Bangalore: A 100-acre biotech park, named Helix, would be operational in Electronic city on Bangalore outskirts within a year, Secretary in the Department of IT, BT and Science and Technology M K Shankaralinge Gowda said today (Jun 25, 2004).

He told reporters that all hurdles have been overcome in establishing the park which, among others, would have incubation facilities and be home to firms setting up shops.

Karnataka is home to half of the some 200-biotech companies in India, Gowda pointed out.

After the Bangalore Bio 2004 conference, to be held from July 11 to 13, the Government is thinking of revising the biotech policy taking into consideration suggestions and inputs received at the event, he said.

Gowda also talked about taking biotech incubation facilities to other parts of Karnataka that would be commercially viable.

Chairperson of Vision Group on Biotechnology in Karnataka and CMD of biotech major Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw stressed the need to float a Rs 50 crore biotech fund to provide seed capital to scientific entrepreneurs to convert their research into business propositions.