LEAP Fund – Launching Entrepreneurial Driven Affordable Products

The LEAP Fund (Launching Entrepreneurial Driven Affordable Products), under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, supports entrepreneurs and potential biotech startups in piloting and commercialising innovative and affordable products and technologies. The fund aims to make useful technologies more accessible to people while promoting business growth and helping startups strengthen their potential to attract venture capital investment.

• Funding support of more than ₹30 lakh and up to ₹1 crore per startup. Startups eligible and suitable for up to the threshold of ₹30 lakh investment support will be considered under the SEED fund and not the LEAP fund.
• BioNEST Bioincubators (LEAP fund partners) will be given up to ₹5 crore fund/ partner for investing in potential startups against equity and equity-linked instruments.

The LEAP fund committee shall consider the proposals of eligible Incubators for the implementation of the LEAP Fund. The eligibility parameters include the following:
i. Incubator should have been supported through BIRAC’s Bio-NEST programme.
ii. Incubator should be BIRAC’s SEED fund partner.
iii. Incubator should be Operational since last 05 years, with at least 5 resident startups in Biotech/med-tech/life science.
iv. Incubator should have in-house capacity in incubating & mentoring early stage Biotech / Life Science start up.
v. Incubator should have established IP&TT facilitation services for startups.
vi. Incubator must have prior experience of 04 years in management of early stage funding schemes or other grants.
vii. Incubator should have investment in start-ups and/or entrepreneurship development experience.

Online

Step 1: Visit the official BIRAC website.
Step 2: Click on “Login/Register” on the website.
Step 3: If you are a new user, select “New User? Click Here to Register” and enter the required details.
Step 4: Complete the registration and activate your account through the verification email received from BIRAC.
Step 5: After activation, log in using your registered username and password.
Step 6: Check the LEAP Fund section and identify the relevant BioNEST incubator through which the funding is offered.
Step 7: Contact/approach the eligible LEAP Fund partner incubator and follow its application process.
Step 8: Submit the required startup details, documents, and proposal as instructed by the incubator/BIRAC.
Step 9: After submission, the proposal will be evaluated as per the applicable LEAP Fund guidelines.

1. Startup/company registration documents – Certificate of Incorporation/registration and basic company details.
2. Detailed technology/product proposal – Information on the technology, product, development stage, validation and proposed commercialisation.
3. Business plan/pitch deck – Business model, market opportunity, commercialisation strategy and growth plan.
4. Financial and funding information – Details of existing investments/funding, financial position and proposed utilisation of LEAP investment.
5. Intellectual Property (IP) and regulatory information – Patent/IP details, technology ownership and applicable regulatory approvals/status, wherever relevant.