“Centre for Medical Innovation & Entrepreneurship” (CMIE) at AIIMS, Delhi is the 60th Bio-Incubator under the BIRAC – BioNEST Scheme.

Contacts

9th Floor, National Centre for Aging AIIMS, New Delhi

cmie@aiims.edu

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Biotechnology Ignition Grant

// About

Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG)

Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG) is flagship programme of BIRAC, which provides the right admixture of financial and mentoring and support to young startups and entrepreneurial individuals. BIG is the largest early stage biotech funding programme in India. Funding grant of upto ₹50 Lacs for a fixed period of 18 months is available to best in class innovative ideas to build and refine idea to proof-of-concept.
If you have any idea or a device prototype which you wish to develop further, then BIG is ideal funding support grant you should pursue.
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// BIG

Purpose Of The Grant

  • Foster generation of ideas with commercialization potential
  • Upscale and validate of proof of concept
  • Encourage researchers to take technology closer to market through a start up
  • Stimulate enterprise formation
BIG supports
Supports

Ideation to PoC

BIG nurtures
Nurtures

Enterpreneurship to enable translation of ideas into commercially viable products/ technologies to address unmet need

BIG enables
Enables

Biotech Startup Ecosystem in the country to become globally competitive

Thematic Areas

BIG grant will be awarded to the person/team(s) or any start up company who submits the best idea, technology, or solution in the following areas of biotechnology:
Healthcare
Healthcare
Diagnostics
Diagnostics
Drug Discovery & Biopharma
Drug Discovery & Biopharma
Medical Devices
Medical Devices
Regenerative Medicine
Regenerative Medicine
Waste Management
Waste Management
Industrial Biotechnology
Industrial Biotechnology
Clean Energy
Clean Energy
Agriculture/ Agritech
Agriculture/ Agritech
IoT/AI/ML/Big Data
IoT/AI/ML/Big Data
Nutraceuticals & Food Tech
Nutraceuticals & Food Tech
Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry
Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry

BIRAC encourages proposals involving integration of Biotech with applied sciences that may include Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Sensors, Big Data Analytics, Cloud Computing, Machine Learning, Automation, Robotics and related disciplines to potentially facilitate transforming healthcare, life sciences, agriculture, secondary agriculture and other bio-based industry/ markets.

BIG Scheme encourage entrepreneurs & innovators with the best ideas, technologies, or solutions  at ideation stage that are novel, market driven and have societal impact.

  • Basic/exploratory research projects with no commercial potential and novelty
  • BIG funding cannot be used to support PhD research
  • Projects involving systematic clinical trials, field trials or late-stage validation/certification of the technology.

CMIE’S Role

  • CMIE has the required lab infrastructure, required network to support your proposed BIG work.
  • CMIE as an incubator is mandated to implement the BIG Scheme (Facilitate and mentor the aspirant applicants and BIG grantees).
  • CMIE will assist the aspiring applicants in filling up the application including providing inputs in scientific/technical/financial perspective.
  • Connecting with the right BIG Partners.
  • Connecting with the right team/partners for successful completion of the objectives of the BIG project.
  • CMIE will provide Letter of Intent for incubation (subject to receipt of the BIG award).
  • Since, its inception in July 2021, CMIE has successfully supported 10 faculties in applying for BIG. Following is the output of the efforts:
    • 2 BIG awardees from BIG – 21 Call (Out of 3 applications).
    • 4 BIG applicants shortlisted under the BIG – 22 Call (Out of 7 applications).

About BIG Partners

Responsibilities of BIG Partners
  • Create awareness about BIG Scheme
  • Provide mentoring for proposal submission to BIG aspirants
  • Receive online applications, screen the applications and conduct first level of screening there
  • Conduct technical & financial due diligence of the applicants shortlisted by the ESC and submit due diligence reports to BIRAC for final approval
  • BIRAC provides funds to the grantee through the BIG Partners chosen by the grantee
  • Monitor the milestones and provide continuous mentorship/handholding for activities related to IP management, legal, contracts, mobilising resources, fund raising and other business development related activities
  • Provide a platform for interaction with experts, mentors and other academic/business partners
BIRAC has identified 8 BIG Partners and BIG scheme is implementation through these partners

Very Important

  • Faculties of AIIMS, Delhi should share a small presentation (as per prescribed format) with CMIE regarding the proposal which they wish to apply to BIG Scheme Download Format (.pptx)
  • CMIE will assist the faculties to write the final proposal
  • NOCs to apply for BIG Scheme will be obtained via CMIE only after providing the full complete proposal to CMIE
  • Letter of Intent to apply for BIG Scheme will be provided by CMIE
  • CMIE will provide incubation to faculties of AIIMS, Delhi applying for BIG Scheme
  • Faculties members are requested to keep CMIE in loop during/after the submission of proposal

Call Announcement Calendar
  • The call for proposal is announced twice a year, i.e. on 1st January and 1st July.
  • Call for proposals typically remains open for about 45 days.
  • The BIG Scheme is currently managed through 8 BIG Partners across the country who works with the Ignition grantees (BIG Innovators) to provide mentoring, monitoring, networking and other business development related activities.
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