NBEC 2025 Awards INR 40 Cr in Prizes and Investments to Bio-Entrepreneurs Winning startups include ImmunitoAI's AI antibody drugs, Nexus Power's biodegradable batteries, and Waterfall Automation's IoT irrigation system, along with Ivory's cognitive tool, Miraqules' blood-clotting biopolymer, and Neo Avishkar's neonatal breathing device innovations.
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Bengaluru hosted the grand finale of the C-CAMP National Bio Entrepreneurship Competition (NBEC) 2025, where 16 startups and 6 student teams were named winners. The event showcased innovations across healthcare, agriculture, water management, environmental sustainability, and cutting-edge technologies in diagnostics and drug discovery.
The winning startups secured around INR 40 crore in a mix of cash prizes and investment opportunities, while student innovators received an additional INR 9 lakh.
According to the organisers, this year's edition attracted more than 3,100 applications from 34 states and union territories, with a significant number of entries from tier II and tier III cities. Out of 65 shortlisted pre-finalists, the winners were selected for their novelty, scalability, and commercial potential.
Taslimarif Saiyed, Chief Executive Officer of C-CAMP, described the competition's journey from a small initiative to a national platform for bio-entrepreneurship. He stressed that persistence and long-term commitment are vital to transforming ideas into successful ventures.
The projects reflected a wide range of emerging priorities. They included artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery, biodegradable batteries made from agricultural waste, neonatal healthcare solutions, and technologies for carbon capture.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson of Biocon Group, urged participants to aim for scale and global relevance. She noted that breakthroughs in computational biology and data science now allow researchers to connect immunology with metabolic disease, microbiomes, and genomics. "We need to create an economy full of truly big ideas. Even if you begin with a small concept, it should be designed for global impact," she told the finalists.
Murali Ramachandra, Chief Executive Officer of Aurigene Oncology and Chair of the Jury, observed that the competition created a platform for collaboration across therapeutics, diagnostics, and patient care.
Among the winning startups were immunitoAI, which is building AI-powered antibody drugs for autoimmune disorders and cancer; Nexus Power, which has developed biodegradable batteries from crop residues; and Waterfall Automation, which designed an IoT-based irrigation system to conserve water.
Other winners included Ivory, which is developing a digital tool for early detection of cognitive decline; Miraqules Medsolutions, which created a biopolymer for rapid blood clotting in trauma cases; and Neo Avishkar, which designed a neonatal breathing device.
Student teams also introduced promising innovations. These included a bioactive bone filler for orthopaedic applications by a group from Manipal Academy of Higher Education and RegenaCure, a drug delivery platform presented by students from IIT Kanpur. Other ideas focused on AI-based wound monitoring for diabetic patients, rapid diagnostic kits for neonatal sepsis, and bioremediation technologies for industrial wastewater.
Investor interest was strong. Social Alpha announced up to INR 10 crore in investments for seven startups, while Enzia Ventures pledged INR 5.1 crore for three companies. IIMA Ventures, IdeaSpring, and Theia Ventures also offered funding opportunities ranging between INR 1.7 crore and INR 8 crore.
Agri-focused investor Omnivore committed INR 8 crore to one of the winners, and angel networks such as the Indian Angel Network, BioAngels, and TiE Angels expressed further interest. Organisers clarified that all commitments will follow due diligence.
Since its launch in 2017, NBEC has highlighted over 110 entrepreneurs, with many alumni expanding into global markets. Anchored by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms, one of India's leading life sciences incubators, the initiative has helped showcase innovations from across the country.
This year's competition reflected the growing contribution of smaller towns and regional universities, indicating that India's next wave of biotech innovation is emerging far beyond traditional metropolitan hubs.
