BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council) is a Section 8 'Not-for-profit Company' under the Companies Act, 2013 set up by Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, and Government of India as an interface agency to promote industry-academia partnerships in the field of Biotechnology. BIRAC over the last five years has initiated several schemes, networks and platforms that help to bridge the existing gaps in the industry –academia innovation research and facilitate novel, high quality, affordable product development through cutting edge technologies.

For more information you can log on to: http://www.birac.nic.in/

BIRAC plans to launch BIRAC Innovation Challenge Award which will be a competition that will bring solutions and breakthroughs to a problem that is currently intractable. This award will help solve the problem in a defined time frame and develop an affordable product/solution which is of global excellence. The envisioned areas for the Challenge draw upon the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as Good Health and Sanitation. The indicative areas for suggesting themes for BIRAC Innovation Challenge Award are:

Health: Foster healthy lives and promote well-being of society through development of products especially in medical technology (Devices and diagnostics) which can alleviate healthcare challenges in India. Indications are: reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, end the epidemics of communicable diseases.

Sanitation: Ensures that communities have access to equitable sanitation & hygiene for all and end open defecation.

We invite you to please suggest themes based on the above mentioned areas under which we can launch a challenge to develop functional prototypes leading to globally excellent products & solutions which will render an affordable, faster and impactful solution to critical issues.

Last date of submission is 15th August, 2017