Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, inaugurated the dhaRti BioNEST Incubation Centre at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Dharwad supported jointly through the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) and DBT BIRAC.
The dhaRti BioNEST Centre at IIT Dharwad will serve as a catalyst for biotech and deep-tech innovation, offering startups state-of-the-art infrastructure, plug-and-play labs, mentorship, and access to funding and networks — helping transform breakthrough ideas into scalable ventures.
In her address, the Minister shared her perspectives on India’s rapidly evolving innovation and entrepreneurship landscape. She emphasised that “a young innovator’s main business is to keep innovating”, highlighting the need for an enabling ecosystem that allows innovators to focus on ideation while institutions and industry facilitate pathways for product development and commercialization.
The Minister highlighted India’s strong infrastructure, the increasing collaboration between academia and industry, and the importance of mentorship and teamwork in building a future-ready generation.
Gracing the occasion as the Guest of Honour, Dr Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), commended the visionary step that integrates regional development with the national biotechnology mission.
In his address, Dr Kumar highlighted how the dhaRti BioNEST Centre symbolises the “crown jewel” of India’s innovation ecosystem. He emphasised that BioNEST centres have become powerful economic engines, nurturing over 20 startups annually, each contributing to high-value innovation, job creation, and the strengthening of India’s bioeconomy.