A convergence of Deep-Science and Grassroots Innovation
New Delhi: Oct 05: Innovation has been the backbone of the Indian growth story in the last decade. However, beyond its role as an economic accelerator, innovation also connects with society, changes lives and solves challenges. Its objective is for and with people.
A five-day celebration of India’s innovation spirit titled People’s Festival of Innovations (PFI2023), is being organised at India International Centre, New Delhi, from November 28 to December 2, 2023. It is being conceptualised, curated, and mentored by the Bengaluru-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), and Ahmedabad-based Grassroots Innovations Augmentation Network (GIAN).
It is the second edition of an annual initiative launched last year. The theme for PFI 2023 is `Scaling Innovations: From Idea to Impact’.
The programme is envisaged as an exciting science innovation platform for both deep tech and grassroots innovations addressing needs across healthcare, agriculture and animal health, farming machinery, natural resource management, environment, utilities and clean energy sectors. It will bring together innovators and various stakeholders from the national and global innovation ecosystem presenting a unique opportunity to showcase, accelerate, and amplify the scale and impact of breakthrough ideas.
The Festival is conceived primarily as a platform for fostering high-impact engagements, where innovators will meet not only experts but also the public creating wider awareness and a more inclusive, people-centric innovation culture. The Festival will also have networking opportunities, one-on-one sessions, plenary talks, panel discussions as well as informal story-telling sessions.
A high-level discussion summit is also on the cards, involving innovators, industry and academia experts, policy makers, international organisations, ecosystem players and stakeholders including investors and regulators who will discuss the successes as well as emerging challenges of india’s deeptech and grassroots innovations ecosystem and share their thoughts on how to build and scale enterprises.
The festival is being curated by Dr Renu Swarup, Former Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Prof. Anil Gupta, Founder, Honey Bee Network, SRISTI, GIAN and NIF, Visiting Faculty, IIMA, IITB, and Academy Professor, ACSIR, Dr Swati Basu, former Scientific Secretary, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Govt of India and Dr Taslimarif Saiyed, Director-CEO of C-CAMP.
