Lok Sabha Question No. 1984 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: DBT Grants under BIRAC, BioNEST and Biotech Hubs
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Thiru Arun Nehru

(a).

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

## LOKSABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1984 ANSWERED ON 11.02.2026

DBT Grants under BIRAC, BioNEST and Biotech Hubs

## 1984. Thiru Arun Nehru:

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

- (a) the details of institutions in Tamil Nadu receiving DBT grants under BIRAC, BioNEST and Biotech Hubs during 2023-26, district-wise;
- (b)  the  details  of  the  number  of  biotech  startups  incubated  in  incubators  in  Tamil  Nadu district-wise, with seed funding disbursed, IP filed and companies commercialised;
- (c)  the  STEM  fellowships  and  INSPIRE  awards  given  to  students  in  Tamil  Nadu  districtwise, including women researchers supported; and
- (d)  the  details  of  the  new  DBT-supported  R&D  centres  approved,  clinical  trial  units operationalised, and biotech employment generated, district-wise?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES

## (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

The  Department  of  Biotechnology  (DBT),  Government  of  India,  has  established  the

Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is a Section 8, not-for-profit

Public  Sector  Enterprise  that  serves  as  a  strategic  interface  agency,  dedicated  to  nurturing

India's startup ecosystem and advancing R&D with a specialized focus on the biotechnology sector.

The following Institutes, Startups, Companies located in Tamil Nadu received funding from BIRAC  under  Biotechnology  Industry  Partnership  Programme  (BIPP),  Small  Business Innovation  Research  Initiative  (SBIRI),  Promoting  Academic  Research  Conversion  to Enterprise  (PACE),  Bioincubators  Nurturing  Entrepreneurship  for  Scaling  Technologies (BioNEST), Grand Challenge India (GCI) and National Biopharma Mission (NBM) schemes during 2023-26:

|   S. No | Applicant/ Grantee Name                                                      | Scheme /Programs   | District   |
|---------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|------------|
|       1 | Fermentech Gsv Private Limited                                               | SBIRI              | Thanjavur  |
|       2 | C. Abdul Hakeem College                                                      | SBIRI              | Vellore    |
|       3 | Cisgen Biotech Discoveries Private Limited                                   | SBIRI              | Chennai    |
|       4 | Levim Biotech LLP                                                            | BIPP               | Chennai    |
|       5 | Seagrass Tech Private Limited                                                | BIPP               | Chennai    |
|       6 | Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Department of Nano Science and Technology | PACE               | Coimbatore |
|       7 | Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences                                 | PACE               | Coimbatore |
|       8 | IIT Madras                                                                   | PACE               | Chennai    |
|       9 | Central Leather Research Institute                                           | PACE               | Chennai    |
|      10 | Avinashilingam Institute for HSc and HEd for Women                           | PACE               | Coimbatore |
|      11 | Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University-DCAHS                   | PACE               | Chennai    |
|      12 | IIT Madras                                                                   | PACE               | Chennai    |
|      13 | Healthcare Technology Innovation Center, IIT Madras                          | NBM                | Chennai    |

|   14. | The Cancer Institute (WIA - Women's Indian Association)                                            | NBM     | Chennai    |
|-------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------|------------|
|    15 | Christian Medical College Vellore Association                                                      | NBM     | Vellore    |
|    16 | Carenow Medical Pvt Ltd                                                                            | NBM     | Coimbatore |
|    17 | Vellore Institute of Technology                                                                    | NBM     | Vellore    |
|    18 | SRM Institutes for Medical Science                                                                 | NBM     | Chennai    |
|    19 | Theragen Biologics Private Limited                                                                 | NBM     | Chennai    |
|    20 | ICMR - National Institute of Epidemiology                                                          | NBM     | Chennai    |
|    21 | Meenakshi Mission Hospital, Research Centre                                                        | NBM     | Madurai    |
|    22 | HTIC (Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre) MedTech Incubator, Chennai                          | BioNEST | Chennai    |
|    23 | Association for Bio-inspired Leaders and Entrepreneurs at Sastra TBI                               | BioNEST | Thanjavur  |
|    24 | Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal sciences University - Veterinary Incubation Foundation at TANUVAS | BioNEST | Chennai    |
|    25 | Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education & Research                                           | BioNEST | Chennai    |
|    26 | IIT Madras                                                                                         | GCI     | Chennai    |

