Live Funding Schemes – October 2022

In October 2022, the Indian government rolled out several key funding schemes aimed at boosting research, innovation and startup-support. These opened fresh opportunities for academia, R&D institutions, start-ups and small companies.

Key schemes to note

• The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) launched its Extramural Research (EMR) funding scheme with support of up to ₹80 lakh, open until 31 October 2022.
• SERB also opened the SUPRA (Scientific and Useful Profound Research Advancement) scheme, again up to ~₹80 lakh, closing 31 October 2022.
• The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) announced the Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme (BIPP), offering grants up to 50% of project cost (the remainder coming from the participating company/LLP). Deadline also 31 October 2022.
• The Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), under the Department of Telecommunications, launched its Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) Scheme on 1 October 2022. This is to support R&D and indigenous manufacture of telecom technologies for rural and remote areas.

Why it matters

These schemes underline two important trends:

• A push towards domestic R&D and innovation, especially in technology, biotech and industry-academia collaboration.
• A focus on making India self-reliant in advanced technologies (telecom, biotech) and enabling smaller players (start-ups, MSMEs) to access funding and scale.

What applicants should keep in mind

• Time-limits: Several of the schemes were open only till end of October 2022 (e.g., 31 October). Deadline awareness is critical.
• Matching contribution: Some schemes require cost-sharing by the company/partner (e.g., BIPP’s 50% of project cost).
• Collaboration: Especially for R&D calls like TTDF or BIPP, working in partnership with research institutions, start-ups, academia can boost eligibility.
• Focus & fit: Align your proposal tightly with the stated objective (for example: rural telecom tech for TTDF, biotech innovation for BIPP, frontier science for SERB).

Final thought

For researchers, start-ups and small companies looking to tap government funding: October 2022 was opportune. The schemes offered significant grants, deadlines were clear, and the thematic focus aligned with India’s drive for innovation and self-reliance. If you missed these, keep an eye on similar future calls and ensure you’re proposal-ready when the next opportunity comes.