National Workshop on Strategic IP Commercialization Marks World IP Day 2025

Delivering the keynote, Commodore Amit Rastogi (Retd.), Chairman and Managing Director of NRDC, emphasized India’s potential to become a global innovation powerhouse.

On the occasion of World Intellectual Property (IP) Day 2025, the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC)—operating under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India—collaborated with the prestigious Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru to host a national-level workshop titled “Driving Innovation with IP: Strategic Approaches to Commercialization.”

Held at the historic Faculty Hall of IISc, the workshop drew wide participation and brought to the fore the strategic importance of intellectual property rights in shaping India’s innovation trajectory and global economic footprint.

Pan-India Collaboration for IP Leadership

The event marked an exceptional collaboration across India’s leading institutions. It was jointly supported by:

• International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Bangalore

• Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI)

• Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT)

• Central Silk Board (CSB)

• BeST Innovation Cluster

• IPTel (IP & Technology Licensing Group)

• Indian Institute of Science (IISc)

The workshop hosted over 250 in-person and 500 virtual participants, including scientists, technologists, startup founders, policy experts, academic leaders, PSU officials, and government stakeholders.

Their collective focus: how to accelerate the journey from invention to impact—translating R&D outputs into commercially viable, nationally scalable innovations.

Keynote Address: Innovation as the Engine of Viksit Bharat @2047

Delivering the keynote, Commodore Amit Rastogi (Retd.), Chairman and Managing Director of NRDC, emphasized India’s potential to become a global innovation powerhouse. He spotlighted NRDC’s mission to bridge the gap between publicly funded research and industrial application.

He outlined several flagship initiatives:

• NETRA: A platform to scout and support transformative technologies from academic labs.

• Design Clinic: Offering design and product development support to innovators.

• Blended Financing Mechanisms: Enabling innovations to mature to Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 7–9, thereby preparing them for commercialization and market adoption.

Notably, Commodore Rastogi announced three strategic initiatives:

1. Technology Exchange Portal – a digital marketplace to connect technology seekers and developers.

2. National IP Fairs – for showcasing innovations to industry and investors.

3. National Tech Translation Organization (NTTO) – to institutionalize technology transfer frameworks and improve success rates in tech commercialization.

These efforts align with Viksit Bharat @2047, the Indian government’s ambitious vision to transform India into a fully developed nation by 2047 through science, technology, and innovation-led growth.

Academic Leadership: Building IP Culture in Higher Education

Prof. Govindan Rangarajan, Director of IISc, underscored the importance of integrating IP protection into the academic culture. He acknowledged challenges such as low patent awareness, hesitation around IP filing, and the need for capacity building.

“India's academic institutions must evolve from being knowledge generators to value creators,” he noted, calling for structured institutional IP policies, incentive frameworks, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Several distinguished dignitaries joined him in this clarion call:

• Ms. Manjushree N, IAS, Commissioner, Department of Collegiate and Technical Education (DCTE), Government of Karnataka

• Prof. Suryasarathi Bose, Department of Materials Engineering, IISc

• Dr. U. T. Vijay, Executive Secretary, Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (KSCST)

• Prof. Debabrata Das, Director, IIIT-Bangalore

• Dr. S. Manthira Moorthy, Central Silk Board

• Shri Prakash Vinod, CMTI

They spoke of the urgent need to strengthen the academic-industry interface, reform IP education, and foster regional IP ecosystems.

Partnerships to Promote Commercial Success

A major highlight of the workshop was the signing of two significant agreements:

1. MoA between NRDC and IIIT Bangalore – to jointly promote the commercialization of tech developed within the institute, including support for market linkage, IP licensing, and industry partnerships.

2. Tripartite Licensing Agreement between NRDC, CSIR-CFTRI (Central Food Technological Research Institute) and M/s Varre Corporate Solutions – for commercialization of CSIR-CFTRI’s novel Spirulina Cereal and Choco Bar technology, targeted at health-conscious consumers and nutraceutical markets.

These agreements exemplify how multi-stakeholder partnerships can lead to real-world deployment of public sector innovations.

Entrepreneurial Insights: Embedding IP into Business Models

The workshop also featured rich insights from entrepreneurs and practitioners who have built ventures around deep tech and IP.

• Dr. Dilip Krishnaswamy, Senior Scientist at C-DOT, elaborated on the role of standards-driven IP development in India’s telecom and digital infrastructure sectors.

• Dr. Vishal Rao, Co-founder of Innaumation Medical Devices, spoke about innovation in medical devices and how securing IP enabled his startup to scale and attract investment.

Dr. B. K. Sahu, Regional Manager at NRDC, offered practical guidance on navigating the “valley of death” between prototype development and commercialization, citing examples of successful IP-based startups mentored by NRDC.

Panel Discussions: Closing the Gap Between Lab and Market

Two high-powered panel sessions covered critical issues affecting India’s innovation value chain:

• Bridging Research and Market Gaps – featuring leaders from Biocon Academy, BeST Cluster, CSIR-CFTRI, IIIT Innovation Centre, and IPTeL

• Strengthening IP Licensing and Institutional Mindsets – where participants explored licensing models, contract enforcement, and tech transfer office practices

Key takeaways included:

• The need for dedicated IP management professionals within institutions.

• Urging policy reforms to streamline regulatory pathways for tech transfer.

• Building incentives for professors and researchers to engage in commercialization.

A Unified National Innovation Mission

The workshop concluded with a resounding affirmation of India's IP potential and a unified call to action. Participants stressed the importance of leveraging IP as a strategic asset, not only for competitive advantage but also for driving inclusive national development.

By fostering a vibrant innovation ecosystem rooted in structured IP management, India can achieve technology self-reliance, generate employment, and position itself as a leader in the global knowledge economy.