Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP)
Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India
India's premier DBT-backed life sciences incubator enabling biotech innovation from lab to market since 2009.
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) at a glance
| Part of | Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India |
|---|---|
| Established | 2009 |
| Address | C-CAMP, Bangalore Life Sciences Cluster, NCBS-TIFR Campus, GKVK Post, Bellary Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| Programmes | 4 standing programmes · 3 open calls right now |
| Official website | www.ccamp.res.in |
| ccamp@ccamp.res.in |
Programs by Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP)
3 open now · 4 past · Filter all programs
Programs Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) supports
Programs this organisation partners on, run by others. · 1 past program
Track record
What Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) reports about its portfolio.
C-CAMP reports 450 startups directly funded, mentored or incubated, and close to 200 of those as resident incubatees. It also cites 2,000+ startups it is associated with, on a much looser definition — treat the 450 as the meaningful number.
All figures self-reported — ccamp.res.in, as of Jul 2026.
Programmes they run
Standing programmes at Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), separate from the funding calls above.
C-CAMP runs an unusually wide set of routes: alongside its own competition and accelerator it can channel fifteen separate seed-funding schemes, including BIG, BIRAC SEED, AIM Seed, NIDHI Seed Support, LEAP and SISFS. Amounts and eligibility are handled case by case rather than published per scheme, so contact the team with your stage and sector to find out which of the fifteen you fit. Note that WE-Bio requires the startup to be registered in Karnataka.
National Bio Entrepreneurship Competition (NBEC)
Grant schemeC-CAMP's flagship annual competition, described by it as India's largest entrepreneurship competition in biotechnology.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Now in its 9th edition, which makes it one of the longer-running biotech entrepreneurship competitions in the country. This is the highest-profile way into C-CAMP for a team that is not yet ready to take lab space.
Two-phase programme for women-led life sciences startups: six months incubation, then six months acceleration.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Who qualifies: women-led startups registered in Karnataka, working in drug discovery, diagnostics, digital health, animal health, nutraceuticals, industrial biotech, renewable energy, or water and sanitation.
Structure: 15 startups are taken into the incubation phase and 15 into the acceleration phase, each running six months.
What you get: 300+ hours of mentoring, workshops and networking, plus expert meetings, industry visits, investor connections, demo days and alumni access. C-CAMP does not state a funding amount for this programme.
The most recent cycle opened 1 January 2026 and closed 20 January 2026. Enquiries go to advancement@ccamp.res.in.
Technology Services
PlatformInstrument platforms available on a service basis, without taking incubation space.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Requests are submitted through a portal. This is the route in for a company that needs a mass spectrometer or a sequencing run rather than a desk, and it is unusual: most incubators reserve their equipment for resident startups. Pricing is not published.
Technology Training
PlatformTraining on the instrument platforms and associated techniques.
Official programme pageIncubation tracks
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) runs a virtual track, so you can join without relocating.
The unusual thing about C-CAMP is that you do not have to be incubated to use it. The instrument platforms are available as a paid service through a request portal, so a company that needs a sequencing run or a mass spec result can buy that alone. For a life sciences team burning capital on outsourced analysis, that route can matter more than a residency.
| Track | Type | Space | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident bio-incubationPlug-and-play model inside a 44,000 sq ft facility. C-CAMP does not publish per-startup space allocations, fees or tenure. | Resident incubation | — | Dedicated lab space, Benchtop equipment, Clean rooms and culture rooms, BSL1 and BSL2 biosafety, Access to technology platforms |
| Technology services (non-resident)The instrument platforms can be used on a service basis without taking incubation space, via a request portal. Pricing is not published. | Virtual incubation | — | — |
Labs & facilities
Equipment and space on campus.
This is the whole proposition. C-CAMP began as a technology-platform centre and added incubation around it, which is the reverse of how most incubators acquire equipment — and it shows in the range: ten named platforms spanning genomics, mass spectrometry, NMR, flow cytometry, imaging and bioprocessing, inside a 44,000 sq ft facility with BSL1 and BSL2 containment. Biosafety-rated space in particular is something the large majority of Indian incubators simply cannot offer, and it is a hard gate for anyone working with pathogens or clinical samples.
44,000 sq ft bio-incubator
Plug-and-play dedicated lab space with benchtop equipment.
BSL1 and BSL2 containment
Biosafety-rated space, which most incubators cannot offer at all.
Clean rooms and culture rooms
For sterile work and cell culture.
Next Generation Genomics
Sequencing and genomic analysis; includes a HiSeq 2500.
Mass Spectrometry
Molecular analysis and identification.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)
Structural analysis of molecules.
Flow Cytometry
Cell analysis and sorting.
Imaging Services
Microscopy and biological visualisation.
Biologics Characterization
Characterising biological therapeutics.
Drug Discovery platform
Compound identification and development.
Transgenic Drosophila
Genetically modified fruit flies for research models.
Upstream & Downstream
Bioprocessing and purification systems.
MedTech Rapid Prototyping
Medical device prototype development.
Agriculture and MedTech facilities
Two sector-specific facilities available to incubatees.
Recognitions & empanelments
Official approvals this incubator holds.
All three are funders rather than honours, which is the useful way to read them: BIRAC pays for the bio-incubation facility, NITI Aayog recognises C-CAMP as an already-established incubator rather than a new one, and the Karnataka IT/BT department is why several programmes here are restricted to Karnataka-registered companies.
BIRAC BioNest bioincubator
Department of Biotechnology funding that underwrites the bio-incubation facility.
