PIB Delhi – To celebrate 10 years of Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC)’s enabling efforts towards progressing India’s Biotech Sector, an event is being organized on 9-10th June, 2022 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The event will comprise of Biotech Startup Expo which will showcase 75 Successful Startups supported by BIRAC, 75 Specialized Biotech Incubation Centres supported by BIRAC, 21 IITs/ universities, 50 Successful Startups supported by DPIIT, Infrastructure created by BIRAC, helpdesks and various national and international programs of BIRAC. The Biotech start-up expo will remain open to the public on 9th June 2022 from 12:30 pm and on 10th June from 10 am onwards. In addition, the event will also witness the launch of an e-Portal of 750 Biotech products, Products developed during the 75th year of independence and the Coffee book of 75 Women Biotech Entrepreneurs. The event will provide an opportunity for B2B Meetings, Interaction of Start-up’s with Investors, Manufacturers, Vendors, Industry, Scientists, Scholars from Universities, Research Institutions of DBT, CSIR, ICAR, DST, IIT, NIPER, NISER, IISER and others including private academic institutions.
In parallel B to B and Startup Pitching sessions, Start-ups will take up the stage to pitch in front of a panel and audience comprising Industry leaders, MNCs, Manufacturers (individuals industry representatives and their associations like AIMED, ABLE, CII, FICCI, FSII among others. Mature Biotech Startups from Healthcare, Biopharma, Agriculture, Industrial Biotech, Medtech Devices, Diagnostics, Waste to value and Clean Energy sub-sector out of a pool of 2500+ BIRAC supported projects will interact with 50-75 Investors (including Bio-Angels, BIRAC’s AcE fund partners, DPIIT’s/SIDBI supported AIFs, other Angels and VC network, HNIs) and Business/ Academic Mentors (TIE group, NASSCOM, Directors, professor, Senior Scientists, Scholars, Subject Matter Experts, Mentors, experts). Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) set up by DBT on 20th March, 2012, is an Industry-Academia Interface Agency to strengthen and empower the emerging Biotech enterprise, to undertake strategic research and innovation, addressing nationally relevant product development needs. BIRAC’s mandate is to foster and promote innovation research and development of products/technologies in the biotech sector by industries, especially start-ups and SMEs to address unmet needs. In a 10-year long journey, BIRAC has made impact in terms of bridging the existing gaps in the industry-academia innovation research and facilitated novel, high-quality affordable product development. By aligning with the National Missions of Startup India and Make-in-India, BIRAC acts at the interface of Industry and Academia to inculcate the spirit of biotech entrepreneurship for knowledge translation.
DBT and BIRAC have been at the forefront of India’s battle against COVID-19 pandemic by intervening in the development of indigenous vaccines, novel point-of-care diagnostics and therapeutic formulations based on traditional knowledge, to establishment of research resources and offering services. DBT, BIRAC and all the stakeholders have ensured that India is among the top 12 destinations for biotechnology in the world and 3rd in Asia-Pacific. With Global Innovation Index improving to 46th rank, India’s bio-economy is growing in double digits Year on Year, from $51 Bn in 2018 to $81 Bn in 2021. India’s biotech sector has drawn global recognition, especially during the recent pandemic period. This decade is important to define the growth trajectory of the biotech sector in India. We are moving closer to the target of $ 150 billion by 2025 as evidenced by double-digit growth even in the COVID years. There are evident limitations, and gaps in the ecosystem juxtaposed with large opportunities for growth and expansion. Eminent panellists will deliberate on how to augment the Future trajectory of Bio-economy in the Biotech sector to achieve USD 150 billion by 2025 and India as a $100 Bn Bio-manufacturing Hub. The unicorns experience sharing during the plenary session will guide and motivate the start-ups on their onward product development journey. The luncheon CEO stakeholders’ consultation meeting is the invited only event chaired by Secretary, DBT to contemplate the major bottlenecks faced by the industry and identify the possible solutions to facilitate the growth of the Indian bio-economy. Dr. Rajesh S Gokhale, Secretary, DBT congratulated BIRAC on completing this wonderful 10 year journey and for the impact made to the innovation ecosystem of the country in such a short span of time.
