Overview

About Us

Venture Center is India’s largest science business incubator that supports early-stage R&D intensive science-based startups by offering state-of-the-art incubation and scientific facilities. Hosted by the CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Venture Center was incorporated as “Entrepreneurship Development Center” under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (now Section 8 under the Companies Act, 2013).

Focus Areas
  • Healthcare (Biotech / Medtech / Medical Devices/ Diagnostics / Therapeutics)
  • Agri-Biotechnology
  • Industrial Biotechnology
  • Energy / environment ventures
  • Social Enterprises
  • Spin-offs from govt. R&D labs
Supported By
  • Government Partners:
    CSIR | NSTEDB | BIRAC | MSME | TIFAC | TDB | DSIR | DST | DBT | NCL | NCL Innovations
  • Corporate Sponsors:
    Bajaj Auto | Intox Labs | Indus Biotech | International Biotech Park | Eppendorf | LexInnova | Praj Foundation | Nag Foundation | Forbes Marshall Foundation | Persistent Foundation
Awards and Certification
  • Venture Center won the National Entrepreneurship Award ( for Eco-system Builder) 2019.
  • Venture Center was selected by the Asian Association of Business Incubation (AABI) for its “Incubator of the Year” Award for 2018. This annual award aims to recognize overall excellence in incubation performance.
  • Venture Center received the National Award for Technology Business Incubation 2015 from the President of India on 11th May, 2016.
  • Venture Center is the only technology business incubator in the country to have been accredited under Desirable Norms – the highest level of accreditation offered by Credibility Alliance.
Resources and Facilities

(1) Intellectual Property Facilitation Center (IPFACE):
Venture Center set up an Intellectual Property Facilitation Center (IP‐FACE) for MSMEs with grant support from the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MoMSME). IPFACE promotes awareness and adoption of intellectual property rights amongst entrepreneurs and MSMEs in India while also making accessible high‐quality IP services and resources. Know more: http://www.ipface.org/

(2) BIRAC Regional Bioinnovation Center (BRBC):
BRBC is a resource intensive center that aims to significantly impact the translation of high quality innovative ideas across diverse ecosystems into viable and sustainable business enterprises. The four main activities of BRBC include:
(a) Venture Mentoring Service
(b) Venture Base Camps
(c) Regulatory Information and Facilitation Center
(d) BioIncubation Practice School
Know more: http://www.brbc.venturecenter.co.in/

(3) Regulatory Information Facilitation Center (RIFC):
The RIFC aims to assist bio-entrepreneurs in planning, seeking and securing regulatory approvals. The RIFC plans to achieve this by providing access to experts and regulators, providing access to practical insights from other entrepreneurs, providing services and organising relevant and useful events. Know more: http://rifc.venturecenter.co.in/

(4) NIDHI Center of Excellence (NIDHI-CoE)
The NIDHI COE will help Venture Center build a high density cluster of inventive enterprises in Pune with significant global connectivity, reach and footprint. Some key objectives of NIDHI-CoE at Venture Center:

  • To scale-up incubation activity to accommodate more than 100 startups at any time.
  • To upgrade and add new facilities for supporting science and technology based startups.
  • To plan and execute many more events aimed at entrepreneurs/ startups and technology innovators both for awareness and learning.
  • To offer services to startups to help them manage their technology and risks better.
  • To develop a select group of new programs that can help startup companies scale-up more effectively as well as reach out internationally.
    Know more: http://nidhicoe.venturecenter.co.in/

(5) Center for Biopharma Analysis
This initiative of Venture Center is supported by the National BioPharma Mission, BIRAC (Government of India). The Center for BioPharma Analysis is intended as:

  • A one-stop destination for high quality in vitro characterisation of biopharmaceuticals
  • An open access facility
  • A GLP compliant facility
  • Hosting dedicated high-end instrumentation
  • Providing hand holding and advisory support to biopharma researchers and technology developers
    Know more: https://www.venturecenter.co.in/biopharma/about/

 (6) TechEx

TECHEX.IN is a Technology Transfer Hub operated by Venture Center, Pune, India and supported by the National Biopharma Mission, BIRAC (Govt of India). TECHEX.IN aims to help technology developers and technology commercialisation entities find each others, forge partnerships and advance the technology closer to the market in a win-win partnership.

Scope of Activities include

  • Technology marketing
  • Technology transfer — deal structuring, agreements, valuations, negotiations
  • Spin-off and new venture creation
  • Intellectual property protection
  • Policies, institutional mechanisms and office support for R&D organisations for innovation management
  • Industry- academia technology partnership mechanisms and contract management
    Know more: techex.in

 (7) BIRAC-supported Bioincubator:
The Bioincubator is a physical space that supports start-ups working in the areas of biotechnology (biopharma, agrobiotech, industrial biotech, clean technology), biomedical engineering/ devices/ diagnostics, biomass value addition/ renewable fuels/chemicals/materials, bioinformatics, bio/medical services and related disciplines. With the launch of Phase 2 of the BioIncubator in May 2017, Venture Center has a dedicated bioincubation space of over 10,000 sq ft. As of July 2018, the Bioincubator was home to 57 resident bioincubatees, making it India’s largest Bioincubator in terms of (resident) incubatees. Know more: http://www.bioincubator.venturecenter.co.in/

(8) Protoshop:
Protoshop combines Tinkering lab and DST Prayashala, which are the prototyping facilities at Venture Center. Protoshop is an initiative of Venture Center (a technology business incubator hosted by CSIR-NCL) with the generous support from in-house funds and the host Institution. It aims at providing services to the Inventors and Entrepreneurs to design and build their prototypes and bringing their ideas into life.
Know more: http://www.protoshop.in/

Funding Sources at Venture Center
Know more: http://www.venturecenter.co.in/resources_facilities.php

Venture Center hosts a couple of seed funds to to provide capital assistance to startups with new and meritorious ideas, innovations and technologies.

Specifically, Venture Center is currently hosting three seed funds:

(a) BIRAC “Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development Fund” (SEED) Fund. Corpus: Rs. 2 Crore
(b) BIRAC “Launching Entrepreneurial Driven Affordable Products” (LEAP) Fund
(c) DST – National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations – Seed Support System (NIDHI-SSS). Corpus: Rs. 10 Crore.

In addition, the entrepreneurs and start-ups at Venture Center have raised funding from the various sources mentioned below.

• BIRAC Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG)
• BIRAC Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme (BIPP)
• BIRAC Small Business Innovation Research Initiative (SIBRI)
• BIRAC – Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development – (SEED) Fund
• BIRAC SPARSH programme.
• NIDHI Seed Support Scheme (SSS)
• National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB) Seed Fund
• Technology Development Board (TDB) Seed Fund
• Proof-Of-Concept Fund from National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB)
• CSR Support from corporates such as Eppendorf
• VC firms such as 1Crowd, Blume Ventures
• India Innovation Growth Program (IIGP)
• United States–India Science & Technology Endowment Fund (USISTEF)
• Social Innovation Immersion Programme (SIIP)
• NIDHI PRAYAS prototyping grant
• NIDHI Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR)
• BIRAC Industry Innovation Programme on Medical Electronics (IIPME)
• BIRAC Grand challenges