Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates met Union Minister for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh and held detailed discussions to expand private sector and startup participation in India’s innovation push and biomanufacturing growth.

The meeting, assisted by delegations from both sides, covered advancement in gene therapy, vaccine innovation, biotechnology manufacturing, and India’s evolving startup ecosystem.

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Dr. Singh emphasised that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has witnessed a surge in biotech innovations, supported by policies like Bio E3—biotechnology for economy, employment, and environment. He highlighted the growing role of private players and startups in driving India’s bio-revolution, with structured mechanisms like the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) fostering collaborations.

Bill Gates praised India’s biotech advancements, acknowledging its leadership in vaccine development, including partnerships that led to the HPV and COVID-19 vaccines. He also expressed interest in supporting India’s efforts to tackle diseases like tuberculosis and malaria, stating that India’s research ecosystem presents immense opportunities for global health breakthroughs.

A key topic of discussion was India’s biotechnology startup boom, with over 10,000 startups now operating in the sector.

Dr. Singh pointed out that 70 per cent of these are focused on medical and health biotech, with the rest contributing to agriculture, environment, and industrial biotechnology. He underlined the government’s commitment to scaling up these innovations, with increased funding and policy measures aimed at enabling faster commercialisation.

Gates and Dr. Singh also explored opportunities for direct investments in Indian biotech startups through Gift City, a financial hub designed to facilitate global investments. Gates noted that while the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation primarily operates in the philanthropic space, leveraging new financial structures could enable direct investments into promising Indian startups.

As India accelerates its biotechnology growth, Dr. Singh reaffirmed the government’s focus on fostering public-private partnerships to ensure that the sector continues to thrive. With increased R&D funding and international collaborations, India is poised to become a global hub for biotechnology innovation.