The Bengaluru Tech Summit 2024 (BTS 2024), held from November 19-21 under the aegis of the Government of Karnataka, marked its 27th edition this year. The summit brought together luminaries from diverse fields such as Biotech, HealthTech, SpaceTech, GreenTech, FinTech, DeepTech, and Mobility, creating a platform to discuss and explore sustainable solutions to humanity’s most pressing challenges.
Participating as the Biotech Partner at Asia’s largest technology event, Biocon Group reaffirmed its pivotal role in shaping India’s biotechnology landscape, which has evolved exponentially over the past decades.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw’s Visionary Leadership
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson of Biocon Group, and Chairperson of the Vision Group on Biotechnology – Government of Karnataka, emphasized the transformative power of biology in addressing future human needs sustainably.
At the summit’s inaugural panel discussion, titled ‘FutureScape: Redefining What’s Next,’ she remarked: “Biomanufacturing offers solutions to many challenges we face today—whether in energy, food, feed, or biomaterials. Thanks to synthetic biology and cell-based fermentations using microbial or mammalian cells, we can now address diseases, nutrition, and sustainability in revolutionary ways.”
Themed ‘Unbound,’ BTS 2024 spotlighted the limitless potential of technology in improving human lives and our shared ecosystem.
A Focus on BioE3 Policy and Biomanufacturing
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw highlighted the Union Government’s recently launched BioE3 policy, emphasizing its focus on the three E’s—Environment, Economy, and Employment. The policy aims to accelerate high-performance biomanufacturing, foster green growth, create jobs, and support India’s journey toward a net-zero carbon economy.
“Karnataka must leverage biology’s potential by integrating technology-driven approaches like biomanufacturing and Artificial Intelligence. This is where our strengths lie,” she said.
Biocon Group@BTS 2024
Biocon Group participated in various panel discussions, showcasing its transformational journey as a global leader in biosimilars.
Raja Sekhar Vanga, VP, Regulatory Affairs, Biocon Biologics, spoke on ‘Harmonization of Regulatory Pathways for Drug Development,’ crediting India’s robust regulatory framework for enabling affordable access to cancer treatments like Biocon’s bTrastuzumab, priced at Rs 15,000-17,000 a dose compared to the originator drug’s Rs 2.5 lakh a decade ago.
Ankur Bhatnagar, Global Head of R&D CMC, Biocon Biologics, highlighted India’s evolving regulatory policies and their role in shaping the bioeconomy during the panel ‘Unlocking the Bioeconomy Potential.’ He emphasized the future growth opportunities in monoclonal antibodies and insulins to drive global health equity.
Salavadi Easwaran, Academic Dean, Biocon Academy, underlined the importance of experimentation, application and process-based learning methods for providing long term solutions, benefitting both the students and the industry.
Engaging Stakeholders and Showcasing Innovation
The Biocon Group booth was another highlight of BTS 2024, attracting significant interest from medical professionals, researchers, academicians, students, and exhibitors.
Over three days, the summit reaffirmed Bengaluru’s position as a global leader for biotechnology and innovation, with participation from 51 countries, including policymakers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and tech enthusiasts.
With its enduring commitment to innovation and leadership, Biocon Group continues to play a pivotal role in advancing Bengaluru’s pre-eminent position as the ‘Science Capital’ of India.
A Blog by Biocon 