Karnataka & Germany Join Hands to Boost Lifesciences Startups

Germany and Karnataka have decided to increase cooperation in the life sciences sector through collaborative innovation centers, co-sponsored biotech R&D award programs, and joint initiatives in green pharmaceutical manufacturing. Precision medicine, drug discovery using AI, and more efficient bioprocessing will also be key areas of cooperation in the new strategic agreement.

The step is a high-level interaction of the Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development with Franziska Giffey, Senator for Economic Affairs, Energy, and Public Enterprises, State of Berlin. In the talks, significance was accorded to the aim of transforming Karnataka into a world hub of renewable energy and sustainable industrial innovation, particularly in the energy-intensive lifesciences cluster, such as biotech, pharma, med-tech, and diagnostics.

The alliance will witness the opening of a Berlin office in Bengaluru by 2026 with a vision to accelerate support for start-ups and innovation transfer. There are already more than 480 pharma and biotech firms, 200+ start-ups in Karnataka, and quality research institutions like Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre (BBC), Helix Biotech Park, CCAMP, IISc, and NCBS.

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Germany, India's 9th-largest foreign direct investor with $547 million FDI in 2023, has significant presence in Karnataka in the form of companies such as Merck Life Science, Siemens, BASF, and Bosch. German life science companies are capitalizing on Bengaluru's pool of qualified talent, R&D capabilities, and strong infrastructure.

Key areas of collaboration are biologics, biosimilars, medical devices, contract manufacturing and research, laboratory technology, clinical trials, and green R&D practices.

These alliances are planned further to increase Karnataka's stature as a lifesciences and clean energy hub, said officials, and to bring more German investment and innovation into the state's robust high-tech economy.