New Delhi, Oct 12: Union Minister for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh on Thursday launched the Global Health Innovation Fellowship, aimed at promoting Med Tech StartUps and innovators among youth. The initiative was unveiled in conjunction with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, and the “World Intellectual Property Organization” (WIPO).
Under this initiative, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, and WIPO fellowships will be implemented in the DBT Bio-design centres at IIT Delhi and AIIMS, New Delhi; IITB and Hinduja and Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai. The partnership aims to find scientific solutions to unmet health-related needs and challenges, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision. The program will encourage intellectual property and public health, fostering collaboration between institutions and providing a platform for young innovators to develop impactful solutions to address global health challenges.
The minister said WIPO has initiated a formal collaboration with DBT, supporting four WIPO-supported Fellows to participate in the DBT Bio-design Program. The partnership received 157 applications from young professionals worldwide, including low- and middle-income countries.
“The initiative strengthens India’s position in the global biotech startup landscape, contributing significantly to the country’s economic growth and job creation. India currently hosts 4000 biotech startups, with an expected growth to 10,000 by 2025, making a substantial impact on the nation’s ‘Make in India’ initiatives,” he said
Dr Singh said that recently, the DBT has scaled up the Biodesign program by twinning over 20 medical and technical institutions across the country and he was happy to note that the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has recognized this program for support under their Global Health challenges initiative.
Daren Tang, Director General, WIPO, praised India’s scientific prowess, citing the successful landing of Chandrayan-3 on the South Pole of the Moon. He pledged support to make India a Global Space Technology Hub and a role model of South-South cooperation. The DBT-WIPO Fellowship initiative aims to leverage intellectual property, innovation, and medical technology to solve local health challenges globally. The partnership will facilitate collaboration, knowledge exchange, and South-South cooperation among young professionals from diverse countries.
Dr Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, emphasized that the partnership would enhance national, regional, and global capacities of innovators to collaboratively address global health challenges and promote Global South-South cooperation. Professor Abhay Karandikar highlighted the Department of Science and Technology’s efforts to promote innovations through various incubators by startups. Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Secretary DSIR, emphasized WIPO’s role as a catalyst in making India’s technology globally accepted.
