MIBL BIOLINK to serve as a gateway to biotechnology funding and collaboration

The Mauritius Institute of Biotechnology (MIBL) BIOLINK, serving as a gateway to funding, partnerships and investment opportunities relevant to biotechnology, was launched yesterday in presence of the Minister of Tertiary Education, Science and Research, Dr Kaviraj Sharma Sukon, at the Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Tower in Ebène.

On the occasion, two Mauritian recipients of fellowships offered through the collaboration between MIBL and Colossal Biosciences, biotechnology company in United States involved in the scientific programme to revive the dodo, were also recognised. The recipients are Ms Urousha Bibi Fawzia Jeetun and Mr Lakshay Boodadoo.

The MIBL BIOLINK aims to facilitate access to funding opportunities and foster partnerships in the biotechnology sector. It will provide a platform connecting researchers, industry stakeholders, funders and Government, while supporting the development of biotechnology capabilities and initiatives in Mauritius.

In his address, Minister Sukon emphasised the key role of the MIBL in supporting researchers and innovators in accessing international opportunities. The MIBL BIOLINK, he observed, will serve as a useful platform to monitor a range of funding opportunities, including grants, fellowships, venture capital, impact investment, challenge funds and public-private partnerships. It will also help support national funding applications and facilitate the formation of international consortia, he said.

He further stressed the importance of combining technical competence with essential qualities such as curiosity, character, the ability to work with others and a willingness to learn, in order to make a meaningful contribution to the fields of science and biotechnology. He also highlighted the importance of Artificial Intelligence in shaping the future of the country and underscored the need for Mauritian researchers and scientists to represent Mauritius with confidence and humility on the international stage.

Addressing the two fellowship recipients, Minister Sukon congratulated and urged them to make the most of such opportunities which, according to him, would contribute to enhancing the research capabilities of the country. “It is important to celebrate the two young Mauritians who have earned important international opportunities”, he said while stating that such partnerships will further enhance Mauritius’s capacity to connect research with funding, expertise, industry and international collaboration.

Also present at the event, the Acting Officer-in -Charge of the MIBL, Mrs Nandini Gooly-Gopalla, highlighted MIBL’s primary objective of spearheading the development of the biotechnology sector in Mauritius. She emphasised that the initiative will help harness the talent and potential of Mauritian researchers and experts willing to contribute to global science.

28 August 2026

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Topics: Education, Artificial Intelligence