New Delhi: India is moving from women-specific to women-led projects in the biotech start-ups sector, Union Minister of State for Science & Technology Jitendra Singh said on Saturday.
“India is looking at a growth of the Biotech sector from $70 billion to $150 billion in the next 4 years and added that this cannot be accomplished without the active participation of women,” Singh said after releasing a book ‘Compendium of 75 Women Biotech Entrepreneurs’ at the ongoing Biotech Start-up Expo at Pragati Maidan here.
Stating that the women scientists have carved a niche for themselves in space, nuclear science, drone and nano-technology, the Minister said: “Many of the big scientific projects including the most ambitious manned mission to the moon, Gaganyaan, are being led by women scientists.”
The Department of Science & Technology (DST) and Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Union Ministry of Science & Technology have special schemes to attract women scientists and to provide employment opportunities to the unemployed women scientists, the Minister said, adding: “Market conditions, access to varied business opportunities, and female entrepreneurs’ readiness to jump into the world of business ownership create a winning trifecta.”
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) launched the BioCARe programme to enhance the participation of women scientists in biotech research and for building capacities, he said, and added, BIRAC launched the Women in Entrepreneurial Research (WinER Award) in association with TiE Delhi, a non-profit, global community welcoming entrepreneurs from all over the world, to reward women in biotech entrepreneurship.
He also released another book, “75 Biotech products developed during the 75th year of Independence,” and “Compendium of 75 Women Biotech Entrepreneurs” on the occasion.
He said, the booklet “Biotech Start-up Products” featuring exemplar list of product and technologies is a testimony of the unconditional support and handholding provided to different stakeholders eventually converting the efforts of innovators and entrepreneurs into tangible products.
(IANS)
