Jitendra Singh inaugurates BioNEST at CFTRI Mysuru to boost food startups
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Saturday inaugurated the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC)-BioNEST Incubation Centre at the Central Food Technology & Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysuru.
The state-of-the-art facility, equipped with dedicated incubation suites and shared infrastructure, is expected to provide a major boost to food startups by supporting advanced research, scale-up validation and regulatory facilitation in food bioprocessing and biotechnology.
Strengthening Startup Ecosystem
As of March 2026, the BioNEST centre has supported 26 startups, including both active and graduated ventures, several of which have already achieved commercialisation. These startups have collectively filed 12 patents and contributed to research publications, highlighting a strong focus on innovation with market relevance.
The ventures operate in emerging domains such as nutraceuticals, precision fermentation, probiotics, CRISPR-based technologies and botanicals, reflecting a shift towards high-value, science-driven segments in the food and biotechnology sectors.
Call for Industry Linkages
Interacting with entrepreneurs and stakeholders, the minister emphasised that while starting a business has become easier, sustaining it requires continuous innovation, market access and strong industry partnerships.
He called for deeper collaboration between research institutions and the private sector, stressing the need to align innovation with consumer demand, particularly in fast-growing segments such as ready-to-eat and convenience foods.
MoUs, Product Launches and Partnerships
The event also witnessed the signing of four Memoranda of Understanding and the launch of two products developed at CFTRI, signalling strengthened industry engagement and the commercialisation of in-house technologies.
Officials noted that such public-private partnerships are critical for scaling innovations and enhancing linkages with micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Celebrating 75 Years of CFTRI
Marking its 75th anniversary, the institute released a series of publications showcasing its research legacy, including a coffee table book, an R&D compendium, a photo journey and a collection of traditional recipes. A commemorative postal cover and picture postcard were also unveiled.
Lab-to-Market Push
The exhibition showcased startup-driven technologies and processed food products developed at CFTRI and by its licensees, demonstrating the institute’s robust “lab-to-market” pipeline.
With more than 450 technologies developed and transferred to thousands of licensees, CFTRI has emerged as a key hub for food research, innovation and industry collaboration in India.
Officials said the BioNEST ecosystem is attracting national and international interest, with startups achieving commercial milestones and exploring applications even in strategic sectors such as defence.
