This scheme merges two existing umbrella schemes of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and introduces a new component focused on – biomanufacturing and biofoundry.
The scheme has three broad components:
- Biotechnology Research and Development (R&D)
- Industrial & Entrepreneurship Development (I&ED)
- Biomanufacturing and Biofoundry
This scheme is announced within a month after the Union Cabinet has approved the BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) Policy, in late last month, to foster High Performance Bio-manufacturing.
Key highlights of the Bio-RIDE scheme include:
Promoting Bio-Entrepreneurship: Providing seed funding, incubation support, and mentorship to bio-entrepreneurs.
Advancing Innovation: Offering grants and incentives for research in areas like synthetic biology, biopharmaceuticals, bioenergy, and bioplastics.
Facilitating Industry-Academia Collaboration: Creating synergies between academic institutions, research organizations, and industry to accelerate commercialization of bio-based products¹.
Encouraging Sustainable Biomanufacturing: Focusing on environmentally sustainable practices in biomanufacturing.
Supporting Researchers: Providing extramural funding to research institutions, universities, and individual researchers in diverse fields of biotechnology.
Nurturing Human Resources: Offering holistic development and support to students, young researchers, and scientists in biotechnology.
The biofoundry component of the Bio-RIDE scheme is designed to advance biomanufacturing capabilities in India.
Under Biofoundry, Government will establish state-of-the-art biofoundries that integrate advanced technologies like synthetic biology, automation, and data analytics to streamline the design, build, test, and learn (DBTL) cycle in biotechnology.
Establishing state-of-the-art biofoundries that integrate advanced technologies like synthetic biology, automation, and data analytics to streamline the design, build, test, and learn (DBTL) cycle in biotechnology.
A biofoundry is a facility that combines biology, engineering, and chemical biology systems with automation and other technologies to accelerate scientific discovery. Biofoundries can help scientists perform synthetic biology experiments on a large scale, which can lead to new solutions for environmental, health, and manufacturing challenges.
The DBT’s ongoing efforts align with its vision of harnessing the potential of Biotechnology as a precision tool for national development and well-being of society to fulfill its mission to make India globally competitive in Biotechnology research, innovation, translation, entrepreneurship, and industrial growth and be a US$300 billion Bioeconomy by 2030. The Bio-RIDE Scheme will contribute significantly towards realizing the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.
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