What are Schemes?

Bio-incubation allows harnessing of the entrepreneurial potential of startups by providing access to infrastructure, mentoring as well as networking platforms that the startups could use during their fledgling days. It helps the young entitites to survive by providing them specialised support services during the critical period of a business venture i.e. the start-up phase. While the Bioincubators are able to support the “Space, Services and Knowledge” requirements of startups, wide gap exists in financial support required by a technology driven start up in the initial phase. BIRAC’s initiative -Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development Fund (“SEED Fund”) primarily aims to address this need through the Incubators. The basic idea of SEED Fund is providing Capital assistance to startups with new and meritorious ideas, innovations and technologies. This would enable some of these start-ups to graduate to a level where they will be able to raise investments from angel/Venture capitalist or they will reach a position to seek loans from commercial banks /financial institutions. Thus the proposed seed support is positioned to act as a bridge between promoters’ investment and Venture/Angel investment. This is not an investment scheme, but, rather a support scheme to enable start-ups and incubator to attain sustainability.

International cooperation scheme promotes the exports of MSMEs through international exhibitions/ trade fairs, conferences/ summits/workshops. The idea is to give MSMEs . a platform so that their products and services can get global recognition and expand their business.MSME delegations visit other countries to participate in international exhibitions, trade fairs, conferences, etc. The objective is to explore various ways and means to improve the market of MSMEs products through joint ventures, technology infusions, etc.At the same time, international conferences, summits, workshops, etc., related to the MSME sector are organized in India by various bodies.International cooperation scheme provides financial assistance by reimbursing airfare, space rent, freight charges, advertisement & publicity charges, and entry/registration fees for participating in international marketing activities.

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is Government of India’s flagship initiative to create and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of our country. AIM’s objective is to develop new programmes and policies for fostering innovation in different sectors of the economy, provide platforms and collaboration opportunities for different stakeholders, and create an umbrella structure to oversee the innovation & entrepreneurship ecosystem of the country.

The department of Animal Husbandry, dairying and fisheries is implemeting Dairy Enterpreneurship Development Scheme (DEDS) for generating self-employment opportunities in the dairy sector, covering activities such as enhancement of milk production,procurement,preservation,transportation,processing and marketing of milk by providing back ended capital subsidy for bankable projects. The scheme is being implemented by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)

ASPIRE- was launched to set up a network of technology centres and to set up incubation centres to accelarate enterpreneurship and also to promote startups for innovation in agro industry

The programmes under the scheme ‘Export Development and Promotion’ aims to support exporters to adopt high tech processing technologies or to upgrade existing level of technologies for high end value addition and to develop capabilities to meet the changing food safety standards in the importing countries. The scheme also caters to promoting the Indian spices exporter by assisting them in promotion of Indian Goods in International Trade Fairs, Seminars, etc. by reimbursing their  expenditure on the same.

The scheme facilitates development of domestic and export markets, skill development and training, empowerment of women, employment/entrepreneurship creation and development, enhanced rawcmaterial utilization, trade related services, welfare activities for the coir workers, etc.

Bio-incubation allows harnessing of the entrepreneurial potential of start ups by providing access to infrastructure as well as mentoring and networking platforms that the start ups could use during their fledgling days. The Startup India Action Plan has necessitate creation of new bio-incubation space that are world class and that can provide cutting edge access to the best bio- incubation environs for propelling innovative ideas towards productization. BIRAC’s focus has been creation of a biotechnology startup environment in the country. It has taken a couple of strategic implementation programmes that span from provide funding to early stage ideas through grants, creation of bioincubators at strategic locations (through BioNEST) and extend mentorship and networking opportunities to startups Through BioNEST, BIRAC has supported 20 bioincubators that are at various stages of operationalization with the cumulative area of 200000 sq.ft. Out of this approximately 100,000 sft space is currently active for incubation. The 20 bioincubators are placed either within academic/research clusters or stand-alone incubators either privately funded or funded by State Governments. The new growth in biotech startups would require either scaling of existing bio-incubation space in current biotech hubs or creation of new bio- incubation space at nascent hubs that have the potential to become bigger biotech hubs in the next decade. Further, the creation of new bio- incubation space should be cognizant about the differential needs of varied nature of biotech startups- especially those that are medtech (including medical electronics hardware), biopharma, agri-biotech and biomaterials.

The startups require intensive networking and information about other business ventures. This scheme provides information on business, technology and finance to MSMEs, and also exhibit core competencies of Indian SMEs. This is done through MSME Global mart - www.msmemart.com. These information is available through annual membership of the portal.A free membership plan is also provided with limited access and services and a Gold membership plan for SC/STs is also provided with full access and services, which is free of charge.

