoring, monitoring, networking and other business development related activities.
BIRAC believes that the “bio-innovation capital” of the nation would come from novel ideas which have a commercialization potential and that evolve out from start-ups or academic spin-offs. BIRAC’s strategy is therefore to support the numerous exciting ideas which have an unmet need for funding and mentorship. This strategy is fulfilled through a grant funding scheme called Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG) which is available to scientist entrepreneurs from research institutes, academia and start ups.
