What India Needs: Racing to Build Breakthrough Biotech with Dr. Jogin Desai

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India spends just 0.7% of its GDP on research and development, compared to 2.5%-5.5% in countries like the US and China.

What will it take for India to move from catching up to leading?

In this episode, Shutapa Paul speaks with Dr. Jogin Desai, CEO & Founder of Eyestem, as they explore the structural challenges in India’s innovation ecosystem, from limited private risk capital to the gap between research and real-world impact.

They also discuss how India is uniquely positioned at a moment in time where global shifts, policy support, and entrepreneurial momentum could unlock a new wave of deep tech innovation.

From reversing vision loss to building scalable and affordable therapies, this conversation looks at what it will take for India to create solutions not just for itself, but for the world.

Tune in to hear insights on biotech, capital, regulation, and the future of innovation in India.

Catch the full conversation on YouTube or listen on Spotify.

#WhatIndiaNeedsPodcast #podcast #innovation #deeptech #biotech #researchanddevelopment #india #healthcareinnovation #startupindia #futureofhealthcare

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00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:12 - Exploring India's R&D spending

00:04:31 - Opportunities in India

00:06:14 - The lack of risk capital

00:08:58 - Challenges in translating academic research to societal impact

00:11:38 - India's $300 billion bioeconomy and moving beyond generics

00:13:30 - The evolution of regulatory standards in India vs. the FDA

00:16:24 - Founding Eyestem and tackling unaffordable therapies

00:24:07 - Future pipeline: Parkinson's, Pulmonary Fibrosis, and more

00:26:09 - The importance of a lean, self-driven innovation team

00:27:24 - Myths about India's originality and lessons from China's biotech sector

00:31:14 - Leapfrogging globally in cell and gene therapy

00:32:46 - AI in biology: Opportunities, hype, and necessary guardrails

00:35:56 - Outro --------------

#innovation #deeptech #biotech #researchanddevelopment #india #healthcareinnovation #startupindia #futureofhealthcare #biotechnology #indiastartups #medtech #scienceandtechnology #globalinnovation

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Eyestem: https://eyestem.com/