Telangana govt partners with Flanders Investment & Trade

Hyderabad: In continuation with its focus on strengthening its growing stature in the global Lifesciences ecosystem, the Government of Telangana is taking one more step towards forging key global alliances. The State government has announced that it is partnering with Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT), a government agency based in Brussels, Belgium, which promotes international enterprises in Flanders, a vibrant and dynamic region of Belgium, to explore multiple opportunities in the Lifesciences sector aimed at vaccines and mRNA technological platforms, immunotherapy, Life Sciences university partnership and cluster-to-cluster collaborations (VIB and Genome Valley in particular).

Currently, the Flanders' Lifesciences industry is estimated to be at over 350 companies employing over 2 lakh people including indirect jobs. The region has attracted in the Life Sciences & Pharma segment more than a quarter of the total record investment of Euros 5.2 billion in 2022 into Flanders from across the globe. The total estimated Life Sciences business in Belgium is estimated around $44 billion.

As the first step of this partnership, Flanders will be participating as International Region Partners for the next three editions of BioAsia starting with the forthcoming 20th edition of BioAsia –the marquee healthcare and life sciences event, organised by the Government of Telangana in Hyderabad on February 24-26, 2023 with a theme - "Advancing for ONE: Shaping the next generation of humanized healthcare".

The FIT will bring a key delegation of senior officialsfrom Flanders and also participate in multiple B2B, G2B, and other meetings. A task force with members including industry,academia and government from both sides has been formedand the group will discuss and implement the partnership. BioAsia in Telangana and Knowledge for Growthin Flanders shall be the two anchor events on either side in which both ecosystems shall participate in theseevents to steer the Flanders Telangana Lifesciences Cooperation in the next 3-4 years.

The FIT is the Flemish public agency under the Flanders Government and advises supports and stimulates Flemish companies in their exports of products and services. It also encourages and supports overseas companies to set up business in Europe based out of Flanders, Belgium. In India, FIT has been active for the last 25 years and has played a key role in promoting economic cooperation between Flanders and India over the past two decades. With Belgium being the nerve center of Europe, Flanders in Belgium has a combination of a strongly focused research and innovation ecosystem, a highly educated and productive workforce with fluency in languages, and a highly developed transport and communication infrastructure to ensure sustainable, profitable growth.

While announcing the partnership with FIT, KT Rama Rao, Minister for Industries & Commerce, IT &MAUD said, "A region equally headstrong in innovation, growth, and R&D, Flanders' partnership with Telangana will boost both parties to share the latest developments in the Lifesciences industry. The industry landscape of Flanders and Telangana is very similar with focus on lifesciences (more specifically vaccines), technology and engineering, and this partnership will allow us to explore Flanders' robust technology landscape and the sectoral strengths it possesses to provide an ideal environment for industries in both regions. We are proud to have an extensive relationship with FIT and look forward to many more years of knowledge sharing and innovation."

Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary of the Industries & Commerce and Information Technology, Government of Telangana, said, "We are delighted to enter a partnership with the FIT that will pave the way to leverage multiple synergies between both regions. Telangana-based companies will be able to get access to the potential business opportunities, R&D facilities, and the high-quality know-how of Flanders-based organisations. This will play a significant role in the faster growth of both regions and their participation in BioAsia 2023 will certainly lead to much collaboration."

"Flanders' Life Sciences ecosystem is very diverse and ranges from young startups to established local firms and multinationals - the entire value chain – from research and discovery to development and commercialisation. It is also characterised by the fertile cross-pollination between BioTech, MedTech, pharmaceuticals and healthcare. We engage with companies, industry associations, and other stakeholders in the economic ecosystem. As part of this, we have been engaging with our esteemed partner Government of Telangana extensively and are proud of our association and have jointly embarked on a long-term Flanders –Telangana Life Sciences Cooperation, and we look forward further to engaging and consolidating our interaction," said Jayant Nadiger, Trade & Investment Commissioner of Flanders, Belgium for South India.

"BioAsia 2023 will attract the participation of globally eminent leaders from over 50 countries. Having Flanders, Belgium as an International Regional Partner will help accelerate connecting businesses and budding enterprises through platforms like the BioAsia forum. This partnership is a testimony of two similar regions with a similar ecosystem coming together, increasing connectivity and paving a path for tomorrow that's driven by robust research, innovation and excellence," said Shakthi Nagappan, Director (Life Sciences and Pharma), Government of Telangana and CEO,BioAsia.

Over the course of the three days, prominent industry leaders, distinguished scientists, researchers, and entrepreneurs will come together at BioAsia 2023 to discuss humanising healthcare and will hold constructive discussions on how cross-sectional ecosystems can be integrated, how disruptive technologies can be best utilised, and how we can drive quality healthcare with accessibility and affordability at the forefront in the near future.

(This is the fourth article of WTC Shamshabad- BioAsia 2023 Series, a collaborative effort of World Trade Center - Shamshabad and BioAsia, Asia's largest life-sciences and healthcare forum, to highlight the achievements and accelerate growth in the Life Sciences industry)