ASPIRE-BioNEST, the Life Science incubation center at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) celebrated its 2nd Anniversary on the National Science Day (28th February, 2020). The honorable Vice Chancellor of the UoH, Prof. Appa Rao Podile presided over the function, who lauded the efforts of role of entrepreneurship and innovation in the life sciences taken by the ASPIRE-BioNEST.
Prof. Appa Rao in his address said “ASPIRE-BioNEST since its inception in 2018 has been the epitome of promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship in life sciences” and wished all the best. The Pro Vice Chancellor of UoH, Prof. Arun Agarwal indicated the culmination of the efforts of TIE-U, a department that promotes entrepreneurship on the campus of UoH together with innovation council and ASPIRE-BioNEST could bring the best of the outcomes in life science products through pre-incubation and incubation approaches. Prof. Reddanna Pallu in his welcome address presented the overview and future directions of ASPIE-BioNEST, while Dr. Sreedhara Rao Voleti, CEO of ASPIRE-BioNEST presented the eulogy, current status, and aspirations of ASPIRE-BioNEST in the years to come. The program also featured key note address by a visiting professor, Dr. D. Yogeswara Rao about the role of startups in knowledge economy and stressed the value of innovative entrepreneurship, and various funding opportunities in life sciences.
The post break session saw two eminent entrepreneurial journeys from Dr. B. Ravikumar, Managing Director of Xcyton Private limited and Dr. K.K. Narayanan of Kottaram Foods Private Limited. Both these scientists’ entrepreneurial journeys creating products in health and agricultural sciences acted as inspirational and catalyzed the thoughts to the young startups and entrepreneurs. Their message of entrepreneurial journey consisted of optimism, walking the difficult mile in their belief in opportunity. Existing incubatees of ASPIRE-BioNEST such as Dr. Uday Saxena, Chief Ideator of Reagene Innovations Pvt. Ltd., and Dr. Vydyanath expressed their happiness about being incubated in the host incubator. The program concluded with the closing remarks by Prof. G.S. Prasad, director, TIE-U.