Advantage Pune: Using research outsourcing
Express News Service
Pune, January 08: DOES Pune have the potential to be the knowledge
capital of India? In bio-technology, for instance? After all, some of
the top national research institutes are stationed here, including the
National Chemical Laboratory, the National Institute of Virology, The
Agharkar Research Institute, National Institute of Cell Studies,
National AIDS Research Institute, to list a few.
To find answers to that oft-repeated question, the IndUS Entrepreneurs
(TiE) Pune chapter is organising a brainstorming session on January 21
to showcase the talent available and see how the huge CRO (contract
research outsourcing) opportunity may be leveraged.
A host of speakers have been lined up: Union Minister for
Disinvestment, Telecom and IT Arun Shourie will elaborate how
bio-technology can tread the success path of information technology,
Dr A V Dangi, director, Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of
India, will talk on our bio-diversity and how India can capitalise on
bio-pharma coming off patents in 2005; Bhushan Patwardhan, director,
School of Environmental Sciences, University of Pune, will explain why
Pune has an advantage.
Says Dr Patwardhan: "Pune has years of tradition in research. Many
national labs are here. Over 200-odd researchers are working on
biotech-related activities. The talent pool is in place, what we need
is development of entrepreneurship."
Pratima Kirloskar, president TiE, Pune chapter, hopes to do just that
- to facilitate business opportunities for researchers/scientists in
the field of bio-technology. To that end, she is organising a session
with top pharma companies, Ranbaxy, Astra Zeneca, Reliance Life
Sciences, Shantha Biotech, Godrej Agrovet et al to find out how good
ideas may be financed. There's also a session with ICICI Ventures,
Rabo India and Exim Bank on the role of venture capitalists and banks.
The venue: Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies, Kirkee. Time:
9.30 am to 5 pm.