BITS BioCyTiH Foundation

About BITS BioCyTiH Foundation

The BITS BioCyTiH Foundation (Bio-CPS Technology Innovation Hub) is a Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) established under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) funded by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, and hosted by BITS Pilani. The Foundation focuses on the intersection of biology and cyber-physical systems, supporting startups and researchers working in healthcare, agriculture, water management, and environmental sustainability.

BITS BioCyTiH is a Section 8 non-profit company with a presence across all three BITS Pilani campuses — Pilani (Rajasthan), Goa, and Hyderabad — creating a multi-campus innovation ecosystem.

Programs & Support

The Foundation runs two primary incubation tracks:

Physical Incubation: Based at the Pilani campus, this program provides on-campus lab access, mentorship, prototyping support, and co-working facilities for startups working on Bio-CPS technologies. Selected startups receive seed support of up to ₹5,00,000 and access to BITS Pilani's world-class R&D infrastructure.

Virtual Incubation Program (VIP): Designed for startups outside the campus catchment area, the VIP offers structured mentorship, investor connect, industry networking, and access to the Foundation's R&D ecosystem — fully online, enabling participation from across India.

Both programmes provide:

• Expert mentoring from BITS Pilani faculty and industry leaders
• Access to specialized biotech and engineering labs
• Connections to DST's broader NM-ICPS network and government schemes
• Investor introductions and fundraising support
• IP guidance and commercialisation pathways

Focus Areas

BITS BioCyTiH specifically targets innovations in:

• Bioinformatics and computational biology
• Health monitoring and biomedical engineering
• Precision agriculture and agri-biotech
• Water quality monitoring and management
• Environmental sensing and sustainability

Scale & Impact

Since its establishment in 2021, the Foundation has built a growing portfolio of deep-science startups working on validated problems at the biology-technology interface, leveraging BITS Pilani's strong alumni network and research reputation.

Who Should Apply

BITS BioCyTiH is ideal for early-stage to growth-stage startups and researchers with innovations rooted in Bio-CPS — particularly those at the intersection of life sciences, biomedical engineering, agritech, or environmental tech with digital and cyber-physical systems. Teams with a BITS Pilani connection may find the physical programme especially accessible, though the virtual track is open to all eligible Indian startups.