BioTech grants for startups

27 grants, prizes and schemes written for BioTech startups. Grants open to every sector are on the main grants page.

Open all yearEquity
BIRAC LEAP Fund (via BioNEST incubators)
BIRAC, Department of Biotechnology
Up to ₹1 crore per startup as equity, in milestone tranchesEquity of up to ₹1 crore to help biotech startups pilot and commercialise products
Open all yearEquity
BIRAC SEED Fund (via BioNEST incubators)
BIRAC, Department of Biotechnology
Up to ₹30 lakh per startup as equity or equity linked instrumentsEquity up to ₹30 lakh for post proof of concept biotech startups via incubators
Open all yearGrant
C-CAMP Wadhwani Innovation Network (WIN) Centre of Excellence
C-CAMP Bengaluru with Wadhwani Foundation
Up to ₹1 croreNon-dilutive funding to validate, refine and scale biotech and health products
Opens 10 Nov 2026Grant
CARB-X Funding Round (Drug-Resistant Bacteria R&D)
CARB-X, led by Boston University
Amount set per projectR&D funding for new antibacterials, and for neonatal sepsis prevention and diagnostics
Closes 13 Nov 2026Grant
ELEVATE NxT 2026 (Karnataka DeepTech Grant)
Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, Government of Karnataka (KITS) Karnataka
Up to ₹1 croreGrant in aid for deep tech startups from anywhere in India building science based products
Closes 30 Nov 2026Grant
ICMR First in the World Challenge
Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Health Research
Amount set per projectFunding for high risk health research aiming at first of its kind products or processes
Open all yearGrant
India Health Fund Grants
India Health Fund (supported by Tata Trusts)
Amount set per projectMilestone grants to develop and validate tools against TB, malaria and other infectious diseases
Closes 17 Nov 2026Grant
Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma MedTech (PRIP) Scheme: Call 2
Department of Pharmaceuticals, Government of India
Amount set per projectR&D funding to move pharma and MedTech projects towards approval and market
ClosedGrant plus other support
BFI-BIOME Kickstarter and Fellowship
Blockchain For Impact, run at IKP Knowledge Park and Venture Center
Up to ₹11 lakh (Kickstarter) or ₹4 lakh (Fellowship)Grants and fellowships to validate and pilot biomedical and MedTech products
ClosedGrant
Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG)
BIRAC, Department of Biotechnology
Up to ₹50 lakh over 18 monthsTurning a biotech idea into a proof of concept within 18 months
ClosedGrant
Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme (BIPP)
BIRAC, Department of Biotechnology
Amount set per project (cost shared with the company)Cost shared grant for high risk, breakthrough biotech product and process development
ClosedLoan
BIRAC Product Commercialization Program Fund (PCP Fund)
BIRAC, Department of Biotechnology
Amount set per project. Startup pays at least 30% of cost. Repaid as royalty over 5 years.Royalty-repaid funding to launch market-ready biotech products at TRL 7 or above
ClosedPrize
BIRAC SITARE-GYTI Award
BIRAC, Department of Biotechnology, with SRISTI
Up to ₹15 lakh per project (15 projects)Grants for Masters and PhD student biotech projects with startup potential
ClosedSubsidy
BIRAC-PATH Patent Facilitation
BIRAC, Department of Biotechnology
70% of patent drafting, filing and prosecution feesPays most of the cost of drafting and filing biotech patents in India and abroad
Closes 27 Oct 2026Grant
C-CAMP Call for Validation of Field-Ready Climate Solutions
C-CAMP Centre of Excellence for Sustainability and Climate Action, with Ashraya Hastha Trust
Up to ₹50 lakh per projectJoint field validation projects for market-ready bio-based climate solutions
Closes 20 Oct 2026Prize
D.E.S.I.G.N. for BioE3 Challenge
Department of Biotechnology, BIRAC and BRIC
₹1 lakh each to the top 10 every month; follow-on grant up to ₹25 lakhMonthly prizes and follow-on grants for designing useful microbes, molecules and bio-systems
ClosedGrant
DBT-BIRAC BioE3 Biomanufacturing Joint Calls
Department of Biotechnology and BIRAC, Ministry of Science and Technology
Amount set per projectThemed R&D funding calls for biomanufacturing projects under the BioE3 policy
Closes 31 Oct 2026Fellowship
E-YUVA Scheme (BIRAC)
BIRAC, Department of Biotechnology
Monthly fellowship plus a yearly research grantFellowships and research grants for students and young researchers building biotech innovations
ClosedGrant
Global Grand Challenges (Gates Foundation)
Gates Foundation
Set per callThemed global health and development research grants, open to applicants worldwide
ClosedGrant
Grand Challenges India (GCI)
BIRAC, Department of Biotechnology, with the Gates Foundation
Set per call (the 2026 diagnostics call offered up to ₹2 crore)Themed calls for health, nutrition, sanitation and agriculture solutions
ClosedGrant
HDFC Bank Parivartan SINE Spark Program
SINE, IIT Bombay, with HDFC Bank Parivartan (CSR)
Up to ₹50 lakh per startup, linked to milestonesMilestone grants for early-revenue deep-tech startups at TRL 5 or above
ClosedGrant
Kemin and Venture Center CSR Grant (One Health)
Kemin Industries South Asia (CSR), run by Venture Center Pune
Up to ₹5 lakh per granteeGrants for sustainable ingredients, food, feed, nutrition and animal health
ClosedSubsidy
Marginal Investment Scheme for Reducing Import Dependence in Medical Devices (MIS-RID)
Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
10% to 20% of project cost, up to ₹10 crore, paid after commissioningOne time capital subsidy to make imported medical device parts and devices in India
ClosedReimbursement
Medical Device Clinical Studies Support Scheme (MDCSS)
Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
Up to ₹5 crore for a clinical investigation. Covers 25% of cost; 70% if turnover is ₹10 crore or less.Refunds part of clinical and animal study costs for medical devices made in India
ClosedGrant
Nag Foundation and Venture Center CSR Grant for Oncology
Nag Foundation (CSR), run by Venture Center Pune
Up to ₹7.5 lakh per granteeGrants for cancer screening, devices, therapeutics and care solutions
ClosedGrant
Promoting Academic Research Conversion to Enterprise (PACE)
BIRAC, Department of Biotechnology
AIR track: projects up to ₹50 lakh; CRS track: no fixed ceiling, industry partner funded for validationAcademic biotech proof of concept, then validation by an industry partner
ClosedGrant
Small Business Innovation Research Initiative (SBIRI)
BIRAC, Department of Biotechnology
Amount set per projectEarly stage, high risk biotech R&D by small companies, from pre proof of concept to product

