Along with the Initiative, India Bioeconomy Report 2025" (IBER 2025) was also released. 

• IBER 2025 has been prepared by the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Enterprise, set up by Department of Biotechnology (DBT)

About the BioSaarthi Initiative

• It is a six-month cohort program, will provide structured mentor-mentee engagements, offering personalized guidance to emerging biotech entrepreneurs. 
• It will strengthen industry-academia collaboration.
  • Under it, overseas experts will be engaged, particularly from Indian diaspora as international mentors.

India’s Bioeconomy 

• Status: $165.7 billion in 2024 (witnessed growth from $10 billion in 2014, marking a 16-fold increase) 
• Contribution to GDP (Nominal): 4.3% 
• Sectors wise Contribution: Bioindustrial (largest contributor with 47.2%) followed by BioPharma, Bio Services and BioAgri.
• Regional contribution: South Zone contributed 45.40% to the national BioEconomy followed by West Zone North and East Zones.
• State Wise Contribution: States like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, etc. are key contributors. 
• Startup: Biotech startup ecosystem has grown from just 50 startups a decade ago to over 10,075.

Key Initiative that facilitated growth of India’s Bioeconomy Sector 

• Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment (BioE3Policy), 2024
• Biotechnology Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (Bio- RIDE), 2024
• National Biopharma Mission (NBM), 2017
• Other: National Mission on Bioeconomy, 2016, etc.