BRTC A BIRAC-KIIT-TBI Initiative

What BRTC A BIRAC-KIIT-TBI Initiative does

BRTC (BIRAC Regional Techno-Entrepreneurship Promotion Centre) is a non-profit biotech incubator and ecosystem development initiative established on July 12, 2019, as the 4th BIRAC Regional Centre at KIIT-TBI Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. It operates through a partnership between BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, a Section 8 public sector enterprise under the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India) and KIIT-BioNEST, with a mandated focus on building the biotechnology entrepreneurial ecosystem in the historically underserved East and North East regions of India. BRTC does not develop or sell proprietary technology products; instead, it delivers a portfolio of pro-bono programs including roadshows, design workshops, capacity building training, the NE India LaunchPad acceleration program, the North East Startup Showcase (NESS), rural women entrepreneurship training, and the BINER incubation manager training program.

The organization serves biotech startups, individual innovators, rural women entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and nascent incubators across East and North East India. Its core services include mentorship, prototyping facility access, IP guidance, company formation assistance, grant writing support, and facilitation of access to BIRAC and government funding schemes such as BIG, SPARSH SIIP, SBIRI, MeitY TIDE 2.0, RKVY-RAFTAAR, MSME, SFURTI, and DST grants. BRTC has established collaborations with 18 institutes and organizations across the region and maintains partnerships with government bodies including BIRAC, KIIT-BioNEST, MTI-Hub, NRDC, NIF, BCKIC Foundation, DST, MeitY, and MSME.

The business model is government-grant funded and non-commercial: BRTC provides all services free of cost to beneficiaries and generates no product or service revenue. Its core staff is 4 people (CEO Dr. Mrutyunjay Suar, Advisor Dr. Namrata Misra, and two Program Associates), supported by a think tank of advisors and a regional mentor network. Reported program outcomes include 2,677 individuals trained through 31 capacity building programs, 616 rural women trained across 5 states, 17 startups selected for one-year pro-bono incubation through NE LaunchPad 2.0, 41 startups showcased at NESS Summit 1.0, and 26 incubation managers trained through BINER 2.0.

Name

BRTC A BIRAC-KIIT-TBI Initiative

Legal name

BRTC (BIRAC Regional Techno-Entrepreneurship Promotion Centre)

Website

https://brtc.kiitincubator.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BRTC is a non-profit BIRAC Regional Centre at KIIT-TBI Bhubaneswar, established in 2019 to build the biotechnology entrepreneurial ecosystem in East and North East India by providing pro-bono incubation, mentorship, capacity building, and funding access to biotech startups, innovators, and rural women entrepreneurs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biotech Incubation Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs (EDAMAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM), Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD)

Keywords

• Biotech incubation services
• Startup acceleration programs
• Entrepreneurship capacity building
• Regional innovation ecosystem
• Technology transfer support

Headquarters

HQ city

Bhubaneswar

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Incubation and Ecosystem Support Services: BRTC operates as a non-profit government-supported initiative. It provides pro-bono incubation support, mentoring, prototyping facilities, IP guidance, company formation assistance, and grant writing support to selected startups at no cost to beneficiaries. The initiative is funded through BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council) and partnerships with government schemes such as MeitY TIDE 2.0 and RKVY-RAFTAAR.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BRTC (BIRAC Regional Techno-Entrepreneurship Promotion Centre) is a non-profit government-supported biotech incubator that delivers free capacity-building, mentoring, and incubation services to biotechnology startups, innovators, and rural entrepreneurs in East and North East India. Its offering portfolio comprises roadshows, design workshops, an incubation practice school, the North East Immersion Program, capacity-building training, the North East Startup Showcase (NESS), rural women entrepreneurship training, and the NE India LaunchPad acceleration program. Selected startups receive pro-bono access to prototyping facilities, IP and grant-writing guidance, company formation assistance, and one-on-one mentorship.

