New Delhi [India], March 19 (ANI): Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Enterprise set up by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), marked its 14th Foundation Day, celebrating a decade and a half of catalysing India's biotech startup revolution.

According to the release, since its inception, BIRAC has enabled more than Rs. 4,200 crores in funding support across more than 15 lakh startups, entrepreneurs, companies, and innovators, building one of the world's largest publicly backed biotech innovation networks. Through programmes spanning grant funding, equity support, mentoring, and partnerships, BIRAC has seeded innovations in biopharma, med-tech, agri-biotech, health-tech, industrial biotech, and clean-tech. A critical pillar of this ecosystem is incubation: under the BioNEST programme, BIRAC now supports 100 bio-incubators with more than 10.45 lakh square feet of incubation space, providing startups with access to laboratories, pilot facilities, instrumentation, regulatory guidance, and business support.

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These facilities are embedded in leading universities and research institutions, as well as stand-alone innovation hubs, ensuring that early-stage ventures can rapidly validate technologies and scale.

Complementing incubation, BIRAC offers a comprehensive suite of programmes and schemes that support innovators across the entire product development cycle: the Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG) for idea-stage funding; SBIRI and BIPP for early and advanced product development; PACE from academic-research to enterprise; E-YUVA for nurturing young student innovators; the AcE Fund (Fund of Funds), SEED Fund, and LEAP Fund for equity and scale-up financing; as well as targeted initiatives like the Focused Area Initiative and the Early Translation Accelerator (ETA) to fast-track promising technologies.

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BIRAC also drives national missions, including the National Biopharma Mission (NBM) to strengthen the Biopharma Ecosystem, Grand Challenges India (GCI) to solve pressing health and agricultural challenges through global innovation contests; Ind-CEPI for accelerated indigenous diagnostics, vaccines, and Make in India biotech initiatives to boost local production of high-value biotech products for self-reliance and exports. Together, these programmes ensure that Indian biotech startups receive end-to-end support, from ideation and incubation to translation, commercialisation, and global competitiveness.

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Science & Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences, said: "As BIRAC celebrates its 14th Foundation Day, we reflect on India's remarkable biotechnology journey, from an emerging field to a powerhouse driving national growth. Our bioeconomy has surged from $10 billion in 2014 to $165.7 billion in 2024, and he applauded its continued momentum, growing to $195.3 billion in 2025, reflecting an 18% year-on-year increase as per the India's Bioeconomy Growth 2023-2025 report, fueled by scientific depth and entrepreneurial energy. Institutions like BIRAC have been pivotal in translating vision into outcomes through innovation, partnerships, and robust ecosystems. Biotechnology is central to Viksit Bharat @2047, and the BioE3 Policy charts a transformative roadmap, positioning India as a global hub while advancing healthcare, food security, climate resilience, and biosecurity."

Dr VK Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog and Former DG-DRDO, noted that biotechnology has transformed dramatically over the past 14 years.

He praised BIRAC's extraordinary role in building a robust innovation ecosystem that delivers global-scale solutions from Indian labs. Over the years, BIRAC has created a pan-India ecosystem that nurtures high-impact ideas from the laboratory to the market. This reflects its pivotal contribution to advancing biotech innovation in India.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Chairman, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), said, "In just 14 years, BIRAC has helped transform Indian biotechnology from a small, fragmented sector into a vibrant innovation-driven ecosystem. By catalysing Rs 7,000 crore in total investment across lakhs of startups, entrepreneurs, and companies, BIRAC has supported the development of 900+ products. We have created over 35,000 high-skilled jobs and shown that India can generate globally competitive science, products, and platforms from within. Our network of over 100 bio-incubation centres and more than 10 lakh square feet of incubation space is enabling innovators across India to access world-class infrastructure, mentoring, and markets."

