Is India ready for biotech parks? Do we have required ecosystem for establishing biotech parks? Why only some states achieved success in biotech while others are struggling? How biotech parks are helping entrepreneurship? Why do we need biotech parks? How biotech parks are helping the industry and research?

When BioSpectrum took up this issue as a cover story, we wanted to answer all the above questions. We have tried to explain the current status of various biotech parks, biotech policies of different states and why India lag when it comes to biotech success.

Why biotech is needed?

Biotechnology has the potential to provide environment friendly products and processes in almost all areas of economy. The biotech industry includes either service driven companies, or product driven companies. In India, biotechnology has created lot of employment especially in agriculture and allied sectors.

What government is doing to promote biotech sector?

India has taken various steps to promote biotechnology industry by taking initiatives aimed at providing facilities for accelerated commercial development of biotechnology. Some of the states have also announced specific biotech policies and floated life sciences specific venture fund. One of the means by which it was proposed to be achieved was through setting up biotechnology parks, where facilities for technology incubation, technology demonstration and pilot plant studies are provided.

Biotechnology parks are established to facilitate product advancement and innovation through the development of biotechnology industrial cluster and to produce biotechnologists and entrepreneurs who have strong foundation in research and innovation.