- (b). The  district-wise  details  of  the  number  of  biotech  startups  incubated  in  Tamil  Nadubased bioincubators, intellectual property (IP) filed, and technologies/products commercialised  during  2023-26,  are  provided  below.  BIRAC  provides  infrastructure  and operational support to ensure the smooth functioning of these centres, however, it does not provide direct seed funding to startups under the incubation scheme

|   S. No | Name of the BioNEST Bioincubator                                                                                    | District     |   Total No. of Incubatees supported |   No. of Products / Technologies commercialised |   No of IP's filed |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|--------------------|
|       1 | BioNEST HTIC (Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre) MedTech Incubator, Chennai                                   | Chennai      |                                  69 |                                              27 |                 42 |
|       2 | BioNEST Association for Bio-inspired Leaders and Entrepreneurs at Sastra TBI, Thanjavur                             | Thanjavur    |                                  45 |                                              10 |                 10 |
|       3 | BioNEST Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University - Veterinary Incubation Foundation at TANUVAS, Chennai | Chennai      |                                  18 |                                               5 |                  7 |
|       4 | BioNEST Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education & Research, Chennai                                           | Chennai      |                                  37 |                                               2 |                  9 |
|       5 | BioNEST-SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Chennai                                                   | Chengalpattu |                                  28 |                                               0 |                  0 |

- (c). The  table  below  details  the  number  of  beneficiaries  in  Tamil  Nadu  who  received scholarships or fellowships from the Department of Science & Technology (DST) over the last  three  years.  This  includes  recipients  under  the  WOS-A  (Women  Scientists  Scheme), WISE-PhD (Women in Science and Engineering-PhD), WISE-PDF (Women in Science and Engineering-PDF),  and  WISE-SCOPE  (Women  in  Science  and  Engineering-  Societal Challenges with Opportunities) programs.

| Women beneficiaries supported under DST WOS-A program in Tamil Nadu state (district -wise)   | Women beneficiaries supported under DST WOS-A program in Tamil Nadu state (district -wise)   | Women beneficiaries supported under DST WOS-A program in Tamil Nadu state (district -wise)   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No                                                                                         | District                                                                                     | 2023-26                                                                                      |
| 1.                                                                                           | Chennai                                                                                      | 9                                                                                            |

| 2.    | Coimbatore      |   3 |
|-------|-----------------|-----|
| 3.    | Karaikudi       |   2 |
| 4.    | Salem           |   1 |
| 5.    | Tiruchirappalli |   2 |
| Total | Total           |  17 |

| Women beneficiaries supported under DSTWISE-PhD program in Tamil Nadu state (district-wise)   | Women beneficiaries supported under DSTWISE-PhD program in Tamil Nadu state (district-wise)   | Women beneficiaries supported under DSTWISE-PhD program in Tamil Nadu state (district-wise)   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No                                                                                         | District                                                                                      | 2023-2026                                                                                     |
| 1.                                                                                            | Chennai                                                                                       | 9                                                                                             |
| 2.                                                                                            | Coimbatore                                                                                    | 3                                                                                             |
| 3.                                                                                            | Dindigul                                                                                      | 1                                                                                             |
| 4.                                                                                            | Kancheepuram                                                                                  | 2                                                                                             |
| 5.                                                                                            | Sivaganga                                                                                     | 1                                                                                             |
| 6.                                                                                            | Thanjavur                                                                                     | 2                                                                                             |
| 7.                                                                                            | Tiruchirappalli                                                                               | 2                                                                                             |
| 8.                                                                                            | Vellore                                                                                       | 1                                                                                             |
| Total                                                                                         | Total                                                                                         | 21                                                                                            |

