C-CAMP and AHT launch Centre of Excellence for Sustainability and Climate Action in Bengaluru
The new centre will focus on biology-driven solutions aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enabling scalable forms of natural carbon sequestration, with applications across environment, healthcare and agriculture.
has launched a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Sustainability and Climate Action in Bengaluru, marking its first dedicated initiative in climate-focused innovation under the Bio for Climate programme.
The CoE, developed in collaboration with Ashraya Hastha Trust (AHT), was inaugurated at C-CAMP’s campus in the presence of leaders from both organisations and Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.
The new centre will focus on biology-driven solutions aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enabling scalable forms of natural carbon sequestration, with applications across environment, healthcare and agriculture.
Dr. Taslimarif Saiyed, Director-CEO of C-CAMP, said that climate change demands global action and noted that C-CAMP’s experience in supporting more than 50 climate-focused innovations positions it well to advance this agenda. He explained that the Bio for Climate programme will focus on developing and deploying biology-driven climate solutions, offering a distinct approach within national and international climate efforts.
"As a mature ecosystem player, we have observed from very close quarters the critical nexus between climate change and the emerging threats to agriculture, food security, public health and sustainability. Biotechnology will lie at the heart of climate action by addressing this very nexus. The C-CAMP AHT CoE will be an effort in this direction,” he added.
Under a three- to five-year roadmap, the CoE will identify priority climate challenges through sector-level consultation, support high-impact solutions addressing these gaps, and facilitate their validation and adoption in real-world settings.
The initiative builds on C-CAMP’s broader ecosystem, which includes support for more than 550 start-ups, connections with over 3,000 entrepreneurs, and multiple technology platforms that have enabled over 290 publications and the commercialisation of 20 academic inventions.
K. Divvya Dinesh, Managing Trustee of AHT, emphasised that climate impacts all aspects of society, including food, water, health, housing, and livelihoods, making climate action a societal necessity. She added that the focus must shift from awareness to implementation, aligning with AHT’s long-standing work in health, education, environment, and social equity.
"C-CAMP brings scientific depth and ecosystem leadership; Ashraya Hastha Trust brings long-term commitment to communities. Together, we believe innovation must move beyond prototypes and it must reach people,” he added.
AHT, founded in 2000 and guided by its trustees, including Infosys Co-founder K. Dinesh, has long supported programmes across health, education, livelihoods, environment, climate change and social inclusion, and will contribute its philanthropic experience to the new climate innovation effort.
Edited by Jyoti Narayan