It is December and it is time for the second annual BioSpectrum Awards to honor the remarkable achievements of men and women who have contributed immensely to make Indian biotechnology an exciting area to watch. Every one of them has been chosen with immense care by a jury headed by the First "BioSpectrum Person of the Year" in 2003, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.

Their remarkable success stories have been profiled in this issue. There is one thing that stands out: every one of them had identified a niche area and focused single mindedly to become the undisputed leader in that chosen sector. Whether it is Dr Manju Sharma's doggedness in pursuing the goal to make Indian biotech a sunshine sector, or Dr C S Poonawalla's obsession to make Serum the world's most sought after maker of pediatric vaccine or KK Narayanan's dream to make Metahelix India's best bioagri company, are all shining examples of niche play.

As we celebrate their success stories, it is also an occasion to share with the readers the story behind the making of BioSpectrum, which itself is another example of the publishing company CyberMedia's focused approach to be the leader in disseminating information about India's knowledge industry and associated services. CyberMedia started in a small way in 1982 with the launch of Dataquest, India's first computer magazine. Dataquest the undisputed leader in that space since then. Today CyberMedia's other publications like PC Quest, Living Digital, DQ Week, Channels India and bpOrbit span the entire spectrum of knowledge sectors covering information technology, telecommunications, BPO and biotechnology. These are all marquee names and leaders in their respective segments.

CyberMedia does not want to rest on its laurels. What better way that consolidate and also offer new products to fill the gaps that may emerge as Indians unleash their entrepreneurial spirit to expand the contours of the knowledge sector. To sustain these growth plans, CyberMedia has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) of 28.22 lakh equity shares aggregating to Rs 17 crore. The issue is expected to open in December 2004. The first-ever equity offer by the company will open to domestic investors and the shares are to be listed on NSE and BSE.

CyberMedia had posted an annual turnover of Rs 58 crore for the financial year which ended in March 2004 with a profit after tax of Rs 3.7 crore. Between April and July this year, the revenues were to the tune of Rs 20 crore with a profit after tax of Rs 1.76 crore. The shares are expected to be offered within a price band of Rs 50-60 each.

The niche play will continue as CyberMedia intends to use the IPO funds to launch two international publications--Global Outsourcing, a magazine that will reach out to international clients of BPO services and BioSpectrum's global edition from Singapore. With this CyberMedia will become the first Indian media house to launch global publications. CybeMedia has also sought the government's permission to launch BusinessWeek in India to help the information needs of the growing segment of Indian companies going global and provide an Indian perspective to global business trends.

I have narrated the CyberMedia story here to drive home the message that being niche pays. Biotech entrepreneurs too should stick to their specialized field, reap the benefits of niche play, economies of scale and focused approach to knowledge generation.

sureshn@cybermedia.co.in