In a pivotal meeting, Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, during his India visit, engaged in detailed discussions with Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh to boost private sector participation and startup growth in India’s biotechnology sector.
The dialogue centred around advancements in gene therapy, vaccine innovation, and biomanufacturing. Both Gates and Dr Singh acknowledged India’s exponential growth in biotech, supported by government initiatives like the Bio E3 program—focused on the economy, employment, and environment.
Highlighting India’s biotechnology startup boom, Dr Singh noted that the country now hosts over 10,000 startups, with nearly 70% dedicated to medical and health biotech. Gates praised India’s leadership in vaccine development and expressed interest in collaborating further to tackle diseases like tuberculosis and malaria.
Key areas of focus included fostering public-private partnerships and exploring direct investments in Indian biotech startups through platforms like Gift City, a financial hub designed for global investors. Gates emphasized the importance of leveraging India’s robust research ecosystem to drive global health innovations.
As India positions itself as a global biotech hub, Dr. Singh reaffirmed the government’s commitment to scaling up innovations and enhancing R&D funding to sustain the momentum of the sector’s growth.
