SITARE — Students Innovations for Translation & Advancement of Research Explorations
A programme by BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council)
Award grants for student biotech projects with commercial potential, plus residential ignition schools for undergraduates.
At a glance
| Best for | Indian students — PhD and Master's students for the award grant, undergraduates for the ignition schools |
|---|---|
| Stage | Idea |
| Duration | Ignition schools run three to four weeks |
| Format | In person |
| Cost | Free, no equity |
| Grant support | For selected startups. A place in the programme does not by itself guarantee a grant. |
| Run with | SRISTI, Ahmedabad |
About SITARE — Students Innovations for Translation & Advancement of Research Explorations
SITARE backs students rather than companies. BIRAC is clear that it is not a normal research fellowship — it is meant to push a student project towards a product, and on towards a startup. It has two parts, and they are for different students. No call was open when we last checked. SRISTI in Ahmedabad is the current SITARE Partner.
What you get
- SITARE-GYTI: funding support for 15 student projects, plus recognition as a BIRAC SITARE-GYTI beneficiary and orientation, training and mentoring through residential workshops.
- SITARE-Appreciation: a place at a Biotech Innovation Ignition School — three to four weeks of hands-on technical training, expert sessions and access to a bio-incubation centre — with up to ten students per school picked for a grant and possible follow-on training and mentoring.
Who can apply
- SITARE-GYTI: an Indian student doing a PhD or a Master's in any discipline, with a valid institutional ID and a No Objection Certificate in the prescribed format. Exceptional candidates outside these criteria may be considered with BIRAC's approval.
- Ignition schools: students doing a Bachelor's in any discipline, preferably from Tier II and Tier III cities and aspirational districts in India, with a valid institutional ID.
- A student can attend only one ignition school across all SITARE Partners — except appreciation grantees, who can attend later ones on a partner's or BIRAC's recommendation.
How selection works: for the appreciation grant, the work a student does during the ignition school is assessed on its last day, and the strongest studies — up to ten per school — are picked for support. Grantees are expected to carry the work on, at their own institution or in the SITARE Partner's lab.
How to apply: online only, during an active call. BIRAC says the call comes once a year, announced in August or September, and stays open 45 to 60 days. Ignition schools are tentatively held in February, June and December, with up to 40 students per session.
Where to apply
Other BIRAC programmes
- BIG — Biotechnology Ignition GrantBIRAC's flagship grant for early-stage biotech startups, funding the work of taking an idea to proof of concept over up to 18 months.
- i4 — SBIRI and BIPPCost-shared grant funding for Indian companies and LLPs with in-house R&D, from early validation through to pre-commercialisation.
- PACE — Promoting Academic Research Conversion to EnterpriseGrant funding for academic institutions to take research to proof of concept, and for an industry partner to validate it.
- E-YUVAFellowships and research grants for students and young researchers, hosted at E-YUVA Centres inside universities and institutes.
- BioNEST — Bioincubators Nurturing Entrepreneurship for Scaling TechnologiesBIRAC's scheme for funding bio-incubators — the network a biotech founder joins, though the application goes to the incubator, not to BIRAC.
- SEED FundBIRAC's first equity exposure for post-proof-of-concept biotech startups, deployed by partner BioNEST incubators.
- LEAP FundEquity for biotech startups moving from proof of concept to pilot and commercialisation, deployed by six partner incubators.
- Fund of Funds — AcEBIRAC invests in SEBI-registered alternative investment funds, which in turn invest in biotech startups and SMEs.
- SPARSH — Social Innovation Programme for ProductsFellowships and kick-start grants for biotech innovators working on affordable products for societal health. Currently between calls.
- Product Commercialization Program FundFunding for market launch and large-scale commercialisation of validated BIRAC-supported technologies. The call is currently closed.
- IP and Technology Management supportBIRAC's in-house IP cell offers patent searches, drafting and filing help, technology transfer and patent assistance funding to biotech startups, SMEs and academia.