Bangalore Tech Summit: Karnataka Launches Revised Biotech Policy

The draft of Karnataka's updated biotech strategy, which aims to double the state's bioeconomy by focusing on developing biotech clusters and promoting the state as the next Global Clinical Trials Hub, was released today at the Bangalore Tech Summit.

“This policy revision reflects our commitment to staying ahead of the curve and fostering growth in this critical sector,” said CM Siddaramaiah.

The draft policy proposes several initiatives, like creating 5-to 10-acre biotech clusters for startups, SMEs with plug and play facilities, as well as for the established industries seeking to set up manufacturing units, as per economic times.

It also recommends establishing a green-field bio foundry in a Public-Private-Partnership model to fulfill the growing demands of growth-stage enterprises for GMP Pilot Plant and Scale-up facilities.

Information and biotechnology minister Priyank Kharge said the new biotechnology policy would synergize with the others in the state, including the industrial, R&D and innovation, engineering research and development (ER&D), and startup policies. “This coming together of synergies will support the growth of the biotech sector in Karnataka…The focus of the new biotechnology policy will be ‘Transformation through impactful Implementation’ to take the growth from a linear to exponential level,” he said.

The policy aims to provide a maximum Rs 10 crore Biomanufacturing Unit Investment Subsidy, reimbursement of up to 50% of expenses incurred for procuring high-end equipment for cutting-edge R&D (up to Rs 10 lakh), refund on lease rental for startups and MSMEs, and employment generation incentives.

It also wants to enhance Karnataka's share of clinical trials, positioning the state as the next global clinical trials hub as well as the next big thing in genomics.