The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC ) is organising the 5th Innovators Meet on September 22 to 23, 2016 in New Delhi. The theme of the meet would be ‘Biotech Innovation Ecosystem - Strategizing the Next Leap’.

The Innovators Meet is being organised for marking BIRAC’s continuous efforts to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in all places of research. BIRAC’s mandate is to serve as a single window interface to promote affordable innovation in key social sectors with higher focus on start-ups and small and medium enterprises. The Meet is a confluence of around 300 scientists, entrepreneurs and industry experts, and policy makers, who come together to discuss the contemporary issues in the biotech innovation ecosystem and to leverage the networking opportunities offered by the platform.

BIRAC is a non-profit public sector enterprise under the aegis of Department of Biotechnology (DBT). In the past 5 years, BIRAC has forged partnerships with reputed organisations such as Tekes, Finland; Hort Innovation Australia; and Nesta, UK. These partnerships and BIRAC's initiatives have made it possible to support more than 300 biotech companies, mainly start-ups and SMEs and over 100 young entrepreneurs. Today, over 35 products/technologies mainly healthcare devices and industrial products have been delivered through BIRAC support. 31 early stage technologies have been developed and 105 new Intellectual Property (IP) generated.

Union minister for science & technology and earth sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan will be the chief guest at the Meet and minister of state for science & technology and earth sciences Y.S. Chowdary will be the guest of honour. Other key dignitaries to be attending the event would be Yigal Erlich, The Yozma Group, Israel and Dr. Sarvajna Dwivedi, Global TiE Silicon Valley, who would be delivering the Plenary Talk. In addition, there will be a high level panel with Dr. K. Vijay Raghavan, secretary, DBT; Dr. Ashutosh Sharma, secretary, DST; Ramesh Abhishek, secretary, DIPP and other investors & industrialists who will discuss on the theme ‘Biotech Innovation Ecosystem - Strategizing the Next Leap’.

The discussions will aim at chalking out the action plans required to scale up the innovations pertaining to the biosciences sector that affect the lives of a 1.3 billion in India and has the potential to make positive impact on the masses across the globe. Five BIRAC innovators would also be awarded for their outstanding contributions and innovative products/technologies.