IISER Bhopal Hosts Industry–Academia Conclave 2.0

IISER Bhopal Hosts Industry–Academia Conclave 2.0

The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Bhopal successfully organised Industry–Academia Conclave 2.0 on August 8, 2026, on the theme “Innovate, Collaborate, Translate: Strengthening Industry–Academia Partnerships.”

 The conclave was organised by the Office of the Dean, Research and Development, and the Innovation and Incubation Centre for Entrepreneurship (IICE), IISER Bhopal.

The programme was conducted under the leadership ofProf. Raghuvir Singh Tomar (Director In-Charge, IISER Bhopal), and  Prof. Sanjit Konar (Deputy Director, IISER Bhopal), with the guidance and motivation of Dr. Chandan Sahi (Dean, Research and Development, IISER Bhopal), and Dr. Bharathwaj Sathyamoorthy, (Coordinator, IICE). Dr. Preeti Chandurkar, (Deputy CEO, IICE), coordinated the programme.

The inaugural session was graced by Dr. Abha Rishi (Executive Head, MP Startup Centre, Bhopal), as the Chief Guest, and Mr. Chong Fook Yen (Principal Social Sector Specialist, Asian Development Bank, as the Guest of Honour.

The technical sessions featured distinguished experts from diverse sectors. Mr. Rajendra Mootha, Head – New Initiatives, IITM Pravartak, shared insights on research ecosystems, industry engagement and innovation. Mr. Binu Philip, Senior General Manager & Head – Business Development, Zydus Group, spoke on drug development, technology licensing, business development and commercialisation. Prof. Kiran Kondabagil, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, and Co-founder and Chief Scientific Mentor, Haystack Analytics Pvt. Ltd., highlighted the role of biotechnology, genomics and research translation in creating impactful technologies and enterprises, Mr. Bhavesh Mudgal, Regional Product Head – Startups, HDFC Bank highlighted the opportunities the banking sector provides for the startups. 

A key highlight of the conclave was the panel discussion on “Strengthening Industry–Academia Partnerships: From Proof of Concept to Successful Commercial Implementation.” The panel brought together experts representing industry, government, research, MSME and banking sectors. The panel comprised Mr. Rajiv Avinash Puri, General Manager, Lupin Limited, Bhopal; Mr. Rajeev Agrawal, Chairman, Association of All Industries, Mandideep; Dr. Manoj Kumar Jain, Senior Advisor & Head, AIGGPA, Bhopal; Dr. Feroz Khan Suri, Manager, BRIC, NII, New Delhi; Mr. Gaurav Goyal, Assistant Director, MSME Indore; and Mr. Ashish Agrawal, Start-up Head, HDFC Bank, Noida. The session was moderated by Dr. Bharathwaj Sathyamoorthy, Coordinator, IICE.

Another major attraction was the Startup Exhibition, inaugurated by Mr. Jagdish Tanvani, Additional General Manager, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Bhopal. 

The event also witnessed the announcement of the BIRAC EDGE Scheme by Dr. Debasis Nayak, Coordinator, BIRAC-EDGE Program.