Can I apply for BIRAC BIG, NIDHI PRAYAS, or TIDE 2.0 directly?

No. All three are disbursed through empanelled incubators. You connect with the right incubator, who evaluates and puts your application forward.

Which grant is best for a biotech startup?

BIRAC BIG is the flagship early-stage grant for biotech and life sciences and is typically the highest-value option in that category.

Which grant is best for a hardware prototype?

DST NIDHI PRAYAS is designed specifically to fund prototype development for hardware and deep-tech innovators.

Can a startup get more than one of these?

Not usually at the same time for the same purpose, but startups often progress from a prototype-stage grant to a larger one as they mature. Sector fit and incubator attachment determine what's open to you.

BIRAC BIG vs DST NIDHI PRAYAS vs MeitY TIDE 2.0: which grant fits your startup

If you're building something physical or deep-tech — a biotech assay, a hardware prototype, a new device — three central grants should be on your radar: BIRAC BIG, DST NIDHI PRAYAS, and MeitY TIDE 2.0. They share one important trait: you can't apply to the government directly. All three are disbursed through empanelled incubators. Here's how to tell which one fits.

This is part of our guide to government grants for startups in India.

The quick comparison

Grant	Best for	Indicative amount	Routed through
BIRAC BIG	Biotech, life sciences, healthtech	Up to ~₹50 lakh	BIRAC-supported incubators
DST NIDHI PRAYAS	Hardware / prototype, any deep-tech	Up to ~₹10 lakh (prototype)	NIDHI-empanelled incubators
MeitY TIDE 2.0	ICT / electronics / emerging tech	Incubation + grant support	TBI / STPI incubators

Amounts are indicative — confirm the current figures on each scheme page.

BIRAC BIG — the biggest early-stage biotech grant

The Biotechnology Ignition Grant is the flagship for life-sciences founders. It's aimed at the idea-to-proof-of-concept stage and is one of the largest early-stage grants available in its category. If your startup touches biotech, diagnostics, medical devices, agri-bio, or therapeutics, BIG is usually the highest-value first cheque you can target. It's routed through BIRAC's network of incubators, who manage selection and disbursal.

DST NIDHI PRAYAS — for hardware and prototypes

PRAYAS (Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring innovators and Startups) is built for the "I need to build a physical prototype before anyone will fund me" problem. It's smaller than BIG but broader in sector, covering hardware and deep-tech generally, and it's specifically meant to get a tangible prototype out of an innovator. Access is through NIDHI-empanelled incubators.

MeitY TIDE 2.0 — for ICT and emerging tech

TIDE 2.0 (Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs) supports tech startups working in ICT, electronics, and emerging areas like IoT, AI, and blockchain. It operates through empanelled Technology Business Incubators and STPI centres, combining incubation support with grant funding.

The thing they all have in common

None of these has a direct application window. You reach them by getting attached to an empanelled incubator, which then puts you forward. That changes your strategy: the first move isn't filling a government form, it's identifying and connecting with the right incubator for your sector and stage. Browse empanelled incubators to see which networks align with what you're building.

This is also why a lot of qualifying founders never claim these grants — they don't realise the route exists. If your BenefitStack report flags one of these as a fit, it includes an incubator application package: your startup profile, an eligibility summary, and a curated list of empanelled incubators in your state, ready to send.

How to choose

Start from your sector: biotech leans BIG, hardware leans PRAYAS, ICT/electronics leans TIDE 2.0. Then weigh amount against fit — a smaller grant you'll actually win beats a larger one you don't qualify for. And remember these aren't mutually exclusive over a company's life; many deep-tech startups move from a prototype grant to a larger one as they mature.