Karnataka Semiconductor Venture Capital Fund (KARSEMVEN Fund) is a SEBI registered Venture Capital Fund having a corpus of Rs. 92.95 crore. The Fund proposes to undertake investments in companies catering to Semiconductor, Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM), Embedded Systems and such other allied sectors within the State of Karnataka

The India tourism Offices overseas extend advertising support to wholesalers, retailers and other organizations also (like Museums, Clubs, special interest groups, etc.) who wish to organize special India promotions. This is to promote the entreprenuers products or services to the potential international customers.

The programme on Ayurvedic Biology was initiated primarily by the office of the Principal ScientificAdvisor to the Government of India. The programme, now reconceived, is being implemented by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB). Against this background, the SERB constituted a Task Force to promote the application of basic sciences in the investigation of Ayurvedic concepts, procedures and products, and nurture the discipline of Ayurvedic Biology.

The Ministry of Tourism has a scheme for granting approval to hotel projects from the point of view of this suitability for international tourists. A classification committee set up by the Ministry classifies the functioning hotels under the star system into six categories from star one to five star deluxe. Similarly, the Ministry has a scheme of approving Travel Agents, Tour Operators, Adventure Tour Operators and Tourist Transport Operators, the idea being to encourage quality, standard and service in these categories so as to promote Tourism in India.This is a voluntary scheme open to all bonafide agencies.

The Small Exporter's Policy is basically the Standard Policy, incorporating certain improvements in terms of cover, in order to encourage small exporters to obtain and operate freely without the different type of risks like Political and Commercial. It is issued to exporters whose anticipated export turnover for the period of one year does not exceed INR 1 crores. 

Biotech start up journey, especially for first time entrepreneurs, is full of hurdles, both technological as well as business related such as business plan and market entry strategies, navigating regulatory hurdles, connecting and pitching to VCs and networking with future stakeholders. There is a greater realisation within the biotech community regarding the importance of focused mentorship which can help accelerate nascent biotech start up. BIRAC is therefore envisaging designing and implementing an equity based fund for supporting entrepreneurs in the valley of death.

The 4th of July 2020 has been quite a historic day for the Indian startups and the gear that the startups of India have got after that day because it is on the same day that the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has announced the launch of the "Aatmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge". With this launch, PM Modi urged the startups of India to come together and develop ‘Made in India’ applications that will facilitate not only the people of India but the whole world. In his tweet, PM urged all the tech and startup community to come forward and develop world-class mobile applications under the challenge.

KITVEN Fund-3 (Biotech) is a SEBI registered Venture Capital Fund having target corpus of Rs. 35.55 crore. The Fund proposes to undertake investments in companies catering to Biotechnology and such other allied sectors within the State of Karnataka. Currently, the Fund has received commitment from State and Central Government firms/ institutions like Karnataka Biotechnology & Information Technology Services (KBITS), Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and KSIIDC BIRAC.

Under this scheme the Ministry conducts seminars and reimburses registration fees for bar coding in order to encourage MSEs to use bar-codes.The basic objective of this scheme is to enhance the Marketing competitiveness of Micro & Small Enterprises (MSEs) by way of: Providing 75% of one time registration fee and annual recurring fee (for first three years) paid by MSEs to GS1 India (GS1 India, an autonomous body under Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India is a solution provider for registration for use of Bar Coding. To become a subscriber of GS1 India, all one has to do is fill up the subscription enquiry or registration form and make the necessary payments as registration fee. Details about registration with GS1 India for use of Bar Coding are available on their website www.gs1india.org).Popularising the adoption of bar codes on large scale amongst MSEs, Motivating and encouraging MSEs for use of bar codes through conducting seminars on Bar Code, etc.

The Marketing Assistance Scheme was launched with the main aim of improving the marketing capabilities and competitiveness of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The scheme was launched by the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises.

National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India is supporting Technology Business Incubators primarily in and around academic, technical and management institutions to tap innovations and technologies for venture creation by utilizing expertise and infrastructure already available with the host institution. Accelerator is a typically a 3-6 months’ fast track structured program helping ideas get accelerated to the next orbit. An accelerator aims at achieving one or more of the following objectives - introduction to entrepreneurial development to identify business opportunities (real problems that require real solutions), validate product ideas, engage with potential customers, build a scalable business model, build a product demonstration, manage team dynamics and pitch to investors. The Accelerators can be used to boost the Incubator’s existing activities to build attractive high quality startups, and have a customer centric validation model which enhances investment readiness as well as worthiness.