ANRF Catalytic Partnership Program

ANRF Catalytic Partnership Program is a highly selective funding scheme intended to catalyse the establishment of new, large-scale research and innovation institutions or centres through deep and sustained public-private partnerships. The program enables the development of new institutional platforms, such as world class research laboratories, venture-builder institutions, and collaborative research centres anchored with universities, national research laboratories, research parks or in partnerships with other Ministries, Departments and State Governments.
The program is designed to provide limited but high-leverage funding to enable research that would not otherwise materialise at the proposed scale without the involvement of ANRF.
ANRF's support is intended to anchor, de-risk, and unlock substantial non-governmental investments and facilitate the creation of enduring institutional capabilities of national importance.


Objectives
The program seeks to:

  • Create new and differentiated research and innovation institutions with long-term mandates and global ambition.
  • Establish deep research partnerships between academic/research institutions, private capital, regional or other support.
  • Enable transformational research and translational outcomes at scale, including deep-tech innovation ecosystems.
  • Promote financial self-sustainability.
  • Enable structured pathways to take technologies from research stage to industry use.
  • Build long-term talent through PhD training, postdoctoral opportunities, and industry-linked research exposure.
All proposals must be broadly aligned with the objectives and mandate of ANRF as a national apex research funding institution.


ANRF 'Catalytic' Support
For the purpose of this program, 'catalytic' support refers to ANRF's role in enabling or accelerating the establishment of new institutional partnerships and research entities by:

  • Enabling convergence of multiple public, private, and philanthropic partners into a single institutional platform.
  • Anchoring governance frameworks that enhance credibility and investor confidence to participate in national research ecosystems.
  • Supporting early stage institutional stabilisation and capacity building.
The burden of evidence shall rest on the applicant institution to demonstrate that ANRF's involvement is essential and catalytic to the proposed partnership.


Eligibility :

  • The program is strictly institutional in nature. No individual-centric projects will be supported.
  • Only one proposal per institution per call shall be permitted.
  • Proposals shall be submitted by the Head of the Institution.
  • Recognized academic institution (including private institutions with valid UGC / AICTE / PCI approval) or National Research Laboratory or not-for-profit recognized research organisation in India (with a valid DSIR-SIRO recognition) are eligible to host the program.
  • The proposal submitted shall constitute the sole institutional submission under this program for the relevant call cycle.
  • Only projects demonstrating a minimum program cost of Rs. 100 crore (In-cash), before accounting for ANRF contribution, will be considered.
Given the strategic nature of the program, only a limited number of proposals shall be supported in each call.


Nature of Proposals :
Proposals must clearly demonstrate:

  • Alignment with national priorities and areas of long-term national relevance.
  • Net newness of the proposed objectives and partnership structure.
  • That the proposal does not represent an extension, reconfiguration, or incremental scaling of existing institutions, centres, laboratories, or partnerships.


Nature of Supported Partnerships:
Supported proposals shall result in the establishment of a new institutional entity (centre, laboratory, or institute).
Partnerships may involve academic institutions, national research laboratories, industry, philanthropy, other public agencies, or combinations thereof.
Proposals should clearly outline the governance structure of the proposed entity, including leadership, decision-making bodies, and the roles and responsibilities of participating partners.

Nature of Support :

  • ANRF support shall typically constitute 10-20% of the total program cost and shall be disbursed over a period of up to five years.
  • Non-ANRF funding may include private capital, CSR funding, philanthropy, alumni or diaspora endowments, infrastructure support, and in-kind contributions.
  • All supported entities shall acknowledge ANRF support and be designated as "Catalysed by ANRF" in official communications.


Utilisation of ANRF Funds

The ANRF contribution shall be utilised to drive collaboration and institutional upliftment of emerging Tier II and Tier III research institutions, with particular emphasis on State Universities.
Such support shall include:

  • Research visitorships enabling faculty and researchers from Tier II/Tier III institutions to spend significant periods (typically three months to one year) at the supported centre or institution.
  • Capacity building, mentorship, and institutional development mechanisms designed to strengthen research capability in partner institutions.
  • Shared access to infrastructure and facilities established under the program.

