The biotech industry and ABLE members are very happy that Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi graced the 10th Foundation of Day of BIRAC on June 9, 2022 and inaugurated the first Biotech Start-up Expo, that showcased products from 300 innovative start-ups. It was the Prime Minister’s first in person interaction with the biotech industry in eight years. Prime Minister highlighted that the national BioEconomy has grown 8 times to $ 80 billion in 2021 and praised the entrepreneurial efforts of the 5300+ start-ups that exist now. The numbers are based on the India BioEconomy Report prepared by ABLE for BIRAC.

Apart from PM’s presence, the BIRAC Day was an opportunity for key ABLE members to interact with the new DBT Secretary, Dr Rajesh Gokhale, during a CEO round table organized as part of the BIRAC Foundation Day. Dr Gokhale has promised to interact with the industry, understand their concerns and together plan to achieve the national goal of $150 billion BioEconomy by 2025. To achieve this, the industry performance has to nearly double in the next four years and ABLE members have shortlisted the new growth areas that will help the industry reach the $150 billion target.

Now that the Covid-19 pandemic has receded, we in the industry are meeting in person more frequently, while we continue to use the hybrid model of in person and online meetings to continue our interactions, to take forward the growth agenda. Some of our recent activities: 1. An in-person meeting to create biotech awareness among students at KLE University in Belagavi, 2. Two workshops to mark the World Microbiome Day on June 27 in collaboration with Merck and Yenepoya University and a 90-minute Webinar on highlighting the importance of Microbiome, in association with Biotecknika. The monthly webinar was a blockbuster 90-minute session on how Stem cells products are now ready for commercial use and the event was supported by member companies, Stempeutics and Eyestem Research.

Prior to that ABLE participated in the Assam Biotech Conclave conducted by the Guwahati Biotech Park in late May, apart from the Keynote address during the inaugural session, had some of our members participating in various individual sessions. We had the opportunity to showcase to the Assam Chief minister the key activities of the Biotech industry and explain how Assam could benefit from using the latest tools in biotechnology in some of the traditional sector and make better use of the state’s abundant natural resources. ABLE will be helping Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat governments in the coming months to spread the message of their state’s Biotechnology policy and showcase their strengths to the industry.

During the Vision group meeting in June, ABLE members had the opportunity to share their ideas on how we could organise the biotechnology track in the forthcoming 25th edition of Bengaluru Technology Summit (November 16-18,2022). This year too Dr Vijay Chandru will chair the biotech conference committee and will be assisted by ABLE members. We look forward to a great event in November.

G S Krishnan

Hon. President, ABLE