The entrepreneurial process starts with challenges of working with the unknown and building resources for survival. Several micro and macro level factors including the personality and attitudes of the entrepreneur, identification and creation of opportunities, regulatory frameworks and market conditions, presence of other startups, cultural makeup of the location, access to trained talent, technology, market, finance and mentors influence the success (or failure) of a young enterprise.
The Government of India and State Governments are making efforts to promote biotechnology activities in the country by setting up biotechnology parks, incubators as well as pilot projects through public private partnership to promote this lucrative business that has seen impact after COVID-19 biological pandemic.
There are many various schemes for start-ups which are funded by the following organization either independently or in collaboration. We are not going in detail here, the full information can be accessed on the respective websites or from offices of these organizations.
AIM Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, Government of India
DARE Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India
DBT Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India
DoS Department of Space, Government of India
DSIR Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India
DST Department of Science & Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India
MDoNER Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India
MEITY Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India
MoD MoFPI Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India
MoSDE Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India
MoT Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
MSME Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India
The following fiscal initiatives have been taken-up by the Government to foster start-up ecosystem in the country:
Credit Guarantee Fund for Startups
ii. Tax Exemption on Capital Gains
iii. Tax Exemption to Startups for 3 years
iv. Tax Exemption on Investments above Fair Market Value
The Department of Biotechnology has established Biotechnology Parks/Incubators across the country to translate research into products and services by providing necessary infrastructure support. These Biotechnology Parks offer facilities to Scientists, and Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) for technology incubation, technology demonstration and pilot plant studies for accelerated commercial development of Biotechnology. These Parks are successfully accelerating the commercialization of new technologies, nurturing and maintaining emerging ventures and assisting new enterprises to forge appropriate linkages with other stakeholders of biotechnology sector including academia and Government. The Department has come up with ‘National Biotechnology Parks Scheme’ in which it is proposed to create an ecosystem to absorb the start-ups which have graduated from the incubators and give them a platform for further scaling up their R&D activities in collaboration with the state government and industry.
Several international India-specific Grand Challenges i.e. Wellcome Trust, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Grand Challenges Canada and bilateral/multi-lateral programmes with other countries also support innovative technology development in India.
1 a-IDEA, Centre For Agri Innovation ICAR – NAARM, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-30, Telangana
2 VentureStudio Ahmedabad University, Gujarat
3 Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone Limited AMTZ AMTZ Campus, Andhra Pradesh
4 Association for Bio-inspired Leaders and Entrepreneurs (Sastra TBI) Tamil Nadu
5 NCL-IIT (BHU)Incubation Center Malaviya Centre for Innovation, Incubation & Entrepreneurship, Varanasi – Uttar Pradesh
6 BioNEST BITS BIRAC BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus
7 Bio-incubation at C-CAMP NCBS-TIFR, GKVK, Bangalore
8 Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre Electronics City Phase 1, Bangalore
9 BBB – BSC BioNEST Bio-Incubator/Regional Center for Biotechnology Faridabad, Haryana
10 Biotech Park Lucknow Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
11 Bio360 – Life Science Park, PROPOSED
12 Bio Pharma-IT Park Information Not Available
13 Bioriidl Somaiya Vidyavihar, Mumbai
14 Clean Energy International Incubation Center Rohini, New Delhi
15 Crescent Innovation and Incubation Council B. S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute Of Science And Technology, Urapakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
16 CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research CSIR – IITR, Lucknow
17 Delhi Pharmaceutical Science Research University New Delhi
