Lok Sabha Question No. 2100 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-12
Subject: Bio-AI Hubs
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shri Baijayant Panda

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TCHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 2100 ANSWERED ON 12-03-2025

## Bio-AI Hubs

2100. Shri Baijayant Panda:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  total  number  of  bio-tech  start-ups  in  the  country  as  of January 2025 along with the year-wise growth in the number of such start-ups since 2014;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  launched  any  new  policies  to support bio-tech start-ups and investments in this sector and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government plans to set up Bio-AI Hubs and Biomanufacturing facilities across the country; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof including the timeline fixed for their implementation?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a)  As  per  the  India  BioEconomy  Report  (IBER)  2024,  number  of Biotech  Start-ups  has  grown  from  50  Start-ups  in  2014  to  8,531 Start-ups in 2023.

|   Year | Number of Biotech Startups   |
|--------|------------------------------|
|   2014 | 50                           |
|   2015 | 732                          |
|   2016 | 1022                         |
|   2017 | 1732                         |
|   2018 | 2662                         |
|   2019 | 3397                         |
|   2020 | 4237                         |
|   2021 | 5365                         |
|   2022 | 6755                         |
|   2023 | 8531                         |
|   2024 | Report under preparation     |

Source: IBER Report 2024

- (b) The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) established Biotechnology  Industry  Research  Assistance  Council  (BIRAC)  in 2012 as an interface agency to nurture and strengthen the start-up ecosystem in the country with a focus on biotech sector, addressing nationally relevant product development needs. It follows and aligns its  activities  in  line  with  the  National  Policies  announced  by  the Government  from  time  to  time.  BIRAC  supports  biotech  start-up ecosystem by establishing bio-incubators (95 centers established so far) as well as through various funding schemes such as:

i.  Early-Stage  funding  scheme:  Biotechnology  Ignition  Grant  (BIG): BIG scheme provides financial support of up to INR 50 lakhs for a period of 18 months to early-stage start-ups and individual entrepreneurs to establish Proof of Concept (PoC) for their innovative  ideas.  Close  to  1000  start-ups  and  entrepreneurs  have been supported through BIG programme

## ii. Equity Funding Schemes:

-  Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development (SEED) Fund provides capital assistance (up to INR 30 Lakhs) to Start-ups  with  new  innovations  and  technologies  for  PoC  Stage Start-up
-  Launching  Entrepreneurial  Driven  Affordable  Products  (LEAP) Fund provides capital assistance (up to INR 100 Lakhs) to startups  with  new  innovations  and  technologies  (above  TRL  5)  for early-stage commercialisation.

iii.  Amrit  Grand  Challenge  जन CARE  has  supported  89  Digital Healthtech  Innovations  in  Telemedicine,  Digital  Health,  mHealth with  Big  Data,  Artificial  Intelligence  (AI)  Machine  Learning  (ML), blockchain and other technologies from Startups/Individuals/Companies for strengthening the Healthcare ecosystem in India, importantly in tier-2, 3 cities and rural settings. iv. BioE3 Policy: The BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) Policy outlines guidelines and principles for enabling mechanisms for 'Fostering High Performance Biomanufacturing' in the country across diverse sectors. To implement this, the Biotechnology Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship  Development  (Bio-RIDE)  scheme  with  a  funding support  of  INR  1500  Cr  was  approved  in  September  2024.  The scheme would facilitate setting up of Biofoundry and Biomanufacturing hubs and support start-ups. Initiatives like Biotech  fund  of  funds-AcE  under  Bio-RIDE  scheme  would  promote private investments.

BIRAC schemes and programmes are regularly assessed internally and updated in line with the evolving needs of the ecosystem. New programmes  are  launched  as  and  when  required.  BIRAC  also partners with several national and international agencies ensuring continuous support for the biotech start-up ecosystem. (c) The DBT has recently launched BioE3 policy with the approval of the  Cabinet  for  the  development  of  bio-based  products  through setting up of BioEnablers that include Bio-Artificial Intelligence (BioAI)  Hubs,  Biofoundries  and  Biomanufacturing  Hubs  across  the country.

(d)  DBT  and  BIRAC  announced  a  joint  call  inviting  proposals  for setting up of ' मूलांक ु र BioEnablers -Biofoundries and Biomanufacturing Hubs', in both academia and industry. From over 253 applications, 24 projects on Biofoundries and Biomanufacturing Hubs have been recommended  for support. These are being established across  the  country  with  two  year  implementation duration. Further plans for setting up of Bio-AI hubs and Biomanufacturing facilities are also under process.

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