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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

WIPO Re:Search database on Intellectual property

 WIPO Re:Search, is a new consortium where public and private sector organizations share valuable intellectual property and expertise with the global health research community to promote development of new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics to treat neglected tropical diseases, malaria, and tuberculosis. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, Eisai, GlaxoSmithKline, MSD1, Novartis, Pfizer, and Sanofi are collaborating with WIPO, BVGH, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and multiple non-profit research organizations. These include the California Institute of Technology, the Center for World Health & Medicine, the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Medicines for Malaria Venture, PATH, the South African Medical Research Council, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Dundee (UK).

Friday, October 21, 2011

Ant Ceramics: start-up in advanced materials

Ant Ceramics is a start-up in manufacturing with several unique elements:

  • a research based start-up, continuously drawing on research done at IIT Kharagpur,
  • co-incubated at two places, IIT Kharagpur and CIIE-IIMA,
  • started with ceramic products for lab ware but continuously expanded products and global reach,
  • technological innovation and business innovation carried out in parallel, 
  • raised initial capital from family, friends and government grants.

Friday, October 07, 2011

iPhone 4S - Siri -DARPA - IIT Kanpur-Acharya Girish

The great innovation eco-system of US is evident again.One of the most talked about innovation in  iPhone 4S is voice controlled personal assistant application Siri, which was funded by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) under its Perceptive Assistant that Learns (PAL) program involving . And this sponsored project brought together leading computer scientists and researchers in artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, knowledge representation, human-computer interaction, flexible planning, and behavioral studies at 22 organizations. A happy Indian connection is Engineering Director Acharya Girish a product of IIT Kanpur.

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Vote for the greatest innovator of the past decade

As part of their “A Decade of Celebrating World-Changing Innovation”, The Economist is showcasing the past winners within seven categories and asking people to vote for their favorite. Business Process is dominated by Indians- Ratan Tata, Narayana Murthy and Sam Pitroda. Vote for the best of the decade.Voting closes on October 14th. 

10 Life-Altering Inventions We Now Take for Granted

Reader Jennifer Lynch shared links to this interesting post:
http://www.toponlinecolleges.com/blog/2011/10-life-altering-inventions-we-now-take-for-granted/
Thank U Jennifer.

i2i Challenge Request for Proposals


The Graduate Management Admission Council MET Fund Ideas to Innovation (i2i) Challenge is looking for thought leaders who are ready to become true agents of change by submitting a proposal to implement one or more of the 20 great ideas selected earlier this year to improve graduate management education. The ideas were chosen from entries submitted by more than 650 individuals from 60 countries in four categories — strategy, curriculum, technology, and entrepreneurship.
Your school could win a grant to put your own implementation plan into action and up to US$8 million in funds is available. Last date: December 16, 2011
Contact: Allen Brandt , Director, GMAC MET Fund ,  Graduate Management Admission Council 
Ideas to Innovation (i2i) Challenge , metfund@gmac.com

'TATA First Dot'- a platform for student start-ups

Apart from student start-ups, students with ideas yet not started a company can also apply. Mentoring support is provided by NEN network.

Sunday, October 02, 2011

Ensuring Safe Transitions from Hospital to Home Challenge


  • Incorporate the content of the CMS Discharge Checklist
  • Help patients and caregivers access the information and materials needed to answer the checklist’s questions about their condition, their medications and medical equipment, and their post-discharge plans
  • Share this information with doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other professionals in their next care setting.

  • Total Prizes: $40,000 Deadline: November 16,2011.   

Boot Camp and Entrepreneurship Competition for life science start-ups


The 2012 Bio-Business Plan Competition is now open. 
The six best competing teams will receive BioCity Nottingham’s Bio-Entrepreneurship and Business development training (Bootcamp) at C-CAMP, NCBS, Bangalore. Successful finalists will also receive team-mentoring and support from professional business advisors who can further help them in the development of a full business plan, before pitching their business to an influential panel of judges from the bio-business industry. The winner will be chosen at a Grand Finale, during the UK-India Innovation and Leadership Meeting, scheduled on 5-6th March 2012, in Bangalore. The winner will receive a package of benefits worth over Rs 15 Lakhs.
The closing deadline for applications is 15th October 2011.

Saturday, October 01, 2011

Cleaning lakes of water hyacinth- Innovation from Hyderabad


Growth of water hyacinth has been prolific in many lakes resulting in breeding of vectors and consequently causing endemic diseases.  De-weeding/hyacinth control or removal is practiced with biological, chemical, mechanical and manual measures. Imported harvesters are used for cleaning Dal Lake. Most others either try manual methods but regeneration being faster than removal, lakes sooner than later get covered with water hyacinth. Residents at most locations gave up hope of seeing clean water or fish. 
This problem is addressed in Hyderabad by developing a mobile cutter, which can be brought upto the lake front. I had an opportunity to see this clearing during my visit to Hyderabad on 30th September. See the photographs. 
Want to clear your lake- write to Creative Minds-Innovators cooperative,    Creative Minds, 1-1-336/64, vivek nagar colony, Chikkadapally, Hyderabad 500 002, creativemindsap@gmail.com