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Government New Delhi, Delhi Est. 1986

Department of Biotechnology (DBT)

Government of India's biotechnology department since 1986, shaping biotech policy and funding and the parent body of BIRAC and BioNEST.

2 programs listed

About Department of Biotechnology (DBT)

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) sits under the Ministry of Science and Technology and was established in 1986. It is the nodal agency for planning, promoting, and coordinating biotechnology programmes across the country, funding research institutions, universities, and industry partners from its base at the CGO Complex on Lodhi Road in New Delhi while also setting the regulatory and policy framework for the sector. It oversees a network of autonomous institutions, public-sector undertakings, and interface agencies, chief among them BIRAC, its main arm for startup and industry engagement.

DBT is the upstream policy and funding body that shapes India's biotech innovation landscape. While BIRAC handles direct startup engagement, DBT sets strategy, allocates budgets, designs national programmes, and coordinates with international partners, with reach well beyond startups into basic research, regulation, and human-resource development. For founders, its most important contributions are the creation and funding of BIRAC, the BioNEST incubator network, and sector programmes that move research toward marketable products.

Among the programmes it runs or funds are the Biotechnology Ignition Grant and other BIRAC-administered schemes, the BioNEST bio-incubation centres at universities and research institutions, the E-YUVA student-entrepreneurship programme, the Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme for industry-academia work, the BioE3 policy for biomanufacturing, and joint Bio-AI calls with BIRAC, alongside international collaborations that bring global partnerships to Indian ventures. Biotech researchers, institutions setting up incubators, and startups across healthcare, agriculture, environmental biotech, and industrial biotech benefit, especially those building bio-incubation infrastructure or seeking translational funding. Having helped grow the sector from a nascent industry in the 1980s into one worth well over $130 billion, and having created BIRAC in 2012, DBT keeps a steady pipeline of biotech innovation moving from lab to market. It is online at dbtindia.gov.in.

Who they work with

Stages
Idea MVP / Prototype Early Revenue Growth
Sectors
Biotech, Health & Pharma Agritech & Food Deeptech & Robotics Climate, Energy & EV

Programs by Department of Biotechnology (DBT) 2

Open Competition

D.E.S.I.G.N. for BioE3 Challenge

by Department of Biotechnology (DBT)

FundingRs. 1 lakh to Rs. 25 lakh
Equity-free Idea MVP / Prototype Biotech, Health & Pharma Agritech & Food

BioE3 Challenge for Indian citizens with biotech concept proposals.

ClosesOct 31, 2026

Frequently asked questions

What funding programs does Department of Biotechnology (DBT) run?

Department of Biotechnology (DBT) currently has 2 programs listed in this directory, including DBT-BIRAC Joint Call for Proposals on Bio AI for Fostering High Performance Biomanufacturing under BioE3 Policy, D.E.S.I.G.N. for BioE3 Challenge. Each program page covers the funding amount, eligibility and application process.

Is Department of Biotechnology (DBT) a government organisation?

Yes. Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is listed under the government category. Its programs follow official government processes, and applications are submitted through official channels in your own name.

How do I evaluate whether a Department of Biotechnology (DBT) program fits my startup?

Start with the stages and sectors shown on this profile, then open the program pages for eligibility conditions and document checklists. If you want a structured view, send an enquiry below and an IncorpX advisor will walk you through fit and readiness.

Do I apply to these programs through IncorpX?

No. Applications are always submitted in your own name with the respective program authority. IncorpX is independent of Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and provides assistance for application preparation, document organisation and prerequisite registrations such as incorporation, DPIIT recognition, MSME and GST.

Enquire about Department of Biotechnology (DBT)

Tell us what you are building and which Department of Biotechnology (DBT) program you are evaluating. An IncorpX advisor will help you assess fit and get application-ready.

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Your enquiry goes to the IncorpX advisory team, who will help you evaluate fit and prepare. We are independent of Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and never contact organisations on your behalf.

Important disclaimer

IncorpX is a private platform operated by a private company. It is not a government department, agency or official portal, and it is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any government body or of any organisation, incubator, accelerator, investor or partner listed in this directory. All program names, logos and trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are used for identification only.

This directory is compiled from publicly available official sources and is provided for general information only. It does not constitute legal, financial, tax or professional advice. Funding amounts, eligibility criteria, required documents, deadlines and availability are determined by each program authority and change with every cycle, so the details shown here may be incomplete or out of date. Always confirm the current terms on the official program source before you apply or take any decision.

IncorpX charges no fee for the information in this directory and does not collect, process, lodge or submit any application on your behalf. Applications are made by you, in your own name, directly with the respective program authority. IncorpX provides assistance only for application preparation and for related registrations such as company incorporation, DPIIT recognition, MSME (Udyam) and GST. Eligibility, approval, disbursement and selection rest solely with the respective program authority, and IncorpX makes no representation or guarantee as to any outcome.

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