NITI Aayog Established Incubation Centre (AIM)
Atal Innovation Mission designation for incubators already operating at scale, as distinct from the AIC grants that fund new ones.
Dept. of IT/BT, Government of Karnataka
State backing. Relevant because some C-CAMP programmes, including WE-Bio, require the startup to be registered in Karnataka.
What C-CAMP is actually for
C-CAMP is not a general startup incubator that happens to serve biotech. It was set up in 2009 by the Department of Biotechnology as a technology-platform centre — shared high-end instruments for the life sciences research community — and the incubator was built around that. It sits inside the Bangalore Life Sciences Cluster alongside NCBS and inStem, on the NCBS campus.
That origin explains the shape of the offer. What C-CAMP provides that is genuinely hard to find elsewhere is instrument access and biosafety-rated bench space. If your bottleneck is that you need a mass spectrometer, a sequencing run or BSL2 containment and cannot justify buying any of it, this is close to the strongest option in India.
Unusually, you do not have to be incubated to use it: the platforms are available on a service basis through a request portal, so a company that needs one result rather than a residency can buy that alone.
Best fit: life sciences ventures with a wet-lab requirement — drug discovery, diagnostics, biologics, agri-biotech, medical devices.
Planning your application: C-CAMP sets incubation terms and platform charges case by case rather than publishing a rate card, and its seed-funding page lists the schemes it can route (BIG, BIRAC SEED, AIM Seed, SIIP, NIDHI Seed Support, LEAP, SISFS, NIDHI PRAYAS and more) without per-scheme amounts. The national schemes among those have centrally-set terms you can check independently; for everything else, a short email to incubation@ccamp.res.in is the fastest way to get specifics for your stage.
News
- Three C-CAMP startups win backing under govt's PRIP schemeyourstory.com · last month
- C-CAMP, MC2 Foundation launch Rs. 12.5 crore Grand Butanol Challengeindianpharmapost.com · last month
- C-CAMP selects 12 Indian innovations to combat environmental antimicrobial resistanceindianpharmapost.com · 2 months ago
Source: Google News aggregated
About Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP)
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP)
C-CAMP is India's foremost life sciences innovation hub, established in 2009 as an initiative of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. Located adjacent to the NCBS-TIFR campus in Bengaluru, C-CAMP bridges the gap between academic discovery and commercial impact. It is a founding member of the Bangalore Life Science Cluster (BLiSC).
Incubation Facilities
- C-CAMP Bio-incubator (NCBS campus): Wet laboratory space, shared equipment (next-gen sequencers, mass spectrometers, high-resolution imaging systems), biocontainment labs, and co-working facilities.
- K-TECH TBI (GKVK Campus, Bengaluru): Technology Business Incubator with additional lab and office space for biotech and agri-biotech startups.
Programs
- BIG Scheme (Biotechnology Ignition Grant): DBT-funded seed grants of up to ₹50 lakh for early-stage biotech startups.
- C-CAMP Investment Program: Direct equity and grant investments into portfolio companies.
- MeitY SAMRIDH Accelerator: Digital health-focused acceleration.
- Thematic Challenges: Innovation programs with the Gates Foundation targeting Maternal & Child Health, Antimicrobial Resistance, Diagnostics, and AgriTech.
- National Bio Entrepreneurship Competition (NBEC): Annual competition to identify India's best biotech entrepreneurs.
Track Record
C-CAMP has supported 500+ startups across 34 states, invested up to ₹80 crore directly, and helped its portfolio raise over ₹2,000 crore (approx. US$550M) in total funding. Portfolio valuation exceeds $1.6 billion, with 100+ products reaching market, 230+ patents filed, and technologies benefiting over 50 million people. Notable alumni include Strand Life Sciences, Dozee, Qure.ai, and Achira Labs.
Who Should Apply
Biotech, biopharma, medtech, agri-biotech, and digital health startups at the validation through growth stages. PhD/postdoc founders and academic spinouts are particularly welcome. Both wet-lab and computational life science ventures are supported.
Get in touch
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Frequently asked questions about Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP)
What does Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) do?
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) C-CAMP is India's foremost life sciences innovation hub, established in 2009 as an initiative of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India.
Where is Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) located?
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) is located at C-CAMP, Bangalore Life Sciences Cluster, NCBS-TIFR Campus, GKVK Post, Bellary Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
What programs does Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) run?
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) currently has 3 open programmes: TANUH - C-CAMP Innovations Program: AI in NCDs, Centre of Excellence for Sustainability & Climate Action at C-CAMP and C-CAMP Wadhwani Innovation Network (WIN) CoE Non-Dilutive Funding Program. 4 further programmes have run in the past.
What sectors does Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) support?
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) works with startups in BioTech, Life Sciences, Diagnostics, Medical Devices, AgriTech and Digital Health and other sectors.
What stage of startup does Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) support?
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) supports startups at the Validation, Early Revenue and Growth stages.
What facilities does Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) offer?
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) offers 44,000 sq ft bio-incubator, BSL1 and BSL2 containment, Clean rooms and culture rooms, Next Generation Genomics, Mass Spectrometry and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR).
Is Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) government recognised?
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) holds the following recognitions and affiliations: BIRAC BioNest bioincubator, NITI Aayog Established Incubation Centre (AIM) and Dept. of IT/BT, Government of Karnataka.
How do I apply to Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP)?
Applications run through each programme's own call. Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) lists 3 open programmes — check the programme page for its deadline and eligibility, or apply via https://www.ccamp.res.in.
When was Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) founded?
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) was founded in 2009. It operates as an incubator.
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