The Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE) is now engaged with the Center for Converging Technologies (CCT), University of Rajasthan to inspire future entrepreneurs.  The initiative is the first of the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) supported series on ‘Stimulating Bio-Entrepreneurs’.

The key objective of the programme is to motivate the dynamic skilled and self-confident young student community to instil concepts to build new ventures and support them. BIRAC also encouraged the students to apply for the ongoing call of its flagship scheme: Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG), which supports innovative ideas with grant-in-aid amount up to Rs. 50 lakh.

According to Dr Renu Swarup, Advisor, DBT & MD, BIRAC, “the aim of the series is to spark an entrepreneurial interest in young minds and the selected universities will provide an ideal setting. After the first series of 8 talks in 4 university clusters, the programme will be rolled out in several others.”

Lead coordinator Dr K Vijayaraghavan from Sathguru Management Consultants, discussed with the students the, ‘Roadmap to entrepreneurship’ and encouraged them to develop a global perspective and utilize the Indian ecosystem to adopt Life Sciences as their domain to create enterprises. He also mentioned the value creation in any innovative idea.”

Dr Ashok Bharghava, CEO, Ayushraj Pvt Ltd shared his journey of entrepreneurship to create a very successful enterprise in building manufacturing capacity for nutraceutical and natural herbs.

Prof Mahesh Sharma, University of Rajasthan on behalf of Plants Med Laboratories Pvt Ltd shared the  business model and opportunities available in the online marketing space.

Maninder Sra from Observe Design and an ABLE- BEST 2013 Winner presented his team’s digital sanitizer prototype and gave a perspective on team value and on how funding instils confidence in transforming ideas into a very successful venture.

The interaction session according to ABLE, enthused the participating students and young research scholars.