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India’s innovation landscape is witnessing a gradual but significant shift from laboratory-bound research to market-oriented problem solving. The Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) Programme, highlighted recently by the Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, has emerged as a critical instrument in this transition. Introduced under the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI), the EIR Programme reflects the government’s effort to embed entrepreneurship within the country’s public research ecosystem and nurture a new generation of scientist-entrepreneurs.

The EIR Programme is designed to encourage graduate students and young researchers to pursue entrepreneurship as a viable career option. It provides both financial and non-financial support in the form of a structured fellowship, enabling innovators to work on high-risk, high-impact ideas within recognised incubation environments. Selected fellows receive a monthly financial support of up to ?30,000 for a maximum period of 12 months, allowing them to focus on ideation, validation and early-stage development without immediate financial pressures. Beyond funding, the programme offers access to Technology Business Incubators (TBIs), mentoring, technical guidance, business advisory services and industry linkages.

Implemented by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in association with the NCL Venture Centre, Pune, the EIR Programme seeks to bridge the long-standing gap between academic research and commercial application. By embedding entrepreneurial pathways within research institutions, it addresses a structural weakness of India’s innovation system, strong scientific output but limited translation into scalable products and enterprises.

The programme’s growing relevance was underscored at the annual meeting of the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), where it was described as a cornerstone of India’s biotechnology innovation ecosystem. BRIC, established as a unified umbrella for multiple biotechnology research institutes, represents a shift toward collaborative and translational research. Within this framework, the EIR Programme has helped cultivate researchers who combine academic rigour with market awareness, encouraging them not just to discover, but to deliver solutions with societal and economic impact.

A notable strength of the EIR Programme lies in its ability to attract private sector participation and venture capital interest. By de-risking the early stages of innovation through public funding and institutional support, it creates a pipeline of credible startups emerging directly from public R&D institutions. This has particular significance in sectors such as biotechnology, healthcare, agriculture, green energy and industrial biotechnology, where long gestation periods and high uncertainty often deter private investment at the ideation stage.

The programme also aligns with broader policy objecttives. From a Science and Technology perspective, it promotes translational research, patenting and commercialization, areas increasingly emphasised in national innovation strategies. From an economic standpoint, it supports startup creation, job generation and the development of knowledge-intensive enterprises, complementing initiatives aimed at strengthening MSMEs and deep-tech startups. Ethically and socially, it reinforces values of scientific temper, innovation for public good, collaboration and responsible risk-taking.

However, sustaining the programme’s impact will require scaling up support, expanding interdisciplinary participation, and ensuring stronger regional spread beyond major research hubs. Continuous evaluation of outcomes such as startup survival rates, technology adoption and societal impact will be crucial.

In conclusion, the Entrepreneur-in-Residence Programme represents a strategic shift in India’s approach to innovation, moving from isolated research excellence to integrated, market-linked problem solving. By empowering young researchers to become entrepreneurs within the public research system, it strengthens India’s journey toward a resilient, innovation-driven economy and a globally competitive biotechnology ecosystem.