DBT–BIRAC Joint Call on Bio-AI & BIRAC Product Commercialization Program (PCP) Fund 2026 – India
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, in partnership with the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), has announced two major funding opportunities aimed at accelerating biotechnology innovation and commercialization in India:
- DBT–BIRAC Joint Call for Proposals on “Bio-AI” under the BioE3 Policy
- BIRAC Product Commercialization Program (PCP) Fund
These initiatives are designed to strengthen India’s biotechnology innovation ecosystem by supporting advanced research, AI-driven biomanufacturing platforms, and late-stage commercialization of biotech products.
DBT–BIRAC Joint Call on Bio-AI for High Performance Biomanufacturing
Purpose of the Call
The Bio-AI initiative supports interdisciplinary, data-driven research to enable high-performance biomanufacturing systems under India’s BioE3 Policy. The programme aims to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) into biotechnology research to accelerate discovery, optimize processes, and enable scalable, high-impact solutions across:
- Health
- Agriculture
- Environment
Bio-AI Hubs
Selected proposals will establish Bio-AI Hubs, anchored by organizations (academia or industry) with strong AI/ML expertise and advanced computational infrastructure.
- Startups, SMEs, and academic institutions may participate as collaborating “spokes.”
- Hubs are expected to develop AI-guided closed-loop systems integrating prediction, experimentation, and analytics.
- Facilities may operate in Public–Private Partnership (PPP) mode as shared DBT-supported infrastructure.
Thematic Categories
Proposals are invited under five categories:
- Biomolecular Design – protein engineering, RNA therapeutics, bio-nanomachines
- Sustainable Agriculture – climate-resilient crops, AI-powered sensing, livestock genomics
- Synthetic Biology – AI-optimized metabolic pathways, microbial strain engineering
- Ayurveda & AI Integration – pharmacogenomics, herb-drug interaction modelling, plant-based drug discovery
- Genome Diagnostics – AI-driven risk prediction, cancer biomarkers, single-cell genomics, neurodegenerative disease stratification
Who Can Apply?
Eligible Indian entities include:
- Companies registered under the Companies Act, 2013
- Startups
- LLPs incorporated under the LLP Act, 2008
- Academic institutions
- Universities
- Societies, Trusts, NGOs, Foundations
- Organizations recognized as Scientific and Industrial Research Organizations (SIRO)
Geographic Scope
- Country-specific: India
- Province/State-specific: Open to eligible entities across all Indian states and union territories
Application Process
- Proposals must be submitted online only via the BIRAC website (www.birac.nic.in)
- No hard copies will be accepted
- Proposals will be evaluated periodically on a rolling basis
Announcement Date: 24 November 2025
Closing Date: 30 June 2026 (midnight)
BIRAC Product Commercialization Program (PCP) Fund
Purpose of the PCP Fund
The PCP Fund is a flagship BIRAC initiative focused on supporting late-stage biotech innovations that are ready to transition from validated prototype to commercial deployment.
The programme addresses the commercialization bottleneck by:
- Funding scale-up activities
- Supporting regulatory readiness
- Enabling manufacturing validation
- Accelerating market entry
Target Technology Stage
The PCP Fund supports innovations at high Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) — meaning technologies have already been validated and are ready for pre-commercial or early commercial deployment.
Who Is Eligible?
Eligibility is restricted to Indian entities, including:
- Registered Indian startups
- SMEs
- Indian biotechnology companies
- Technology firms
Applicants must:
- Demonstrate a validated technology at high TRL
- Present a detailed commercialization plan
- Show readiness for scale-up and regulatory compliance
- Be capable of executing pre-commercial or commercial activities within the project duration
Geographic Scope
- Country-specific: India
- Province/State-specific: Open to eligible entities across all Indian states
Click HERE to visit the official website.