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BioTech grants for startups

BIRAC LEAP Fund (via BioNEST incubators)

BIRAC SEED Fund (via BioNEST incubators)

C-CAMP Wadhwani Innovation Network (WIN) Centre of Excellence

CARB-X Funding Round (Drug-Resistant Bacteria R&D)

ELEVATE NxT 2026 (Karnataka DeepTech Grant)

ICMR First in the World Challenge

India Health Fund Grants

Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma MedTech (PRIP) Scheme: Call 2

BFI-BIOME Kickstarter and Fellowship

Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG)

Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme (BIPP)

BIRAC Product Commercialization Program Fund (PCP Fund)

BIRAC SITARE-GYTI Award

BIRAC-PATH Patent Facilitation

C-CAMP Call for Validation of Field-Ready Climate Solutions

D.E.S.I.G.N. for BioE3 Challenge

DBT-BIRAC BioE3 Biomanufacturing Joint Calls

E-YUVA Scheme (BIRAC)

Global Grand Challenges (Gates Foundation)

Grand Challenges India (GCI)

HDFC Bank Parivartan SINE Spark Program

Kemin and Venture Center CSR Grant (One Health)

Marginal Investment Scheme for Reducing Import Dependence in Medical Devices (MIS-RID)

Medical Device Clinical Studies Support Scheme (MDCSS)

Nag Foundation and Venture Center CSR Grant for Oncology

Promoting Academic Research Conversion to Enterprise (PACE)

Small Business Innovation Research Initiative (SBIRI)