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.