18 Entrepreneurship Development Center Venture Center, Innovation Park, Pune
19 Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT) Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
20 Golden Jubilee Women Biotech Park, Chennai Kanchipuram
21 Healthcare Technology Innovation Center, IIT Madras Taramani, Tamil Nadu
22 Hyderabad Eye Institute BioNEST MedTech Incubator at LVPEI L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana
23 IIHR, Bangalore ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru
24 IIITH-Foundation Hyderabad, Telangana
25 IIT Kanpur Bioincubator SIDBI Innovation & Incubation Centre IIT Kanpur
26 IITM Bio-Incubator Taramani, Chennai
27 IKP Knowledge Park Secunderabad, Telangana
28 IKP-EDEN, Bangalore Bangalore
29 Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
30 Indigram Labs Foundation Mohan Cooperative Industrial Estate, New Delhi
31 Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Guwahati Guwahati, Assam
32 DBT- Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development Imphal, Manipur
33 International Crops Research Institute-ICRISAT Telangana
34 KIIT Technology Business Incubator KIIT University, Orissa
35 Mazumdar Shaw Medical Foundation Bangalore
36 Incubation Centre @ Mizoram University Mizoram Univeristy, Aizawl
37 NIPER Ahmedabad Gujarat
38 NIPER-Guwahati NIPER Guwahati, Changsari, Assam
39 Panjab University, Chandigarh Panjab University, Chandigarh
40 Punjab Biotechnology Incubator (PBTI) Mohali, Punjab
41 PERD Center, Ahmedabad B. V. Patel Pharmaceutical Education and Research Development (PERD) Centre, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
42 PSG-STEP, Coimbatore Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
43 SBTIC, Hyderabad Hyderabad, Telangana State
44 SINE, IIT Bombay Powai, Mumbai
45 SRI PADMAVATI MAHILA VISVAVIDYALAYAM SSIIE-TBI, Tirupati
46 Sri Ramachandra Institute for Higher Education and Research Porur, Chennai – Tamil Nadu
47 SRISTI Innovation BIRAC’s BioNest Project Gandhinagar, Gujarat
48 Veterinary incubation foundation at TANUVAS Chennai
49 TIEDS, IIT Roorkee IIT Roorkee, Uttarakhand
50 University of Delhi Bioincubator University of Delhi
51 ASPIRE-BioNEST University of Hyderabad University of Hyderabad
52 Vellore Institute of Technology-Technology Business Incubator (VITTBI) Vellore, Tamil Nadu
53 TICEL Bio Park Ltd Taramani Road Taramani Chennai
54 International Biotech Park Pune – Maharashtra
55 KINFRA Hi-Tech Park, Kalamaserry Ernakulam, Kerala
56 MITCON Consultancy & Engineering Services Ltd Shivajinagar, Pune
57 Gujarat Akruti TCG Biotech Ltd. (GATBL) MIDC , Andheri (E), Mumbai
58 Guwahati Biotech Park IIT Guwahati
59 Punjab Biotechnology Incubator (PBTI) Mohali, Punjab,
60 SAVLI BIO-INCUBATOR/ Akruti Biotech Park Vadodara – Gujarat,
61 RAMKY PHARMA CITY (INDIA) LTD.- Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Bio-NEST was launched by BIRAC (a DBT entity) with a vision that focused on fostering the biotech innovation ecosystem in the country. Unlike start ups in the IT sector, enterprising ideas in the biotech sector need incubation support of a different kind where they need a landing space to test their ideas, run their operations, have access to high end instrumentations and locate in a place where they connect with other start ups and mentors. Bio-NEST program provides support to establish bio-incubators either as a standalone entity or as a part of the academia. Through Bio-NEST, BIRAC has supported more than 55 bio-incubators.
ASPIRE – A Scheme for Promotion of Innovation, Rural Industries and Entrepreneurship Govt. of India, Ministry of MSME. ASPIRE- was launched to set up a network of technology centres and to set up incubation centres to accelarate enterpreneurship and also to promote startups for innovation in agro industry. The main objectives of the scheme are to Create new jobs and reduce unemployment; Promote entrepreneurship culture in India; Grassroots economic development at district level; Facilitate innovative business solution for un-met social needs and Promote innovation to further strengthen the competitiveness of MSME sector. 80 Livelihood business incubators (2014-2016) to be set up by NSIC, KVIC or Coir Board or any other Institution/agency of GoI/State Govt. on its own or by any of the agency/Scheme for promotion of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Agro-Industry organisation of the M/o MSME, one-time grant of 100% of cost of Plant & Machinery other than the land and infrastructure or an amount up to Rs.100 lakhs whichever is less to be provided. In case of incubation centres to be set up under PPP mode with NSIC, KVIC or Coir Board or any other Institution/agency of GoI/State Govt., one- time grant of 50% of cost of Plant & Machinery other than the land and infrastructure or Rs.50.00 lakhs, whichever is less to be provided.
by Kamal Pratap Singh
