Biotechnology Research Innovation And Entrepreneurship Development (Bio-RIDE)

The scheme "Biotechnology Research Innovation And Entrepreneurship Development (Bio-RIDE)" was launched by the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology. The scheme aims to propel the nation toward sustainable green growth and a robust bioeconomy. The scheme provides comprehensive support including seed funding, incubation support, extramural research grants, and substantial financial assistance to establish shared infrastructure like bio-artificial intelligence hubs, biofoundries, and biomanufacturing hubs. The applicant must be a legally registered entity in India possessing demonstrated prior experience in the applied areas of bio-services or high-performance biomanufacturing. The scheme is implemented by the Department of Biotechnology and the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, and the applications for this scheme are accepted primarily through periodic national calls on their official digital portals.

• The scheme has a total proposed financial outlay of ₹91,97,00,00,000/- for the period spanning from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• Startups receive seed funding, incubation support, and dedicated mentorship to nurture a thriving ecosystem for bio-entrepreneurs.
• Researchers, institutions, and universities receive extramural funding and direct grants for cutting-edge research and development in modern biology.
• Financial assistance of up to ₹50,00,00,000/- is provided for the setting up of Bio-Artificial Intelligence Hubs.
• Financial assistance of up to ₹65,00,00,000/- is provided for the setting up of Biofoundries.
• Financial assistance of up to ₹75,00,00,000/- is provided for the setting up of Biomanufacturing Hubs.
• Coordinating hubs are eligible to propose an annual budget of up to ₹50,00,000/- to comprehensively cover the operational costs of collaborating projects.
• Academic institutions receive funding through grant-in-aid mechanisms for mission mode projects as per the extramural research guidelines of the Department of Biotechnology.
• Startups, small and medium enterprises, and industries seeking funding beyond ₹50,00,000/- receive financial assistance through co-funding combined with royalty sharing or equity financing.
• Private universities, non-governmental organizations, trusts, and foundations receive capital support but are required to share 25% of the total capital investment cost.
• Incubators or companies established by the Central Government or private universities receive funding with a mandatory co-funding requirement of a minimum of 30% of the total project cost.
• Incubators or companies established by the State Government receive funding with a mandatory co-funding requirement of a minimum of 50% of the total project cost.

Conditions

• Startups, small and medium enterprises, and industry applicants must contribute a minimum of 30% of the total project cost in cash, strictly excluding land and construction costs.
• Joint industry-academia projects require the involved industry partner to share a minimum of 30% of the cost attributed to the industry component.
• Beneficiaries opting for the royalty-sharing model must pay a 5% royalty on the net sales of the developed product until the paid royalty equals the disbursed financial assistance.
• Beneficiaries opting for equity financing must agree to the government taking an equity stake through convertible notes that get compulsorily converted at the valuation of the first investment round of ₹10,00,00,000/- or more within five years, or mandatorily at the end of the fifth year at a 20% discount of the latest valuation.
• The applicant must successfully implement a clearly defined sustainability business plan to ensure continuous operations after the government support period is over.
• In the event of project foreclosure, the beneficiary must completely refund the disbursed amount within 30 days from the date of foreclosure.
• In the event of project termination due to non-compliance, the beneficiary must completely refund the disbursed amount along with a 12% interest within 30 days from the date of termination.

• The applicant must be a legal entity, either for-profit or not-for-profit.
• The applicant must be officially registered in India with the respective taxation and other administrative authorities.
• The applicant must have tangible prior experience in the applied functional area of bio-services or biomanufacturing.
• The applicant must not be blacklisted by any Central Government.
• The applicant must not be blacklisted by any State Government.
• The applicant must not be blacklisted by any Public Sector Undertaking of the Government of India.
• The applicant must ensure that major promoters or the legal entity are not involved in any major litigation that may impact the delivery of assigned projects.
• The applicant must strictly adhere to the data protection, confidentiality, and conflict of interest policies laid down by the Department of Biotechnology and the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council.
• The applicant, if applying as a startup, small and medium enterprise, or industry, must have a minimum of 51% of its stake owned and controlled by resident Indian citizens.

Desirable Criteria

• The applicant should preferably demonstrate proven expertise, operational experience, and access to pre-existing infrastructure.
• The applicant should ideally have already secured the necessary regulatory clearances for their innovation or be close to obtaining them.

Online

Step 1: The applicant must continuously monitor the official portals of the Department of Biotechnology and the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council for periodic national calls for proposals. The applicant must thoroughly review the released guidelines and identify the relevant thematic sector for their project.
Step 2: The applicant must thoroughly prepare and optionally submit an Expression of Interest if it is specifically requested by the authorities prior to the full proposal submission stage. This initial submission helps the reviewing committee fundamentally gauge the scope and feasibility of the intended project.
Step 3: The applicant must systematically draft and submit the complete project proposal through the designated official online platform before the final deadline. This exhaustive application must clearly detail the bio-services scope, technical milestones, pre-existing infrastructure, and precise funding requirements.
Post-Application Process
Step 4: The submitted project proposal is initially evaluated by a Preliminary Screening Committee to verify strict compliance with the defined eligibility criteria. Any proposals that fail to meet the foundational legal, financial, and technical prerequisites are systematically filtered out at this stage.
Step 5: The applicant must professionally present the comprehensive proposal before the Selection Committee for Biofoundries and Biomanufacturing Hubs. This expert committee will meticulously evaluate the core technical aspects, infrastructural readiness, and overall innovation viability of the submission.
Step 6: The applicant's proposal is subsequently reviewed by the Financial Evaluation Committee to determine the exact funding mechanism logically applicable to the project. This critical evaluation includes accurately assessing the modalities for co-funding, equity financing, and royalty-sharing based on the applicant's exact entity type.
Step 7: The applicant will receive the formal selection confirmation and the corresponding financial disbursement strictly based on the binding recommendations of the Apex Committee. The successfully selected beneficiary must then sign the necessary grant agreements to formally initiate the biomanufacturing project.
Step 8: The applicant will undergo continuous performance monitoring facilitated by the Project Monitoring Committee to ensure milestone adherence. Third-party evaluations will additionally be carried out periodically to stringently review the ongoing progress and infrastructural utilization.

At Application Stage

• Entity Registration Certificate.
• Taxation Registration Document.
• Proof of Prior Experience in Bio-Services or Biomanufacturing.
• Self-Declaration of Not Being Blacklisted.
• Shareholding Pattern Document. (For Startups, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Industries)
• Detailed Project Proposal.
• Sustainability Business Plan.
• Expression of Interest. (If Specifically Requested During the Initial Call)

At Benefit Disbursal and Post-Selection Stage

• Regulatory Clearances. (If Applicable)
• Grant Agreement Document.