Faster capital deployment, government partnerships could move needle for biotech: Startups

India’s newly launched Rs 2,000 crore biotechnology fund needs to move fast and do more than write cheques, said startup founders.

The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) launched the fund on February 13 to bridge the funding gap between laboratory discovery and commercial production for biotech startups. It is part of the broader Rs 1 lakh crore Research and Development and Innovation Fund.

Startup founders said in an industry where product development is a lengthy process and user adoption is crucial, financing alone will not be enough.