| Women beneficiaries supported under DST WISE-PDF program in Tamil Nadu state (district wise)   | Women beneficiaries supported under DST WISE-PDF program in Tamil Nadu state (district wise)   | Women beneficiaries supported under DST WISE-PDF program in Tamil Nadu state (district wise)   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No                                                                                          | District                                                                                       | 2023-2026                                                                                      |
| 1.                                                                                             | Chennai                                                                                        | 8                                                                                              |
| 2.                                                                                             | Coimbatore                                                                                     | 2                                                                                              |
| 3.                                                                                             | Cuddalore                                                                                      | 1                                                                                              |

| 4.    | Salem           |   1 |
|-------|-----------------|-----|
| 5.    | Thanjavur       |   1 |
| 6.    | Tiruchirappalli |   1 |
| 7.    | Tirunelveli     |   1 |
| Total | Total           |  15 |

|       | Women beneficiaries supported under DST WISE-SCOPE program in Tamil Nadu state (district-wise)   | Women beneficiaries supported under DST WISE-SCOPE program in Tamil Nadu state (district-wise)   |
|-------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No | District                                                                                         | 2023-26                                                                                          |
| 1.    | Chennai                                                                                          | 3                                                                                                |
| 2.    | Coimbatore                                                                                       | 2                                                                                                |
| 3.    | Cuddalore                                                                                        | 1                                                                                                |
| 4.    | Dindigul                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                |
| 5.    | Tiruchirappalli                                                                                  | 1                                                                                                |
| 6.    | Tirupathur                                                                                       | 1                                                                                                |
| Total | Total                                                                                            | 9                                                                                                |

The  table  below  presents  the  number  of  beneficiaries  in  Tamil  Nadu  who  were  awarded scholarships  and  fellowships  under  the  DST-INSPIRE  (Innovation  in  Science  Pursuit  for Inspired Research) program over the past three years.

| INSPIRE-SHE Beneficiaries in Tamil Nadu State (district-wise)   | INSPIRE-SHE Beneficiaries in Tamil Nadu State (district-wise)   | INSPIRE-SHE Beneficiaries in Tamil Nadu State (district-wise)   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.                                                           | District Name                                                   | 2023-26                                                         |
| 1.                                                              | Chengalpattu                                                    | 2                                                               |
| 2.                                                              | Chennai                                                         | 15                                                              |
| 3.                                                              | Coimbatore                                                      | 4                                                               |
| 4.                                                              | Dharmapuri                                                      | 1                                                               |

| 5.    | Dindigul        |   1 |
|-------|-----------------|-----|
| 6.    | Erode           |  20 |
| 7.    | Kanchipuram     |   5 |
| 8.    | Kanyakumari     |   9 |
| 9.    | Madurai         |   2 |
| 10.   | Nagapattinam    |   1 |
| 11.   | Namakkal        |   8 |
| 12.   | Salem           |   1 |
| 13.   | Thanjavur       |   2 |
| 14.   | Thiruvallur     |   2 |
| 15.   | Thoothukudi     |   1 |
| 16.   | Tiruchirappalli |   2 |
| 17.   | Tirunelveli     |   2 |
| 18.   | Tiruppur        |   6 |
| 19.   | Virudhunagar    |   6 |
| Total | Total           |  90 |

| INSPIRE Fellowship Beneficiaries in Tamil Nadu State (district-wise)   | INSPIRE Fellowship Beneficiaries in Tamil Nadu State (district-wise)   | INSPIRE Fellowship Beneficiaries in Tamil Nadu State (district-wise)   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No                                                                  | District                                                               | 2023-26                                                                |
| 1.                                                                     | Chengalpattu                                                           | 44                                                                     |
| 2.                                                                     | Chennai                                                                | 144                                                                    |
| 3.                                                                     | Coimbatore                                                             | 126                                                                    |
| 4.                                                                     | Cuddalore                                                              | 13                                                                     |
| 5.                                                                     | Dindigul                                                               | 16                                                                     |
| 6.                                                                     | Kanchipuram                                                            | 3                                                                      |
| 7.                                                                     | Kanyakumari                                                            | 7                                                                      |
| 8.                                                                     | Madurai                                                                | 8                                                                      |

