In alignment with the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s clarion call “Startup India, Standup India” and his vision of building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat on the path towards Viksit Bharat @ 2047, the 4th CSIR-Startup Conclave commenced today at the KN Kaul Block, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Lucknow.

The two-day conclave is jointly organized by four premier Lucknow-based CSIR laboratories—CSIR-NBRI, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), and CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP). The event is being held under the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the leadership of Hon’ble Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh.

The Conclave has brought together 50+ CSIR-incubated startups from across India showcasing their innovative products and technologies. A unique feature of the event is the active participation of 200+ farmers, directly engaging with scientists and entrepreneurs to explore sustainable, technology-driven solutions for agriculture and rural development.

The Conclave was formally inaugurated by Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Brajesh Pathak, who also opened the Startup Exhibition Pavilion. Interacting with innovators, he lauded their products and technologies and emphasized that such platforms will empower farmers, youth, and entrepreneurs while strengthening Uttar Pradesh’s innovation ecosystem.

On Day 1, two dedicated workshops were conducted at the Lotus Auditorium:

• CSIR Floriculture Mission Workshop (by CSIR-NBRI) focused on advanced floriculture practices, market linkages, and enterprise development.
• CSIR Aroma Mission Workshop (by CSIR-CIMAP & CSIR-NBRI) highlighted aromatic crop cultivation, essential oil extraction, and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Both sessions witnessed enthusiastic participation and created direct linkages between scientists and farmers.

A special Farmers Welfare Session was held, with Dr. Pankaj Tripathi, Director of Agriculture, Government of UP, highlighting the state’s immense potential in floriculture and aromatic crops. Shri Babu Lal Meena, Additional Chief Secretary (Horticulture, Sericulture & Food Processing) emphasized export potential, quality certifications, and market linkages.

Startups showcased impactful technologies such as:

• Nanocomposite-based water purifier for PFAS removal (Dr. Devendra Kumar Patel’s Lab).
• Gut microbiota modulation biosensors (Dr. Prabhanshu Tripathi’s Lab).
• TerraSensus precision agriculture sensors.
• ‘Ready to Fruit’ mushroom cultivation kits (ICAR–CISH & Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University).

Four significant MoUs were signed to strengthen industry-academia collaboration:

• CSIR-IITR & Punjab Biotechnology Incubator (PBTI), Mohali – R&D in environmental sciences, toxicology & biotechnology.
• CSIR-CDRI & KenisAI Technology Pvt. Ltd., Varanasi – AI-driven drug discovery (5-year partnership).
• CSIR-CDRI & VeGen Labs LLP, Hyderabad – Precision oncology research using AI tools.
• CSIR-IITR & SmartQR Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Pune – Commercialization of CSIR patents & IP.

Dr. A.K. Shasany (Director, CSIR-NBRI), Dr. P.K. Trivedi (Director, CSIR-CIMAP), and Dr. Radha Rangarajan (Director, CSIR-CDRI) highlighted CSIR’s contributions in plant sciences, drug discovery, and translational research. Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, DG-CSIR & Secretary DSIR, delivered the keynote, stressing the importance of converting research into market-ready technologies. Hon’ble Deputy CM Shri Brajesh Pathak emphasized integrating agriculture with science & technology and urged support for local startups in line with the One District, One Product initiative.

Day 2 will witness the gracious presence of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yogi Adityanath Ji, and Hon’ble Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh Ji. Highlights include their interaction with startups and farmers and the inauguration of the ‘Swastik Lotus Pond’ at CSIR-NBRI’s Botanic Garden.