IKP Knowledge Park has announced the appointment of Dr Satya Prakash Dash as its new Chief Executive Officer.
IKP is a 200-acre science and research park with campuses in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, and is recognised as India’s first wet-lab research park. It was established to create a globally competitive ecosystem for research-driven innovation and entrepreneurship.
Dr Dash brings more than two decades of experience in science-led leadership, innovation strategy, and ecosystem development. Prior to joining IKP, he was President – Strategy at Bigtec, the research and development arm of Molbio Diagnostics, a leading Indian in-vitro diagnostics company.
In 2024, he played a key role in launching EDGE, a med-tech corporate partnership initiative of Molbio Diagnostics and Bigtec aimed at helping startups scale their technologies and businesses.
In addition to his corporate roles, Dr Dash serves as a Senior Advisor to Blockchain for Impact, India’s first biomedical research-focused philanthropic foundation. He is also a Board Member at Venture Centre, a prominent science and technology incubator in Pune, and acts as a strategy advisor to DoTo Health.
Speaking on his appointment, Dr Dash said it was an honour to lead IKP Knowledge Park, an institution with a 26-year legacy in research, innovation, and incubation. He added that he looks forward to working closely with partners across government, industry, academia, and the social sector to support biotech startups and small and medium enterprises, while expanding IKP’s global impact.
Earlier in his career, Dr Dash served as the Founding Head – Strategy, Partnerships and Entrepreneurship Development at the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), India’s central biotechnology funding agency. During his tenure, he helped shape the country’s bio-innovation framework by designing over 25 national programmes that have supported more than 5,000 biotech startups.
Commenting on the appointment, IKP Knowledge Park Chairperson and Managing Director Deepanwita Chattopadhyay said Dr Dash’s leadership comes at a critical juncture as the organisation enters its next growth phase. She noted that his deep expertise in science-driven innovation, public–private collaboration, and ecosystem building will strengthen IKP’s role in supporting startups and translating research into scalable, real-world solutions.