He added: "BIRAC has now been entrusted as a second-level fund manager under the national RDI framework, with a mandate to deploy Rs 2,000 crore over the next five years, with scope for further expansion. This will allow us to back deep-tech companies at later stages and create a full pipeline from TRL-4 to TRL-9, spanning proof-of-concept, pilot manufacturing, and scale-up."

Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Institute Professor, IIT Madras, said: "Startups in our country are thriving, and the momentum ahead looks very promising. Among the many innovations, biopesticides stand out as a game-changer, helping boost farmer incomes. This sector not only strengthens agricultural productivity but also contributes to environmental resilience. With such impactful technologies, India's startup ecosystem is poised to deliver inclusive growth and long-term benefits for society."

Commenting on BIRAC's journey, Dr. Jitendra Kumar said, "BIRAC's mission has always been to de risk innovation for entrepreneurs, whether first time founders, faculty led startups, or MSMEs pursuing deep tech solutions. Over 14 years, we have supported technologies spanning affordable diagnostics, life saving biotherapeutics, climate resilient crops, and bio based materials. What sets our model apart is the seamless integration of funding with incubation, regulatory guidance, IP support, and market linkages, enabling early stage ideas to evolve into validated, investible, and scalable ventures. Our ambition is bold: to grow India's bioeconomy to $300 billion by 2030 and $1 trillion by 2047. With strong foundations in vaccines, biopharma, agri biotech, bio industrial manufacturing, and clean energy, India is steadily emerging as a top global biotech innovation hub."

A major policy enabler for this next phase is India's BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) Policy, approved by the Union Cabinet in August 2024. The BioE3 Policy lays out a framework to make India a global hub for sustainable biomanufacturing by fostering high-performance biomanufacturing and bio-foundry ecosystems, and by leveraging biotechnology and artificial intelligence.

It enables startups, SMEs, industry, and academia to access shared pilot-scale manufacturing infrastructure, thereby reducing capital costs and time-to-market for bio-based products. Early calls under the DBT-BIRAC BioE3 programmes have received an overwhelming response, with thousands of proposals in areas such as green chemicals, biofuels, sustainable materials, and circular bioeconomy solutions.

As part of its expanded mandate, BIRAC has been appointed as a second-level fund manager under the Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) framework, deploying Rs. 2,000 crores over up to five years, with potential for further enhancement, to support high-risk, high-impact biotech ventures from translational labs to growth-stage companies via grants, equity, quasi-equity, and long-term debt. Over the past decade, BIRAC has delivered 900 products to market, forged 100+ national and international partnerships, and built a 10,000+ mentor pool, while scaling its nationwide network to power India-made solutions in healthcare, agriculture, climate resilience, and industrial biotechnology.

India's biotech industry ranks among the top 12 globally, with a 17.8% CAGR (2020-2025), and biopharma as a key pillar. The bio-industrial segment now contributes nearly half of the bioeconomy, highlighting bio-based manufacturing, bio-energy, and green materials. India today has a total of 11,855 biotech startups, reflecting the country's vibrant innovation landscape and its growing role as a global biotech hub.

The 14th Foundation Day celebrations brought together key policymakers, scientists, and industry leaders, including Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Science & Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences; Minister of State, PMO; Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Department of Atomic Energy; and Department of Space, Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Director General, BRIC, and Chairman, BIRAC, Dr. Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director, BIRAC, Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Institute Professor, IIT Madras, Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog and Former Director General, DRDO, Mr. G.S. Krishnan, President, Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE), and CA. Nidhi Shrivastava, Director Finance, BIRAC, reflecting the strength of India's collaborative biotechnology ecosystem.

The programme featured a welcome address, a foundation day talk, special and distinguished addresses, and the presentation of key sectoral insights, including highlights from the India BioEconomy Report 2026. As part of the event, BIRAC also announced and launched the BIRAC Impact Report and the India BioEconomy Report 2026, marking a significant milestone in documenting India's bioeconomy progress and innovation impact. (ANI)

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