Regional Centre for Biotechnology

Choosing the right route

RCB runs two very different things, and only one is for founders. If you are building a biotechnology startup, the route is the BSC BioNEST Bio-Incubator (BBB). The Postgraduate Diploma in Industrial Biotechnology is an academic course for students, not an incubation programme, so do not apply there expecting startup support.

How applications work

BBB takes applications through a Call for Incubation and an online application for incubation on its pages. Watch the BBB pages for an open call rather than assuming applications are always live, since bio-incubators usually take in startups in defined rounds.

What to prepare

BBB describes its audience as bio-entrepreneurs, both individuals and startup companies, working in biotechnology. Be ready to show what your venture does in biotechnology and why it needs lab-based incubation. The incubator sits in the NCR Biotech Science Cluster in Faridabad, so consider how you would use its lab, culture and instrumentation space.

What to double-check yourself

RCB's pages do not spell out detailed eligibility criteria or the exact terms of a current call in plain text, so confirm the current intake, timelines and any requirements directly on the BBB pages before you apply.

The Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) is a biotechnology research and education institute in Faridabad, Haryana, in the National Capital Region. It sits in the NCR Biotech Science Cluster on the Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, and it is set up under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in the Ministry of Science & Technology. Its own pages describe its mandate as biotechnology education, training and research.

RCB states that it has been recognised as an Institution of National Importance through an Act of the Indian Parliament for biotechnology education, training and research, and that it is also regarded as a Category II Centre under UNESCO's principles for the establishment and functioning of UNESCO institutes and centres. These are RCB's own stated recognitions.

What it runs for founders

For startups, the relevant part of RCB is the BSC BioNEST Bio-Incubator, known as BBB. It is a bio-incubation hub located in the National Capital Region, and its stated mission is to stimulate the establishment and growth of biotechnology-based startup companies. RCB manages and operates BBB, which is funded by BIRAC under the BioNEST scheme (Bioincubators Nurturing Entrepreneurship for Scaling Technologies). The incubator is open to young bio-entrepreneurs, both individuals and startup companies, rather than being limited to RCB's own students.

RCB separately offers an academic Postgraduate Diploma in Industrial Biotechnology, a one-year offline programme to train students for careers in industry. That diploma is an education programme for students rather than a route for founders, so it is not written up here as a startup offering.

Who can apply

BBB describes its audience as young bio-entrepreneurs working in biotechnology, including both individual founders and startup companies, and it is based in Faridabad in the NCR. Beyond that audience, RCB's fetched pages do not set out detailed eligibility rules in plain terms. The route in is a Call for Incubation followed by an online application for incubation.

Facilities

BBB describes its ecosystem within the NCR Biotech Science Cluster as offering a central instrumentation facility, lab and culture spaces, and office suites for incubatee companies. These are the facilities BBB names on its own pages.

Who runs it

RCB is a government institute established under DBT, and BBB is the bio-incubator it manages and operates on its campus. The incubator's funding backing comes from BIRAC under the BioNEST scheme.

Locations

RCB and BBB are based at the NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, in the National Capital Region near Delhi. Founders looking for how to apply, or for current calls for incubation, should check the BBB pages on the RCB site for the latest intake status.