The depth of outreach and institutional upliftment activities shall constitute a key evaluation and performance metric under this program.

Proposal Requirements

Proposals submitted under this program must clearly articulate:

  • The expected catalytic role of ANRF in the proposed partnership.
  • The expected outcomes, including institutional, scientific, and translational outcomes.
  • Alignment with the objectives and mandate of ANRF.
  • The funding structure, including committed and prospective non-ANRF contributions.
  • The proposal must clearly demonstrate that the proposed initiative is distinct from and does not duplicate or overlap with activities supported under other schemes of ANRF.

Evaluation and Selection
  • Proposals shall be evaluated by an Expert Committee comprising members from different domains.
  • The Committee shall assess proposals on proposed ANRF’s role in the partnership, net newness, strategic alignment, governance robustness, and long-term sustainability.
  • The recommendations of the Expert Committee shall be placed before the ANRF Executive Council, which shall be the final deciding authority.

Terms and Conditions
  1. Governance and Oversight
    The supported institution shall establish an appropriate governance structure for the proposed entity, clearly defining leadership, decision making bodies and the roles of participating partners. ANRF may nominate one representative or member to the governing or advisory bodies overseeing the program.
  2. Financial management and Audit
    ANRF funds shall be maintained in a separate account and utilized strictly for the approved purposes of the program. The institution shall submit audited financial statements, utilization certificates and other documents as required by ANRF and applicable Government of India financial rules.
  3. Compliance with National Regulations
    All activities supported under this program shall comply with applicable national regulations, including those related to research ethics, data governance, national security, and export control, where relevant. The applicant institution is responsible for ensuring such compliance.
  4. Modification or Termination of Support
    ANRF reserves the right to modify, suspend or terminate support in the event of non-performance, misuse of funds or violation of program guidelines.
  5. Branding and Acknowledgment
    All supported entities must be designated as:
    "Catalyzed by ANRF"
    and must prominently display ANRF branding and logo in communications.
  6. Non-ANRF funding Commitments
    The host institution and partners shall ensure timely mobilization of the committed non-ANRF funding as indicated in the proposal. Any significant change in partner commitments shall be communicated to ANRF.
    A defined portion of the non-ANRF financial contribution shall be backed by evidence of firm commitment and not only expressions of interest.
  7. Establishment of the institutional entity
    The supported partnership shall establish the proposed Centre, Laboratory or Institutional platform with a defined identity, governance and long-term mandate.

Mode of Application and Selection
The Principal Investigator is eligible to apply only one proposal during a call. The call for applications will be notified on the ANRF website www.anrf.gov.in and online portal www.anrfonline.in. The selection will be based on the recommendation of the committee constituted by ANRF for this program.
Documents required
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is the ANRF Catalytic Partnership Program about?

A1: The ANRF Catalytic Partnership Program is designed to help create new, large-scale research and innovation institutions in India.
The program encourages bold initiatives that bring together academia, industry, and private/philanthropic partners to build world-class research ecosystems with long-term national impact.

 

Q2: What does "catalytic support" actually mean?

A2: ANRF's role is not to fully fund projects. Instead, it acts as a strategic enabler.
ANRF funding is meant to:

  • Bring multiple partners together
  • Reduce early-stage risk
  • Build credibility for the initiative
  • Unlock much larger non-governmental investments
Applicants must clearly show that without ANRF's involvement, the initiative would not materialise at the proposed scale.

 

Q3: Who can apply?

A3: This program is meant for institutions and not individuals.
Recognized academic institution (including private institutions with valid UGC / AICTE / PCI approval) or National Research Laboratory or not-for-profit recognized research organisation in India (with a valid DSIR-SIRO recognition) are eligible to host the program.
Only one proposal per institution per call. Submission must be by the Head of Institution. Individual research proposals are not supported under this program.

 

Q4: Is there a minimum size requirement?

