BY THE DIGITAL HEALTH LEADERS FOR THE DIGITAL HEALTH COMMUNITY
BY THE DIGITAL HEALTH LEADERS Written by : Nikita Saha
April 7, 2025
The fund is designed to mobilize patient capital to support long-gestation R&D, especially in biotechnology, a sector critical to India’s future in healthcare, agriculture, and sustainability.
In a major push to fuel homegrown innovation, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal have announced an INR 10,000 Cr Fund of Funds with a strong focus on biotech and other deep tech sectors.
The announcement came during a recent event, where Goyal was joined by actress Sonam Kapoor to recognize the contributions of promising Indian startups.
The fund is designed to mobilize patient capital to support long-gestation R&D, especially in biotechnology, a sector critical to India’s future in healthcare, agriculture, and sustainability.
“Through this fund, we aim to foster the development of cutting-edge technologies like biotech, AI, robotics, precision manufacturing, and more,” Goyal said.
Biotechnology will be among the key sectors to benefit from the fund, with a dedicated portion earmarked for startups working on genomics, synthetic biology, bio-manufacturing, diagnostics, and biopharma.
The Minister said these innovations are essential for improving public health outcomes and building resilience in critical sectors.
“With this focused financial support, we want to empower Indian biotech entrepreneurs to take risks, innovate boldly, and lead the world with scalable solutions,” Goyal stated.
The fund will be implemented through the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), which has been directed to prioritize early-stage biotech and deeptech ventures. A total of INR 2,000 Cr will be disbursed in 2025 as the first installment.
The fund will offer seed capital to smaller startups that often struggle to secure traditional investment, enabling them to scale their prototypes, conduct clinical and field trials, and accelerate their journey to market.
While biotech remains a focal point, the fund will also support startups in artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum computing, machine learning, and semiconductor design sectors that demand long-term investment and policy support.
The government’s approach is clear: enable startups working on frontier technologies to develop indigenous IP, strengthen national capabilities, and elevate India as a global hub for innovation.
To make the ecosystem more supportive, the Commerce Ministry will also launch a dedicated startup helpline and grievance desk to resolve operational bottlenecks.
“Our startup maharathis (highly skilled warriors) will help realise our dream of Vikshit Bharat,” Goyal said, reinforcing the vision of a future-ready, tech-driven India. He also took a political jab, saying that opposition parties “cannot digest” India’s economic progress under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
“This is just the beginning. You aspire for much bigger things in life,” he told a crowd of aspiring founders and innovators.
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