Developed with an eye on quadrupling the state's bioeconomy, Karnataka unveiled its revised biotech policy draft today at the Bangalore Tech Summit. The plan places special emphasis on developing biotech clusters and positioning the state as the next Global Clinical Trials Hub.

Priyank Kharge, the minister of information and biotechnology, stated that the state's industrial, R&D and innovation, engineering research and development (ER&D), and startup policies would all benefit from the new biotechnology policy.

The proposed program includes a number of measures, such as the establishment of 5-to 10-acre biotech clusters for start-ups, SMEs looking to construct plug-and-play facilities, and existing enterprises looking to establish manufacturing units.

Additionally, it suggests establishing a green-field bio foundry under a public-private partnership model in order to meet the expanding needs of growth-stage businesses and fulfill their specifications for a GMP pilot plant and scale-up facility.

It seeks to raise Karnataka's proportion of clinical trials to the point where the state is regarded as both the next great thing in genomics and the next global hub for clinical trials.

In terms of rural projects, the draft suggests setting up Rural Biotechnological Innovation & Application Centers to assist innovations with social effect and their scaling up in the fields of environmental sustainability, healthcare, and agriculture. It also promotes the idea of the ‘Bio-Village’.

The draft also emphasizes skill development through the improvement of the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB) and the Center for Human Genetics (CHG), two research institutes that work together to become a globally recognized university by offering improved financial support and infrastructure. For a year, a fellowship worth Rs 50,000 per month would be given to professionals or recent graduates to encourage them to explore biotechnology-related enterprises.

By 2025, India hopes to have a $150 billion bioeconomy; by 2030, it hopes to reach $300 billion. In 2022, the bioeconomy of Karnataka was valued at $27.1 billion. In addition, the state has spent more than $200 million on biotech R&D. With more than 60 producers, it is the third-biggest ethanol producer in India.