The University of Hyderabad (UoH) is embarking on setting up of BioNEST (Bio-incubator Nurturing Entrepreneurship for Scaling Technologies), an incubation facility for encouraging entrepreneurs in the field of biology and biotechnology, at its premises in Hyderabad.

As part of this, the university authorities are soon planning to inaugurate a 2,000 square feet of bio-incubation facility with the support of Department of Biotechnology and want to make this facility useful for the budding researchers to help them transform their ideas into entrepreneurial marvels.

According to University authorities, BioNEST will mainly nurture early stage start-ups and facilitate the translation of knowledge base into industry ready products and processes. In fact, this bio-incubation centre is aimed at focusing on new and emerging technologies that require multidisciplinary inputs in the areas of biology and biotechnology.

The facility is expected to bring together high-quality researchers from the university and budding entrepreneurs who will work towards developing solutions in the field of life sciences, biotechnology, healthcare and allied areas. Prospective entrepreneurs will enjoy access to general facilities and instrument of the incubator as well as speciality instruments and facilities at the school of life sciences, informed the authorities.

The university looks at the facility having a profound impact on innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem of the region, and the campus in particular.

At present, the University is already having an incubation centre, named as Technology Business Incubator, which is aimed at encouraging the entrepreneurs in the filed of electronics and Information Technology.

For the inauguration of the BioNEST incubation centre, the university authorities have invited Prof G. Padmanaban, eminent bio-scientist and former director of Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore. Apart from this, Prof. E. Premkumar Reddy, Director of Experimental Cancer Therapeutics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York and Prof Appa Rao, Vice Chancellor of University of Hyderabad are expected to participate in the programme.