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About the program


India is in dire need to push for innovation in the healthcare sector. BFI-BIOME Network and Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre at IIT Kanpur partners to promote and catalyse the realisation of ingenious innovative ideas into tangible products and solutions with profound impact on healthcare by launching the BFI-BIOME & IIT Kanpur Bioinnovation Program. We are proud to announce the “BFI-BIOME & IIT Kanpur Bioinnovation fellowship” for individual innovators and the “BFI-BIOME & IIT Kanpur Kickstarter Initiative'' for biomedical startups. This collaborative initiative expedites the trajectory of healthcare innovators toward success through the cultivation of innovative solutions and the enhancement of technological preparedness.

About BFI and BFI-BIOME Network


Blockchain For Impact (BFI) emerged during India's 2nd wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to provide crucial support to those in need. What began as an emergency response has evolved into a systematic approach introducing programmatic interventions at micro and macro levels across the public health space.

The BFI-Biome, with a dedicated USD 15 million program initiative aims to advance biomedical research and innovation in India. This initiative brings together leading researchers, medical professionals, technologists, and innovators to collaborate and innovate in the biomedical sector, addressing pressing health challenges. For more, please visit the BFI-BIOME website.

Focus Domains

We aim to support innovations in broad biomedical domains. Applications are invited in the following thematic areas of MedTech innovations:

Diagnostics

In-vitro diagnostic devices including but not limited to point-of-care devices, molecular diagnostic devices, and analyzers.

Medical Devices

Medical devices including assistive medical devices, implantable, prosthetics, devices in critical care, invasive devices.

Surgical Tools

Minimally invasive surgical tools & technologies, including robotic surgical manipulation and telemedicine-assisted surgical technologies.

Benefits


The BFI-BIOME & IIT Kanpur Bioinnovation Program provides a comprehensive suite of offerings designed to empower biomedical innovators and startups. Here’s what you can look forward to:


Kickstarter Initiative: Kickstarter initiatives aim to support innovators and entrepreneurs in the biomedical and healthcare space to run technology advancement, de-risking, and piloting activities through targeted key interventions. A support worth up to INR 10 lakhs (inclusive of applicable GST) to the biomedical startup provides the boost it needs to scale and succeed. This initiative aims to help transform groundbreaking ideas into impactful healthcare solutions.

Monthly Fellowship: Individual innovators can benefit from a fellowship of up to INR 50K per month, for a duration of 6-9 months, enabling the fellows to focus on developing their innovative solutions full-time.

Resource Support:
  • Access to state-of-the-art equipment, labs, or technology resources of IIT Kanpur, necessary for product development and testing.
  • Workshops and skill development programs on various topics such as marketing, finance, legal matters, and technology trends to enhance business acumen.
  • Networking events, conferences, and meetups to connect startups with industry leaders, potential clients, partners, and fellow entrepreneurs.
  • Providing opportunities to test products or services in a controlled environment to gather feedback, refine offerings, and ensure market fit.
  • Facilitating introductions and pitch opportunities with potential investors, including venture capitalists, angel investors, and crowdfunding platforms.
  • Offering legal advice related to intellectual property protection, contracts, and compliance issues.

Workshops & Skill Development Programs


The BFI-BIOME & IIT Kanpur Bioinnovation Program empowers biomedical innovators and startups through workshops to create awareness, develop networks, and build cohesive teams. Workshops provide insights into technical and business areas and connect participants with industry experts for knowledge exchange and collaboration. The program focuses on skill development, helping participants refine innovations and navigate the biomedical sector's complexities.

By offering a blend of Kickstarter support, expert mentorship, skill development, and access to top-tier infrastructure, the BFI-BIOME & IIT Kanpur Bioinnovation Program is committed to helping you turn your innovative ideas into reality and make a significant impact in the healthcare sector.

BFI-BIOME & IIT Kanpur Bioinnovation Fellowship:

The program aims to nurture and support individual innovators working on healthcare-related technologies through fellowships of up to INR 50,000 per month for a period of 6-9 months.

Eligibility

Eligibility criteria for individual innovators:



  • Nationality: The applicant must be an Indian national.
  • Age: Applicants must be at least 21 years of age.
  • Area of Work: Applicants should be working in the area of medical devices, in-vitro diagnostic devices, or surgical technology, preferably at TRL levels 1-3.
  • Educational Qualification: Applicants must possess a minimum of four years of formal education in the sciences or engineering disciplines, following the completion of their 10+2 qualification.
  • Commitment: The individual innovator should be willing to work full-time during the fellowship period and should not be drawing remuneration from any other sources concurrently.
  • Incubation: Applicants should be willing to incubate their company with the SIIC IIT Kanpur as per the institute's Incubation Policy.

BFI-BIOME & IIT Kanpur Kickstarter Initiative:

The initiative is a game-changer for biomedical startups, offering unparalleled support to scale their innovations and bring them to market. With Kickstarter support worth up to INR 10 lakhs (inclusive of applicable GST), this program aims to transform groundbreaking ideas into impactful healthcare solutions.

Eligibility

Eligibility parameters for startups are as follows:



  • Registration in India: Registered within the territory of India within the preceding seven years.
  • Equity Ownership by Indian Nationals: Majority equity, amounting to a minimum of fifty-one percent (51%), held by citizens of India.
  • Product or Technology Advancement: Pursuing the development of a product or technology within the purview of medical devices, in-vitro diagnostic devices, and surgical technology, with the potential to create a substantial societal impact on healthcare in India.
  • Technological Maturity Level: The startup should have a product or technology with a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 3 or higher.
  • Incubation Partnership: Expressing willingness to participate in the incubation program offered by SIIC IIT Kanpur, in accordance with the institute's established Incubation Policy.
  • Commercialization Strategy: Presenting a clearly defined roadmap outlining the path to commercialization.

Application Process

  • Step 1

    Call for Applications

  • Step 2

    Interview of shortlisted applications

  • Step 3

    Results

The selection process involves three rounds:


1. Shortlisting of applications: Applications are invited from both individual fellows and biomedical startups. Applications are reviewed and shortlisted based on novelty, feasibility, commercialisation potential and social impact in healthcare.

2. Pitch presentation: Shortlisted applications are called for pitch presentation in front of an expert panel.

3. Result announcement: The names of the successful individual innovators and startups are announced.


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For Queries, Contact

Dr. Arijit Bhattacharjee

MedTech/BioTech/AgriTech Vertical

SIIC IIT Kanpur

[email protected]

CONTACT

Mr. Prabir Tewari

MedTech/BioTech/AgriTech Vertical

SIIC IIT Kanpur

[email protected]

CONTACT