Product overview

BRTC (BIRAC Regional Techno-Entrepreneurship Promotion Centre) is a biotech incubator support initiative, not a traditional product company. It operates as a unified platform offering multiple entrepreneurship support programs including Roadshows, Design Workshops, Incubation Practice School, North East Immersion Program, Training Programs for Rural Women Entrepreneurs, North East Showcase Event (NESS), Capacity Building Training Programs, and NE India LaunchPad (versions 1.0 and 2.0). These programs collectively aim to nurture innovation, support startups, and build the biotech entrepreneurial ecosystem in East and Northeast India.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NE India Launchpad: Acceleration program for startups and innovators from Northeast India, supported by MeitY TIDE 2.0 and BIRAC.
• BINER
• NESS
• ENER BioCluster

Products and services

• Roadshows on Essentials of Techno-Entrepreneurship One-day programs introducing key aspects of science and technology-based entrepreneurship, spreading awareness about BIRAC and other government funding schemes among aspiring entrepreneurs at universities across the region.
• Design Workshops Two-day intensive programs on product design and business design conducted by domain experts and mentors, targeting early and mid-stage entrepreneurs in Healthcare Device and Diagnostic areas.
• Incubation Practice School Comprehensive learning program for incubation managers from existing BIRAC and non-BIRAC incubators covering best practices in technology and business incubation, including orientation at KIIT-TBI and other established incubators.
• North East Immersion Program Three-day exposure program bringing together 15+ innovators from North East India for immersion at KIIT-TBI, connecting them with startups, mentors, established incubators, policymakers, and industry collaborators.
• Training Programs for Rural Women Entrepreneurs Programs dedicated to empowering rural women entrepreneurs through skill development in food processing, banking systems, floriculture, and enterprise setup, delivered via on-site training in rural clusters of Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.
• North East Startup Showcase Event (NESS) Two-day startup showcase event helping innovators from outside North East understand the regional ecosystem, pitch to mentors, and secure cash prizes and incubation offers, with the first summit held in February 2023.
• Capacity Building Training Programs Two-day structured training programs covering facets of innovation including the Biodiversity Act, technology transfer, business planning, marketing, investment, and regulatory understanding for innovators and startups.
• NE India LaunchPad 1.0 45-day acceleration program for startups and innovators from Northeast India providing comprehensive mentoring, with several participants subsequently securing BIRAC BIG NE grants, BIRAC BIG grants, and the BIRAC SPARSH SIIP fellowship.
• NE India LaunchPad 2.0 Two-week acceleration program receiving 93 applicants, with 60 startups participating from 1st to 15th February 2023; 17 selected startups receive one year of pro-bono incubation including prototyping facilities, mentorship, company formation assistance, IP guidance, and grant writing support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 31 capacity building programs conducted benefiting 2,677 individuals
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 July 2019BIRAC and KIIT-TBI partnered to establish the 4th BIRAC Regional Centre at KIIT-TBI Bhubaneswar. BRTC operates as a BIRAC Regional Techno-Entrepreneurship Promotion Centre, building the biotech entrepreneurial ecosystem in East and North East India. BIRAC provides funding support, policy framework, and access to its portfolio of startup support programs including BIG grants, SPARSH SIIP, and SBIRI.
• KIIT-BioNEST (KIIT Technology Business Incubator - BioNEST)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKIIT-BioNEST hosts the BRTC initiative at its Campus 11 facility within KIIT Deemed to be University. The BioNEST provides the physical infrastructure, established incubation operations, and connects BRTC to the broader KIIT TBI ecosystem of mentors, startups, and industry partners.
• MTI-Hub (Manipur Technology Innovation Hub)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMTI-Hub is a dedicated technology innovation hub in Manipur established to drive technology innovation and entrepreneurship in the Northeast. BRTC collaborates with MTI-Hub for the NE Launchpad program and jointly organized the NESS Summit 1.0. MTI-Hub serves as a co-delivery partner for BRTC programs in the Northeast region.
• National Innovation Foundation (NIF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBRTC collaborates with the National Innovation Foundation to identify grassroots innovations and rural women SHG clusters for development. NIF helps source and validate grassroots innovations suitable for biotechnology-based enterprise development.
• NRDC (National Research Development Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRDC facilitates commercialization and transfer of innovative technologies developed by Indian scientists and institutions. BRTC partners with NRDC to provide technology evaluation, patenting, licensing, and marketing support to startups in its ecosystem.
• BCKIC (Bhubaneswar City Knowledge Innovation Cluster) FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCKIC Foundation creates a vibrant ecosystem for knowledge and innovation in Bhubaneswar through collaboration between academia, industry, and government. BRTC is an initiative under this broader innovation cluster framework.
• 18 Regional Institutes and UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBRTC established collaborations with 18 institutes and organizations in the East and North East regions to enhance R&D and entrepreneurship development. These include: NEHU Shillong, CSIR-NEIST Jorhat, Tezpur University, Tripura University, Mizoram University, Rajiv Gandhi University, Central Agricultural University Tripura, Patna University, Vinoba Bhave University, Assam Agricultural University, and others.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre: Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre (BBC) is a Karnataka government-supported biotech incubator with a similar mission of supporting life sciences startups through infrastructure, mentorship, and grant facilitation. It serves as a state-level analogue to BRTC's regional incubator role.
• IKP Knowledge Park: IKP Knowledge Park is a Hyderabad-based life sciences incubator providing infrastructure, funding access, and incubation services to biotech startups. It shares BRTC's focus on nurturing early-stage biotech ventures through grant-linked programs and is among the most established BIRAC-aligned incubators.
• Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP): C-CAMP is one of India's leading biotech innovation hubs based in Bangalore. Like BRTC, it is a deep-tech/biotech-focused incubator providing mentorship, funding access, and ecosystem support to life sciences startups, making it directly comparable in mission and structure.
• a-IDEA (NAARM Technology Business Incubator): a-IDEA is the agri-biotech focused technology business incubator at the National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM), Hyderabad. It directly parallels BRTC's BIRAC-aligned biotech incubation model with a focus on agriculture and life sciences startups.
• KIIT Technology Business Incubator (KIIT-TBI): KIIT-TBI is the parent incubator that hosts BRTC at its Campus 11 facility. It is a multi-domain technology business incubator providing similar incubation, mentorship, and acceleration services across biotech, clean energy, and other deep-tech verticals.

