The Future of Biotech

The intersection of biology and technology has led to an interesting race to find solutions to some of the most pressing challenges to human health and society. Biotechnology is the use of biology to innovate new products, services and organisms in the healthcare, agriculture and sustainability sector.

The field of biotechnology has seen unprecedented growth and life-changing innovations in the past few decades. India’s bio-economy alone witnesses a 16-fold rise in 10 years from $10 Billion in 2014 to $165.7 Billion in 2024. With an ambitious target of $300 billion by 2030, bioeconomy is poised to play a pivotal role in sustainable growth, innovation and shaping India’s future as a knowledge-driven, bio-enabled economy.

Emerging Sectors

As biotechnology continues to evolve, some emerging sectors are redefining the scope of the field. Key areas driving the future of biotech include:

Regenerative Biomanufacturing

Regenerative biomanufacturing is an emerging frontier in the field that focuses on producing living cells, tissues and whole organs. This sector holds immense potential of 3d bioprinting and bio fabrication with the ability to develop biobased products with minimal carbon footprints. India’s BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) Policy is a key driver in shifting from chemical-based industries to sustainable bio-based models by utilising regenerative biomanufacturing.

AI and ML in Biotech

Being able to solve questions from the biological perspective with new technologies like AI and ML is driving a paradigm shift, revolutionising research across the ecosystem. Incorporating AI and ML models within a biotech company is of huge value as it enables faster, more efficient, and cost-effective processes in drug discovery, personalised medicine and precision treatments. AI enhances the analysis of high-throughput data, enables better precision and supports metabolomics and proteomics studies. The recently launched BioE3 policy promotes setting up of Bio Enablers that include Bio-Artificial Intelligence (Bio-AI) Hubs to support bio-based product development and commercialization. These hubs will bridge lab-to-market gaps and help in increase employment opportunities across the sector.

Strategic Collaboration

Strategic collaboration in Biotech is the need of the hour- not just with pharmaceutical companies, but with experts, academia and among biotech companies themselves. Collaborations across industries locally as well as globally is also important for knowledge and resource sharing. They help equip smaller companies and nations to reap benefits of the advancements and leverage them to address their challenges.

New Knowledge on Health

With the whole set of knowledge that has now been generated on health, neuroscience and biology of ageing, the way we look at health is also changing. Our understanding of health is shifting from reactive disease treatment to proactive, systems-level optimization, which requires biotech companies to focus on precision therapeutics, bioinformatics platform and advanced biomarker diagnostics. These changes will fundamentally redefine the sector and shift the focus on longevity, regenerative medicine and personalised health interventions.

Way Forward

Funding in the field needs to evolve, supporting both exploration and innovation. This includes both dilutive and non-dilutive funding. We also require investments into risk-taking biotech companies that are willing to push the boundaries for the next wave of breakthroughs. Domestic capacity must be enhanced to help startups and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) progress beyond proof-of-concept stage and translate research breakthroughs into commercially viable bio-based products. The sector’s future is also linked with evolving regulatory frameworks, especially with changing pace of innovation in areas of AI, personalised medicine, and sustainable technologies. Along with laws that support this development, industry and government collaboration is also essential for a Viksit Bharat.

By aligning biotechnology with digital tools and circular economy principles, the future of biotech offers sustainable solutions to environmental challenges and promotes overall societal well-being.