CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune, celebrated the National Technology Day on 21 May 2024. The celebration’s highlight was the keynote address by Mr Subramani Ramachandrappa, Founder and Managing Director of Fermbox Bio Pvt. Ltd, Bengaluru. Mr Ramachandrappa delivered an inspiring talk on “Science and Entrepreneurship,” where he shared his journey and the challenges and triumphs of being involved in entrepreneurship.
Dr Ashish Lele, Director, CSIR-NCL, opened the event with a warm welcome and a brief overview of the importance of National Technology Day. He emphasised the critical role of translating technology and its commercialisation, describing it as a long journey with many milestones but no endpoints. This journey, he noted, requires a great deal of patience, yet it is enjoyable. He encouraged all his colleagues and students to engage in this process. Dr Lele also highlighted this year’s theme for National Technology Day: “From Schools to Startups: Igniting Young Minds to Innovate”.
Mr Subramani Ramachandrappa delivered an insightful lecture addressing various crucial aspects of science and entrepreneurship. He began by discussing the inherent challenges in developing scientific ideas and how innovation is pivotal in overcoming these obstacles. He emphasised that there are many innovative ideas from which some will evolve from initial concepts into fully realised visions. He highlighted the importance of maintaining confidentiality and protecting Intellectual Property (IP) to ensure innovative ideas remain secure and commercially viable.
Mr Ramachandrappa stressed the significance of mentorship and family support as the major pillars essential for success. He highlighted that a successful entrepreneur should never give up, suggesting they should leverage every resource available, maintain a calm and positive temperament, and continually smile through challenges. Building a proper team is another key focus, emphasising proactiveness and finding partners and collaborators who share common goals. He used the metaphor “keep the music playing” to signify the importance of maintaining momentum and enthusiasm in one’s endeavours. He highlighted that acknowledging and learning from failures is crucial and gave importance to chaos management and staying grounded despite successes and setbacks.
Mr Ramachandrappa emphasised the need for perseverance and a continuous willingness to learn. Creating a significant impact through one’s work was described as the ultimate goal, tying all the elements of his talk together. A question and answer session followed the lecture. In conclusion, Dr Ashish Lele felicitated Mr Ramachandrappa with a memento and a souvenir.
