Kiran Mazumdar Shaw at the India Bio curtain Raiser; Facts About the $ 4 Billion Indian BioTech Industry
The Ball room of the Taj West End in Bangalore on September 25th was witness to the curtain raiser of IndiaBio Summit 2013. An eclectic crowd of well-informed people formed the audience to whom Dr. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw delivered a keynote speech. The pioneer in the field of Bio Technology, Kiran shared her reason for association with the India Bio event for the last 13 years, the current state of Biotechnology in India and some advice for budding entrepreneurs.
Association with India Bio
India Bio is an annual event which showcases and promotes various aspects of biotechnology in association with the
government of Karnataka, various bodies of authorities in the field of biotechnology and dignitaries from various parts of the world. “Over the years, India Bio has showcased how various aspects of biotechnology have enhanced all our lives. India Bio 2013 is going to go along the same lines; even the tag line for the event is ‘biotech for a better tomorrow’” said Dr.Kiran. “Biotech can address many large world issues through transformational technologies.”Partners of India Bio
Partnering with Dr. Anil Gupta, who is known for having set up an innovation network across India, one of the main tracks at the event is going to be ‘innovation’. “We also want to encourage and support entrepreneurs and startups in the biotechnology field, and so we have partnered with IIM Bangalore, who will run a track on the business of biotechnology. Entrepreneurs will also be provided support from ABLE (Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises) via a separate track as well.” informed Kiran.
Encouraging students and entrepreneurs in biotechnology is going to be one of the biggest focusses of Bangalore India Bio 2013 and this is a very encouraging move.
Comparing the Industry
Kiran shared some key numbers of the biotechnology industry to dispel any doubts on the growth of the industry. “While it was unfair to have compared IT with BT, as many did a few years ago, BT businesses have flourished over the years. India’s biotech segment is worth $ 4 billion dollars of which Bio-pharmaceuticals account for 2.4 billion dollars. Other fields such as Bio-Services, Agricultural BT, Industrial BT, Bio informatics are all together another billion dollar industry.
“The sector is providing 100,000 jobs and is growing at 20% per annum. So before making baseless allegations, people should get their facts right; I don’t want people to pick on anecdotal data,” clarified Dr. Kiran.
Advice for Biotechnology Entrepreneurs
When asked about advice for biotech entrepreneurs, Dr. Kiran has one simple advice; “Work hard for 30 years and don’t think about anything else!”
Having said that, Dr. Kiran agrees that it is a great time to become an entrepreneur and the ecosystem is very supportive of them. “Entrepreneurs need to be supported in whichever way possible and we urge as many entrepreneurs to come to Bangalore India Bio; we have some very helpful sessions.”
Dr. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw is an inspiration among entrepreneurs and the field of biotechnology needs more entrepreneurs like her.
Find out more information about India Bio 2013 event here.
