Thiruvananthapuram is set to witness a major milestone in India’s life sciences and innovation landscape with the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship Hub at Bio-360 Life Sciences Park on 23 January 2026.

The state-of-the-art Hub, which will be established by CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), a constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, is envisioned as a national Centre for deep-tech innovation, technology translation, and entrepreneurship in the life sciences sector.

The newly conceptualized Hub will house a Centre of Excellence in Ayurveda Research (CEAR) and focus on strategic national priority areas including spice incubation, coir and rubber technologies, sustainable packaging, biomanufacturing, and green hydrogen. The initiative aims to strengthen scientific standardization, quality assurance, value addition, and scalable manufacturing while fostering a vibrant ecosystem for startups and MSMEs.

A key highlight of the Hub is its focus on scientific validation, quality control, and global compliance of AYUSH products, addressing growing international demand for evidence-based traditional medicine and wellness solutions. Through collaboration with agencies such as the Spices Board, the Hub will also promote technology-driven processing, value addition, and startup incubation to enhance global competitiveness and farmer incomes.

The Hub will leverage Kerala’s strong natural resource base and scientific talent to develop high-value, sustainable technologies in coir, rubber, and eco-friendly packaging, aligned with CSIR’s national mission on sustainable packaging. Advanced biomanufacturing and industrial biotechnology platforms will support the production of bio-based products, biochemicals, nutraceuticals, and functional foods, while green hydrogen initiatives will contribute to India’s clean energy transition.

Aligned with national missions and Government of India priorities, the CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship Hub is designed to accelerate technology-to-market translation, skill development, employment generation, women’s empowerment, and inclusive economic growth, with a special focus on the life sciences sector.
The Government of Kerala has allotted 10 acres of land at Bio-360 Life Sciences Park for the expansion of CSIR-NIIST, further strengthening Thiruvananthapuram’s position as an emerging life sciences and innovation hub. The inauguration coincides with CSIR-NIIST’s Golden Jubilee, marking 50 years of dedicated service to science, technology, and national development.

-SK-

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