Hyderabad: The 16th edition of the ISBACON 2024 Conference has created a lot of excitement in the startup world. Many researchers and key players from the Indian startup ecosystem gathered at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad. They came to explore new trends, share ideas, and build important partnerships for the future of startups.
Over the last three years, Hyderabad has become known as India’s next big hub for startups. It’s no surprise that ISBACON, known as a major event for startup incubators and accelerators, chose this city as its host. This is the second time the event is being held in Hyderabad, with the first time being in 2007. The 2024 edition is organized by the Indian STEP and Business Incubator Association (ISBA) and the Atal Incubation Centre at CSIR-CCMB. The event kicked off with a pre-conference at T-Hub, which saw over 200 attendees, including investors, government officials, and industry experts.
The organizers highlighted that as startups continue to grow in importance for India’s economy, incubators play a crucial role in supporting these businesses. ISBA works closely with state and central governments to shape policies around startups, innovation, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The three-day event focuses on global innovation, India’s advancements, policy discussions, and networking opportunities for over 250 major stakeholders. During the opening session, several important agreements, called Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), were signed. The conference will end on October 19, with K.T. Rama Rao (KTR), the working president of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), giving the closing address.
Dr. K. Suresh Kumar, the President of ISBA, mentioned that the goal of ISBACON is to improve business incubation in India. He said it helps people share information, learn from each other, and build networks among business incubators and science parks. This, in turn, will help create a stronger startup environment that encourages innovation and teamwork.
Dr. Madhusudhana Rao, CEO of the Atal Incubation Centre, said that the future of Indian industry, known as Industry 5.0, will be shaped by today’s startups. He explained that ISBA’s network is essential in promoting entrepreneurship and supporting startups in India.
Dr. Vinay Nandicoori, Director of CCMB, added that this event provides a unique chance to connect the startup ecosystem with CCMB, which is a top research institute in life sciences.
