Second call for proposals under Grand Challenges Explorations India programme announced

The Program Management Unit – BIRAC initiative in partnership with the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation & IKP Knowledge Park, announced the second call for proposals under the Grand Challenges Explorations India programme.

The awardee will be eligible for an award of Rs 50 lakh for 18 months, and a prize of Rs 10 lakh for timely completion of milestones. Successful projects will also have the opportunity to apply for follow-on funds from BIRAC through the Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme (BIPP), Small Business Innovation Research Initiative (SBIRI) or even the GCE Phase II programme of the DBT, BIRAC and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Apart from the funding them, BIRAC and IKP Knowledge Park will work closely with the chosen candidates, providing them technical and business strategy advice, factors that would be critical to making an innovation a medical and commercial success.

The Call for Proposals is open to anyone from within India across any discipline – from researchers and faculty in colleges, universities, government laboratories and academic institutions, to start-ups and SMEs as well as non-profit organisations.