TBIs to strengthen collaboration between industry, academia

Hyderabad, Feb 26 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Tourism, Sugar and Major industries Minister J Geeta Reddy today said Technology Business Incubators (TBIs) would strengthen collaboration between industry and the academia and turn ideas into viable businesses.

Inaugurating the first annual conference of the Indian STEP and Business Incubator Association (ISBA 2007), organised jointly by ICRISAT and ICICI Knowledge park here, Ms Reddy said business incubation was a journey and not a job.

There were already five business incubators in and around Hyderabad and two more envisaged in the Shapoorji Pallonji Biotech Park and the ICICI Knowledge Park.

ICRISAT Deputy Director General Dyno Keatinge said the organisation has catazysed public-private partnerships through the Agri-Business Incubator.

A very successful example was the development of sweet sorghum varieties and the incubation of a commercial venture to produce ethanol from these varieties in collaboration with Rusni Distilleries.

The conference attracted about 150 delegates who were managers of technology incubator parks and companies being incubated in the STEPs and business incubators, a press release said.

UNI