A4: Yes. This is a large-scale initiative.Only projects demonstrating a minimum program cost of Rs. 100 crore (In-cash), before accounting for ANRF contribution, will be considered.This ensures that supported initiatives operate at transformational scale.

 

Q5: How much funding will ANRF provide?

A5: ANRF typically supports 10–20% of the total project cost, for up to five years. The ANRF contribution is additional to the total project cost, which shall be no less than Rs.100 crore (In-cash) in any case, funded through other contributions.
The remaining funding must come from non-ANRF sources such as:

  • Industry partners
  • Private capital
  • CSR
  • Philanthropy foundations
  • Alumni/diaspora endowments
  • Any other contributing partner
  • State/Regional/Ministries
A portion of this funding must be backed by firm commitments, not just letters of intent. Significant Non-Govt. support is expected.

 

Q6: Can an existing centre apply for expansion?

A6: No.This program is meant to create a genuinely new institutional entity and not expand, rebrand, or restructure an existing centre or laboratory.
The proposal must demonstrate clear "net newness."

 

Q7: Are partnerships mandatory?

A7: Yes, strong public–private partnerships are central to this program.
Proposals should demonstrate:

  • Co-created research agendas
  • Shared infrastructure investments
  • Active industry or philanthropic participation in governance
This is not a conventional grant; it is a long-term institutional partnership.

 

Q8: How should ANRF funds be used?

A8: ANRF funding should primarily support:

  • Institutional upliftment of Tier II/Tier III institutions
  • Research visitorships (3 months to 1 year)
  • Mentorship and capacity-building programs
  • Shared research infrastructure access
  • Strengthening the national research ecosystem
Outreach and institutional strengthening will be an important evaluation metric.

 

Q9: What kinds of outcomes are expected?

A9: Supported initiatives should aim for:

  • Establishment of a new institution with a long-term mandate
  • Transformational research capabilities
  • Clear pathways from research to industry deployment
  • Startup incubation and technology translation
  • Talent development (PhD scholars, postdocs, industry-linked research exposure)
  • A roadmap toward financial sustainability

 

Q10: What does financial sustainability mean in this context?

A10: Applicants must show how the institution will sustain through:

  • Competitive research contracts
  • Industry-sponsored programs
  • Intellectual Property (IP) licensing
  • Technology Commercialisation
  • Executive training and other revenue streams
The goal is to create enduring institutions, not permanently grant–dependent centres.

 

Q11: How will proposals be evaluated?

A11: Proposals will be reviewed by an Expert Committee across domains.
Evaluation will focus on:

  • Clarity of ANRF's catalytic role
  • National relevance and strategic alignment
  • Degree of Net newness
  • Governance strength
  • Financial sustainability
  • Strength of partnerships
  • Institutional upliftment strategy
Final approval rests with the ANRF Executive Council.

 

Q12: How long will support last?

A12: ANRF support may be provided for up to five years, with clearly defined annual milestones.

 

Q13: What about sensitive technologies?

A13: If the proposal involves sensitive technologies, institutions must comply with applicable national security, export control, and data governance regulations. Compliance responsibility lies with the applicant institution.

 

Q14: How do we apply?

A14: The call will be announced on:

Applications must be submitted online in the prescribed format.

 

Q15: How many proposals will be selected?

A15: Only a limited number of proposals will be supported in each call, given the strategic and high-investment nature of the program.

 

Q16: Any branding and acknowledgment requirements?

A16: All supported entities must be designated as:
"Catalyzed by ANRF"
and must prominently display ANRF branding and logo in communications.

 

Q17: What are the expectations from non-ANRF funding commitments?

A17: The host institution and partners shall ensure timely mobilization of the committed non-ANRF funding as indicated in the proposal. Any significant change in partner commitments shall be communicated to ANRF.A defined portion of the non-ANRF financial contribution shall be backed by evidence of firm commitment and not only expressions of interest.

 

Q18: What happens if project milestones are not met?

A18: Projects are expected to meet the milestones during the five year support period. ANRF may review the progress periodically and may modify, reduce or discontinue support if the project does not demonstrate satisfactory progress.