About Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is India’s national government funder for translational and applied biotechnology, prioritizing commercialization of life‑science innovations, public health and vaccine/biotherapeutic development, agri‑biotech and bio‑manufacturing, and capacity/infrastructure building across national research institutes, incubators and startups. It funds a mix of competitive, programmatic schemes (many run through BIRAC) that support early‑stage proof‑of‑concept work, seed/acceleration capital for incubator‑backed ventures, industry–academia partnerships, and national infrastructure and HR development to meet prioritized societal needs.
Focus Areas
Early‑stage biotech commercialization (proof‑of‑concept to market via BIG and SEED)Startup acceleration and incubator infrastructure (BioNest, BIRAC AcE, incubator accreditation)Industry‑partnered translational R&D in priority sectors (health vaccines/biotherapeutics, agri‑biotech, bio‑energy, green manufacturing)Capacity building and infrastructure for biotech R&D (human resource development, national centres, labs)Conference/travel and science outreach support to build researcher networks and visibility (CTEP)
Giving Approach
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