IITM Bio Incubator FAQ

The Bio-Incubator is a facility provided to startup companies in the biotechnology sector to enable them to grow and enter the market.

You should apply if you have any one of the following related to biotech industry:
  • You have an innovative idea related to biotechnology business
  • You have a new product you want to bring to market
  • You want to test out a new process for existing products
  • You are a biotech startup registered in India.
This facility is partly located within IIT Madras campus, in the Department of Biotechnology, which is mainly office space. The lab is located in IITM Research Park, Taramani (Phase-I & II about 9000sq ft). For more details, click here
Facilties click here include:
  • Office space at nominal rates
  • A good lab with equipped with all basic biotech instruments .
  • Access to other sophisticated instrumentation facilities at IITM
  • Opportunity to interact with IITM faculty and students and start up companies
  • Other support services click herethrough IITM-IC viz. accounting, legal, company secretaryship, IP and mentorship.

Anyone with a basic background of life sciences can apply.

The majority of applicants come from one of the following areas of biotechnology:
Diagnostics, Industrial Biotech, Agricultural Biotech, Therapeutics and Food Biotechnology, Bio-energy, Bio-informatics and NGS.

About 2 months from application.
No, IITM-BI is open only for Indian companies.
No. This space is only for start-up companies incubated with IITM-BI.
There are no restrictions apart from the rules required for registration of the company.
It should be a start up, not more than 3 years old since registration.
You need to have some seed funding from one of the funding agencies like BIRAC or some venture capital or bootstrapping , Grants like BIG provide around 30-50 lakhs over 3 years. Please check the BIRAC website.
Not necessarily, but there should be some source of funding before you can start incubating. Since you need to pay some rental for the bioincubator and sustain your company for the initial stage
  • You can try to obtain funds as grants or loans from Government organizations, banks or venture capitalists
  • You can try to get some seed funding from angel investors through TiE
  • You can also enter some competitions for startups and win money/ sponsorship.
  • Once incubated you can avail IITM Alumini fund, BI SEED funding and IC funds.
Yes but once you are an incubatee.
Its not only for IITians. External candidates with a potential or innovative idea can apply as long as they can establish a link with IITM in some form like mentorship or shareholders.
  • Once the applicant has applied through the online form, it will reach the BI staff.
  • The initial screening of the application will be done by the BI Staff along with the Head of the Bioincubator
  • Applicant will be called for the discussion
  • The next stage will be with done by the Screening Committee. Upon selection, the application will be taken to IITM-IC for finalization.
  • Then, you will need to sign an agreement with IITM-IC and IITM-BI.
  • IITM-BI will offer both lab facilities and office cubicles. Lab facilities will include equipment for small- and medium- scale processing in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Cell culture, Downstream Processing and basic analytics. To see the list of equipment, click here .
  • Other facilities like mentorship, accounting, legal, company secretaryship, and IP will be provided by IITM-IC. Click here for more information.
  • Infra-structure facility Click here. Lay out Click here
IITM_BI will not provide any glassware, chemicals or other consumables. They will be bought and maintained by the incubatees.
Yes, When required
Yes, but with prior intimation to IITM-BI and used under your own control and supervision. IITM-BI will not be responsible for the safety, usage and maintenance of incubatee’s equipment.
The Bio-Incubator has around 9000 sq. ft. in Phase I and Phase-II of IITM Research Park and 700 sq. ft. in Dept of Biotechnology, IIT Madras.
  • Office cubicles and lab benches will be allocated to each incubatee depending on the availability and requirements.
  • If the incubate require individual space 194 sq ft approx. will be provided
  • If the start up require only a desk space that can also be availed
No, You have to be incubated in order to utilize the services.
You will receive a confirmation of your application immediately after you apply online. The Screening Committee will meet once in 6 months, wherein the applications will be evaluated.
  • Applications are judged on based on the 5 criteria
  • Technical merit
  • Business model
  • Team size/strength
  • Initial fund
  • Feasibility to BI
Once selected as an incubatee, you will need to sign a contract and transfer some equity shares to IITM-IC. Apart from this, IITM-BI will charge nominal fees depending upon the extent of usage of the facility.
The minimum period for incubation is 15 month, depending on the growth and performance of the incubatee company.
Yes should apply in writing with due notice.
IITM-BI will conduct review meetings every 6 months. Additionally, IITM-IC will also track progress through regular reports.
No. Blood samples are not allowed to be used in BI. We do not have the requisite permissions or regulatory measures.
Yes, you can use the office space as an incubatee.
No. It is not allowed.
No. We don't require.
Yes, we will maintain confidentiality for the concept and all incubatees are required to sign a Non-disclosure Agreement.
No, since equity cannot be given in turn to IITM.
1. Phase-I for the FY 2019-2020
35,000/- per month

2. Phase-II :
Small cubicles -43,000/-
Large cubicles- 45,000/-
The above rates which includes use of lab equipments and utilities (Air condition as actual)

3. Hot Desks In phase II
10,000/- per seat (without use of equipment)
20,000/- (with use of lab equipment)

4. Hot desk inside the Dept of Biotechnology
5000/- per seat

Go to Contact Us Please click here.