IIT Guwahati BioNEST Charts Bold Vision for Northeast at 4th Foundation Day

IIT Guwahati BioNEST, the biotechnology business incubator supported by BIRAC under the Government of India, celebrated its fourth Foundation Day on Wednesday with a vibrant showcase of technological innovations and a strategic roadmap to transform Northeast India into a hub of biotech and healthcare advancement.

The event brought together government officials, startup founders, investors, and academic leaders, all converging to acknowledge the growing impact of deeptech innovation emerging from the region.

Speaking as the Chief Guest, Dr. Siddharth Singh, Commissioner & Secretary, Department of Medical Education & Research, Government of Assam, emphasised the growing synergy between IITG BioNEST and the Assam Advanced Healthcare Innovation Institute (AAHI). “IIT Guwahati BioNEST has emerged as a beacon of innovation in the Northeast. Its focus on biotech solutions aligns with the AAHI’s mission to strengthen rural healthcare infrastructure through technology,” he said.

Senior officials from the North Eastern Council (NEC), which supports the NEC-Ignite Program funding the majority of BioNEST startups, reaffirmed their commitment to enabling innovation-driven entrepreneurship. NEC Director of HRD&E Shri Bamin Tarang said, “The ingenuity and resilience of the Northeast’s youth were clearly visible in the solutions presented. These innovations hold the potential to bring market-ready healthcare and agritech solutions to rural communities.”

Guest of Honour Dr. Chhaya Chauhan from BIRAC lauded BioNEST’s commitment to regional transformation, while NABARD CGM Mr. Loken Das underscored the incubator’s role in linking biotech with grassroots livelihoods.

Over 40 startups under the NEC-Ignite Program exhibited cutting-edge solutions in health tech, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and biotechnology. Companies like Symbica, Medinnovations, Avinya Infinity, and Human Biogenesis were highlighted for their breakthroughs in healthcare technology.

Prof. Dipankar Bandyopadhyay, Principal Investigator of IITG BioNEST, noted that the incubator has supported more than 70 technology ventures since its inception. “The BioNEST-AAHI partnership will be a key enabler in making Assam a biotechnology and healthcare innovation hub,” he added.

Dr. Swapnil Sinha, CEO of IITG BioNEST, described the incubator’s journey over the past four years and outlined its future ambitions. “Our focus is to transform Northeast India into a biomanufacturing destination by leveraging our innovation ecosystem and strategic location,” she said. The incubator also announced plans to strengthen its efforts in sustainable biotech production and global market integration.

The event concluded with a collective commitment to propel deeptech innovations that solve critical regional challenges, supporting national missions like Viksit Bharat and Aatmanirbhar Bharat through technology-driven solutions.

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