Bio-incubator Support Scheme (BISS)

In order to foster techno entrepreneurship in biotechnology, BIRAC has initiated a scheme for strengthening and upgradation of the existing bio-incubators and also to establish new world-class bio-incubators in certain strategic locations. These bio incubators will provide the incubation space and other required services to start-up companies for their initial growth.

The BIRAC Bio-incubator strengthening support is provided to those existing Incubators which have proven experience and competence to run successful incubators, have an existing network for mentoring and handholding of incubatees, and also can provide the enabling services to promote innovation research. This apart, BIRAC is will set up a limited number of new world-class state-of-the-art national bio-incubators at strategic locations, especially in and around the DBT Bio-clusters.

Grand Challenges Programme

BIRAC will also shortly launch the Grand Challenges Programme, offering researchers and scientist opportunities to innovate and work on scientific and technological solutions for affordable product development to meet national needs. The program will have one common defined goal: "Create scientific and technological tools to overcome hurdles and find solutions for novel affordable products of national relevance". High level of innovation, new tools and transformative ideas would be supported. These could be in health care, agriculture and energy.

These Grand Challenges Programs could be implemented in an industry-academia partnership model to be co-funded with strategic partners through both national and global alliance. These could be self-governed consortia with clearly defined milestones, deliverables, management models and IP sharing contracts.