On the concluding day of BioAsia 2024 on 28th February, Hyderabad witnessed the inauguration of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), marking a significant milestone in the state's journey towards innovation and technological advancement in healthcare and life sciences.

Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu, addressing the gathering, articulated the objectives of C4IR Telangana, emphasising its role in creating over 10,000 new job opportunities in health-tech, alongside fostering research and development (R&D) and manufacturing jobs. He outlined plans to nurture 20-25 emerging companies and startups, while also aiming to generate 10-25 novel ideas through its registry.

Furthermore, Minister Babu shared the government’s vision to enhance the local workforce by skilling nearly 50,000 graduates over the next five to six years, equipping them with industry-ready capabilities for life sciences research and manufacturing. He announced the commencement of the pilot batch of the skilling initiative, featuring specialised courses in medicinal chemistry and analytical chemistry within a week.

Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan commended BioAsia for fostering a platform that encourages innovations catering to India's affordability factor in healthcare. She underscored the importance of early diagnosis and prevention, particularly in light of technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI) facilitating easier diagnosis.