C-CAMP lands $52.7M grant to back India's deeptech startups
What's the deal? Bengaluru-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has received a US$67.9M (≈$52.7 million) grant under the Indian government's Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund to support deeptech startups, particularly in life sciences.
Why it matters: C-CAMP is the only dedicated biotechnology institution among 19 Second Level Fund Managers named by the government, which together received US$968.4M. It was selected as one of five Focused Research Organisations, alongside the Indian Institute of ScienceDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, IIT BombayDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, IIT MadrasDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and BITS PilaniDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
What's the endgame? C-CAMP plans to partner with private investors to build a consortium exceeding US$135.8M. The money will back startups developing technologies in healthcare, agriculture, and environmental sustainability.
Why now? The grant flows from the RDI Fund, a US$13.6B initiative announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2025 and spread over six years to encourage private investment in high-risk, high-potential research.
The fund supports technologies at Technology Readiness Level 4 or above — beyond the early laboratory stage. Two C-CAMP portfolio companies, Eyestem Research and Peptris TechnologiesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, have already received direct project funding.
What they're saying: C-CAMP director and chief executive officer Taslimarif Saiyed said the funding would bring more deeptech innovations closer to real-world applications. "Biotech will be the new gamechanger for society," he said, adding that it would help Indian innovators compete globally.
"We will ensure that lack of funding does not remain the bottleneck it currently is for India's biotech innovators to compete with the world's best," he said.
The signal: At roughly $52.7 million, the commitment ranks among the largest grants on record — in the 99th percentile of all grant rounds tracked. It marks a deliberate state push to close the funding gap that has held back India's biotech sector.
Read more: deccanherald.com
Image credit: Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms
