Gujarat plans bioincubator to help startups

PUNE: To encourage bio-related startups, the Gujarat government is planning a biotech industrial incubator at Savli near Vadodara, called BTSpirit. This bioincubator is being developed by the government through its Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission ( GSBTM).

This bioincubator is being supported by Government of India, Department of Science and Technology, the Gujarat Government and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), which is part of Department of Biotechnology under the Central Government. The bioincubator is being set up with initial funds of Rs 6.5 crore, of which BIRAC is funding Rs 6 crore, and the state government will fund Rs 50 lakh.

“We want to cater to different levels of entrepreneurs in the biotech research. We should be operational by January 2015, and tentatively expect 25 incubatees at the time,” said Akshaykumar Saxena, mission director of GSBTM. To increase awareness on bioincubation opportunities, the Savli Bioincubator programme, the Venture Center and the Research to Rupees programme of the GSBTM has been conducting road shows and seminars in multiple cities in Gujarat this July.