Emerging players

• Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), IIT Delhi: FITT is the technology transfer and incubation arm of IIT Delhi, supporting deep-tech and biotech startups through funding, mentorship, and industry connections. It is comparable to BRTC in incubation structure though larger in scale and located in a more mature startup ecosystem.
• Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), IIT Bombay: SINE is an academic deep-tech incubator at IIT Bombay providing incubation, mentorship, and seed funding to technology startups. While broader in sector coverage than BRTC, it shares the model of university-hosted, government-supported startup incubation.

Broad incumbents

• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM): AIM is a flagship Government of India initiative under NITI Aayog that funds Atal Incubation Centres and Tinkering Labs across India. While broader in scope than BRTC, AIM overlaps in mission (incubation, entrepreneurship development) and is a comparable government-backed ecosystem builder.
• Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC): BIRAC is the parent government body that funds and oversees BRTC. It is a public-sector enterprise under the Department of Biotechnology that operates numerous schemes, incubators, and funding programs nationwide — the broader ecosystem in which BRTC operates as one delivery arm.

Others

• Bhubaneswar City Knowledge Innovation Cluster (BCKIC) Foundation: BCKIC is a Bhubaneswar-based innovation cluster initiative under which BRTC operates. It connects academia, industry, and government for knowledge-led regional development, making it a parent framework and adjacent ecosystem enabler rather than a direct incubator peer.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brtc-kiit-tbi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about BRTC A BIRAC-KIIT-TBI Initiative