"Healthcare startups on biotech, stem cell research will lead innovation", says Ratan Tata

Friday November 06, 2015 , 3 min Read

Tata Sons' chairman emeritus Ratan Tata said medical and healthcare-related technological breakthroughs would present the wave of opportunities to Indian startups.

"To me the next exciting thing on the horizon is likely to happen and different from the one which we are seeing in India is the likelihood of medical breakthroughs because of startups in computing and in writing algorithms and analytics basically. The whole area of biotechnology and of course life sciences stems cells and thinks like that. So I see great deal of breakthroughs in treating diseases hitherto is fatal or had not cured. And I think that is going to be worldwide in this decade," Tata told reporters on the sidelines of inauguration of T-Hub a technology incubator for startups.

He however said the present technologies would not become obsolete with the new technologies coming in. He also did not reply whether he had earmarked any specific fund for investing in the healthcare startups. He, however, said he would continue to feel the need to support young entrepreneurs who were keen to unleash the "Indian tiger".

Replying to a query he said he hoped that Indian auto market has space for cars like Nano. "I personally think yes. The consumer would like to have car in that range. But let me say that some of the misconceptions we have is we try to sell it against other cars. It (Nano) was developed as something to give the family on a two wheeler a four wheel all weather transport.

"And I am still hopeful that Nano will find its place in the garages of the home of the people who need transport, who have a family and who are keen to have transport in all weathers. So I think that there is place for such a product," he said.

On the industry sentiment due to the ongoing debate on "intolerance" Tata refused to comment saying that India is known for communal harmony. "I don t think it is my lot to make a comment on that. I can only say that in country we live together and I hope we can live together in harmony. I don t want to get into the issues of the observations what is being taken place.

"This is a country I think has been a country of communal harmony. We work together live together for centuries. And I am sure we continue to do that," he explained. Governor ESL Narasimhan and Ratan Tata, launched the first phase of the T-Hub an initiative of Telangana Government.

T-Hub is a technology incubator with collaborative efforts from the Indian School of Business (ISB), the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-Hyderabad) and NALSAR University of Law besides various other organizations.

Nasscom chairman BVR Mohan Reddy said the T-Hub would accommodate 300 startups comprising 800 people. He said the T-Hub signed MoUs with Nasscom's 10,000 Startups and Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).