Every figure below was read off birac.nic.in, the scheme's own site, on 22 August 2026. Not from a press release, and not from an aggregator. Scheme terms change, so check the portal again before you plan around any of it.
What BIRAC Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG) publishes today
Run by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, Department of Biotechnology.
| What | Published figure |
|---|---|
| Grant | Up to Rs 50 lakh for research projects with commercialisation potential |
| Duration of support | Up to 18 months |
| Call for proposals | Announced twice a year, on 1 January and 1 July |
| How long each call stays open | Typically about 45 days |
This one is not rolling, and missing the window costs you six months
Most founders find a grant, decide they will apply once the product is further along, and come back later. BIG does not work that way. The call opens on 1 January and 1 July and stays open for roughly 45 days. Outside those two windows there is nothing to apply to. If you find it on 20 February you are waiting until July, so the question is not whether you are ready, it is which window you are aiming at.
Also worth knowing
Rs 50 lakh over up to 18 months is one of the largest early-stage non-dilutive cheques available to a biotech founder in India, which is exactly why the deadline discipline matters. Work backwards from the window rather than forwards from your roadmap.
Before you apply
Open birac.nic.in and confirm the numbers above still stand. Portals update quietly and news stories do not. If they have changed, the portal is right and this page is out of date, and we would rather you found that out here than in a rejection.
To see which schemes fit your startup rather than reading them one at a time, run your profile through the grant catalog.
Source
Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, Department of Biotechnology: https://birac.nic.in/big.php. Checked 22 August 2026.
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