The Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) – on behalf of the Bengaluru S&T (BeST) cluster – entered into an MoU to foster collaboration and support the activities of BeST on 18th August 2021.
“The MoU brings together the R&D strengths of the Bangalore S&T Cluster with the expertise and experience of the industries through BCIC, to set up a robust and vibrant innovation-driven technology development ecosystem,” remarked Prof K VijayRaghavan, PSA to GoI on the MoU signing.
BeST is an initiative of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology & Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) launched with support from the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, to enable R&D of key national missions and solve problems for the Indian and global industry. BeST is one of several national science and technology clusters being established in the country, to ensure better synergy between academic institutions, national and state research laboratories, and other stakeholders like relevant ministries, industry partners, start-ups, MSMEs, state governments, philanthropic foundations, and international organisations. Currently supported by IISc, BeST is soon to be formalised as an independent entity.
BCIC, set up in 1976, is the apex Chamber of Industry and Commerce, representing large and medium industries in the state of Karnataka. Mr TR Parasuraman, President, BCIC said, “This MoU between BCIC and IISc (on behalf of BeST cluster) will be a huge gateway to promote innovation and research among industries and will deepen industry’s contribution in the country’s national missions.” The Chamber represents all segments of the industry including manufacturing, aerospace, IT, biotech, pharma, engineering, garments, food processing, steel, and services.
BCIC has partnered with BeST to identify opportunities to collaborate on new projects in diverse fields, promote academic and R&D partnerships, and exchange information and technology expertise. BCIC will also support BeST in connecting with corporate partners and encouraging collaborative projects between academia and industry and raising visibility for activities undertaken by BeST. Ambarish Ghosh, Professor in the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), IISc, and the co-Principal Investigator of BeST expressed his pleasure on the signing and noted, “[entering] into this partnership with BCIC [for] this important initiative, can have a great impact on the S&T ecosystem in the city [Bengaluru].” The partnership is also expected to spur training programmes, webinars, lectures, and educational courses to cater to diverse stakeholders.
Read more about Science and Technology Clusters:Â https://www.psa.gov.in/st-clusters
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