BENGALURU: Karnataka’s biotechnology ecosystem received a glimpse of the state’s future roadmap as the 64th meeting of the Vision Group on Biotechnology (VGBT) focused on strengthening biomanufacturing, artificial intelligence-driven innovation, startup financing and commercialisation support.

The meeting, convened by the state government here on Tuesday, was chaired by Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, who reviewed the progress of key biotechnology initiatives and discussed measures to accelerate innovation, advanced manufacturing, talent development and investments in the sector. A major focus of the meeting was the growing convergence of artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and life sciences. Members highlighted Karnataka’s potential to emerge as a global hub for AI-enabled biotechnology innovation and called for wider adoption of AI in drug discovery, diagnostics, genomics, precision medicine and healthcare applications.

Addressing the meeting, Mazumdar-Shaw said, “Karnataka has built one of India’s strongest biotechnology ecosystems, supported by world-class research institutions, industry leadership and a vibrant startup community. As we enter the next phase of growth, we must strengthen mechanisms that support translational research, commercialisation and scale-up.”

She also advocated exploring dedicated biotechnology investment mechanisms and embedding AI across the biotechnology value chain to unlock new opportunities in biomanufacturing, diagnostics and healthcare innovation.