BIRAC
The Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme (BIPP) was launched on 5th December, 2008. BIPP is a government partnership with Industries for support on a cost sharing basis for path-breaking research in frontier futuristic technology areas having major economic potential and making the Indian industry globally competitive. It is focused on IP creation with ownership retained by Indian industry and wherever relevant, by collaborating scientists.
BIPP supports the development of appropriate technologies in the context of recognized national priorities. Proposals are invited under 7 broad themes:
a.) Drugs including drug Delivery, b.) Vaccines and clinical trials, c.) Biosimilars & stem cells, d.) Devices & Diagnostics, e.) Agriculture, f.) Industrial Biotechnology including Secondary Agriculture and g.) Bioinformatics & facilities that virtually cover every aspect of Biotechnology.
BIPP is an Advanced Technology Scheme only for high risk, transformational technology/ process development. It is for high risk futuristic technologies and mainly for viability gap funding. The uniqueness of this scheme is that it is for "Break through research" which enables product and process development and is patentable, with IP ownership rights resting with industry.
 

Features of BIPP:

  • Support for high risk, accelerated technology development especially in futuristic technologies. Support for very high risk, nationally and socially relevant areas, with no assured market. This would be more of translational research in such cases. It is envisaged that public institutes would be useful partners, so that the basic R&D leads can be translated to product development by the industry. Provides for product evaluation and validation through support for limited and large scale field trial for agriculture products and clinical trials (Phase I, II, III) for health care products. Supporting research project for novel IP generation.

BIPP Categories for Support:

BIPP covers four broad categories (I, II, III & IV) as described below:

  • Category I: Areas with major social relevance but uncertain market driven demand
  • Category II: High risk, discovery and innovation research with relevance for making India globally competitive
  • Category III A: Evaluation & validation of already existing products of high national importance promoting local innovation (Clinical Trials)
  • Category III B: Evaluation & validation of already existing products of high national importance promoting local innovation (Agriculture Field Trials)
  • Category IV: Shared cost major facilities, critical for enabling innovation
 

Impact of BIPP (data as on 31st March, 2020):

  • Total number of projects supported: 214
    Total fund disbursed: Rs. 523.79 Crore
    Total products/technologies developed: 52
    Facilities developed through BIPP support: 9
    Total IPs generated: 31

Call for proposals:

There are three call for proposals launched in a year:

  • 15th February – 31st March
    15th June – 31st July
    15th October – 30th November