In a significant boost to the government’s BioE3 initiative, German process technology leader Glatt and PreferCo announced the launch of the “PreferCo-Glatt Centre of Excellence for Bioprocess Scale-Up” in Hyderabad’s Genome Valley. The announcement was made during BioAsia 2026 in the presence of Ms. Rashmi Pimpale, CEO of Research and Innovation Circle of Hyderabad (RICH).
The new Centre of Excellence (CoE) will focus on microbial precision fermentation and aims to support seamless scale-up from laboratory research to pilot and pre-commercial manufacturing. The initiative strengthens India’s bioprocessing infrastructure at a critical time, as the country accelerates efforts to translate scientific innovation into globally competitive biomanufacturing.
Advancing Precision Fermentation and BioE3 Vision
The CoE aligns closely with the government’s BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment) strategy. By enhancing domestic biomanufacturing capabilities through innovation-driven infrastructure, the initiative directly contributes to India’s expanding bioeconomy.
Microbial precision fermentation plays a pivotal role in this transformation. It enables scalable, resource-efficient production of high-value biological products across industries. Therefore, the PreferCo-Glatt CoE serves as a practical enabler, ensuring that India’s growing innovation pipeline can move confidently toward global commercialization.
Expanding Beyond Biopharma
While biopharmaceuticals remain a key focus area, the facility broadens its scope to include industrial biotechnology, sustainable materials, functional foods, personal care, wellness and longevity solutions, and bio-based chemicals.
By doing so, the CoE addresses a long-standing infrastructure gap faced by industry players, academic institutions, and emerging startups. It provides accessible, high-quality scale-up infrastructure that supports diverse bioproduct development pathways under globally benchmarked standards.
Built for Scalable, AI-Enabled Manufacturing
Designed to support scale-up operations up to 1,500-litre bioreactor capacity, the Centre of Excellence integrates automation, advanced instrumentation, and AI-enabled process support from the outset.
This forward-looking design delivers several advantages:
*Deeper process understanding through data-driven insights
*Improved reproducibility during fermentation scale-up
*Faster, evidence-based decision-making
*Reduced technical risk from proof-of-concept to commercialization
As a result, innovators can accelerate the journey from laboratory validation to industrial readiness with greater confidence and efficiency.
Strengthening India’s Biomanufacturing Ecosystem
By offering globally competitive infrastructure at accessible price points, the CoE lowers entry barriers for both Indian and international innovators seeking to commercialize fermentation-based technologies.
Rajiv Bhide, Managing Director of Glatt Systems Pvt. Ltd., highlighted the strategic importance of the initiative. He noted that India’s bioeconomy has grown from $10 billion in 2014 to $166 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $300 billion by 2030. However, sustaining this momentum will depend on the country’s ability to convert scientific capability into reliable, large-scale manufacturing.
According to him, the Centre of Excellence provides a structured fermentation scale-up platform supported by advanced engineering and integrated digital systems. Such infrastructure, he emphasized, is essential for building a globally competitive biomanufacturing ecosystem capable of consistently delivering high-value products to both domestic and international markets.
A Strategic Step Toward Global Biomanufacturing Leadership
The PreferCo–Glatt partnership represents a strategic milestone in India’s biotechnology journey. By combining German engineering expertise with India’s innovation ecosystem, the Centre of Excellence positions Hyderabad’s Genome Valley as a key hub for precision fermentation and next-generation bioprocess scale-up. As reported by businessnewsthisweek.com, as India pushes forward under its BioE3 framework, initiatives like this will play a defining role in transforming research breakthroughs into scalable, sustainable, and globally competitive biomanufacturing success stories.