| 9.    | Salem           |   10 |
|-------|-----------------|------|
| 10.   | Sivaganga       |   68 |
| 11.   | Thanjavur       |   20 |
| 12.   | Tiruchirappalli |   39 |
| 13.   | Tirunelveli     |   14 |
| 14.   | Tiruvarur       |   17 |
| 15.   | Vellore         |   53 |
| Total | Total           |  582 |

| INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship Beneficiaries in Tamil Nadu State (district-wise)   | INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship Beneficiaries in Tamil Nadu State (district-wise)   | INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship Beneficiaries in Tamil Nadu State (district-wise)   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.                                                                          | District Name                                                                  | 2023-26                                                                        |
| 1.                                                                             | Chengalpattu                                                                   | 6                                                                              |
| 2.                                                                             | Chennai                                                                        | 33                                                                             |
| 3.                                                                             | Coimbatore                                                                     | 2                                                                              |
| 4.                                                                             | Dindigul                                                                       | 2                                                                              |
| 5.                                                                             | Kancheepuram                                                                   | 1                                                                              |
| 6.                                                                             | Karaikudi                                                                      | 2                                                                              |
| 7.                                                                             | Namakkal                                                                       | 1                                                                              |
| 8.                                                                             | Tiruchirappalli                                                                | 9                                                                              |
| 9.                                                                             | Vellore                                                                        | 5                                                                              |
| Total                                                                          | Total                                                                          | 61                                                                             |

Additionally, the details of women scientists in Tamil Nadu supported by the DBT BioCARe program and the BIRAC Grand Challenge India (GCI) program are presented below.

| Women scientists beneficiaries supported under GCI program in Tamil Nadu state (district-wise)   | Women scientists beneficiaries supported under GCI program in Tamil Nadu state (district-wise)   | Women scientists beneficiaries supported under GCI program in Tamil Nadu state (district-wise)   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No                                                                                            | District                                                                                         | 2023-26                                                                                          |
| 1.                                                                                               | Thiruvallur                                                                                      | 2                                                                                                |
| Total                                                                                            | Total                                                                                            | 2                                                                                                |

| Women scientists beneficiaries supported under BioCARein Tamil Nadu state (district-wise)   | Women scientists beneficiaries supported under BioCARein Tamil Nadu state (district-wise)   | Women scientists beneficiaries supported under BioCARein Tamil Nadu state (district-wise)   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No                                                                                        | District                                                                                    | 2023-26                                                                                     |
| 1.                                                                                          | Chennai                                                                                     | 3                                                                                           |
| 2.                                                                                          | Coimbatore                                                                                  | 2                                                                                           |
| 3.                                                                                          | Cuddalore                                                                                   | 1                                                                                           |
| Total                                                                                       | Total                                                                                       | 6                                                                                           |

- (d). The details of DBT-supported R&D centres approved, clinical trial units operationalized in the state of Tamil Nadu under the National Biopharma Mission (NBM) are as under-

| Grantee                                                                                           | District   | State      |   Employment Generated |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------|------------|------------------------|
| Healthcare Technology Innovation Center, IIT Madras, Chennai                                      | Chennai    | Tamil Nadu |                      5 |
| The Cancer Institute (WIA - Women's Indian Association), also known as the Adyar Cancer Institute | Chennai    | Tamil Nadu |                     20 |
| Christian Medical College Vellore Association, Vellore                                            | Vellore    | Tamil Nadu |                     12 |
| SRM Institute for Medical Science, Chennai                                                        | Chennai    | Tamil Nadu |                     14 |
| ICMR - National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai                                                | Chennai    | Tamil Nadu |                     12 |
| Meenakshi Mission Hospital, Research Centre, Madurai                                              | Madurai    | Tamil Nadu |                     14 |