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SITARE

SITARE – Students Innovations for Translation & Advancement of Research Explorations

Up to ₹15 lakh for student biotech projects with commercial potential — explicitly aimed at creating startups.

What you get

SITARE-GYTI up to ₹15 lakh · SITARE Appreciation Grant up to ₹1 lakh

Nodal ministry

Department of Biotechnology (DBT)

Support type

Grant

Best suited for

Ideation · Prototype / PoC

Typical timeline

GYTI call opens once a year, August–September, for 45–60 days

What this scheme actually is

SITARE funds student innovation in biotechnology through two components: the Gandhian Young Technological Innovation Award grant of up to ₹15 lakh for projects with commercial potential, and an appreciation grant of up to ₹1 lakh tied to the Biotech Innovation Ignition School. The stated goal is the creation of biotech startups, not just good projects.

Implementing agency: BIRAC

What the scheme sets out to do

Promote and support innovative student projects in biotechnology
Translate student research into commercial ventures and biotech startups

Who can apply

SITARE-GYTI: an Indian student pursuing a PhD or Masters in any discipline
SITARE Appreciation Grant: students pursuing an undergraduate programme in any discipline, preferably from Tier-II/III cities and aspirational districts

What you get

SITARE-GYTI: funding support of up to ₹15 lakh each for projects with commercial potential leading to biotech startups
SITARE Appreciation Grant: up to ₹1 lakh each, plus training and mentoring at the Biotech Innovation Ignition School

How to apply, step by step

  1. 1

    Apply in the annual GYTI window

    The call opens once a year in August or September for 45 to 60 days. Proposals are submitted online only.

  2. 2

    Frame the project commercially, not just academically

    The selection criterion is commercial potential leading to a startup. A brilliant thesis with no route to market scores poorly.

  3. 3

    Register and submit at birac.nic.in

    Login as a registered user and submit against the open call.

How Company Avenue Advisory helps

What we actually do on a SITARE mandate

Commercial framing of the student project — market, route to revenue and IP position
Incorporation and founder-equity structuring when the project becomes a company
IP ownership negotiation with the host institution before disclosure
The path into BIG and the wider BIRAC funding ladder

No consultant can guarantee a sanction — that decision sits with the evaluating committee, bank or incubator. We commit to an honest eligibility view, an application built to the evaluator’s format, filing inside the window and a documented follow-up cadence. That is stated in every engagement letter we sign.

Official sources

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