Ideathon and pre-incubation support
A programme by Bio-NEST NIPER Guwahati
An open biotech and healthcare ideas challenge whose winners get six months of pre-incubation at Bio-NEST NIPER Guwahati.
At a glance
| Best for | Anyone with a life sciences, healthcare or biotechnology idea, as an individual, team, business or society. |
|---|---|
| Stage | Idea |
| Duration | Six months of pre-incubation support for winners |
| Format | In person |
| Cost | Free |
| Grant support | For selected startups. A place in the programme does not by itself guarantee a grant. |
| Run with | BIRAC, NIPER Guwahati |
About Ideathon and pre-incubation support
The Ideathon is Bio-NEST NIPER Guwahati's open call for biotech and healthcare ideas, with pre-incubation support for the winners. Edition 5.0 took applications from 25 March to 6 April 2025, and edition 4.0 in June 2023. No later call was visible when we checked.
What you get
- Cash prizes for the top three ideas.
- Six months of pre-incubation support to build a proof of concept, covering a fellowship, rent of the incubation centre, consumables, instrument use and mentorship.
- Support paid in two instalments, with the second after a satisfactory progress review.
Who can apply
- Anyone, regardless of qualification, affiliation, gender, location or background, as an individual, team, business entity or society.
- Ideas in life sciences, nano science, health care, pharmaceutics, medical biotechnology, food, agriculture and related biotechnology fields. Not basic research.
- Selected teams must be willing to work physically at Bio-NEST NIPER Guwahati.
How selection works: an expert committee of business, science and regulatory experts shortlists proposals on technical feasibility, novelty, commercialisation potential, societal impact, business plan and team strength. Shortlisted teams present online to a jury.
How to apply: fill in the online form linked on the Ideathon flyer when a call opens. Proposals cannot be changed once submitted. Write to bionest@niperguwahati.in with questions.