University of Liverpool & IISc Bengaluru Launch Joint Seed Fund to Boost Research & Innovation

Both institutions have committed to co-invest substantial funding annually into the seed fund for an initial period of 3 years.

The University of Liverpool and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, have announced a joint seed fund aimed at fostering research and innovation collaborations in healthcare and life sciences.

The newly set up fund is expected to support research collaboration across key domains such as applications of AI, Biomedical and Life Sciences, One Health/ Infectious Diseases, Quantum Technology, etc

The seed fund is intended to facilitate joint research proposals, knowledge exchange, and long-term institutional partnerships.

The initiative is built on an earlier Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Liverpool University and the IISc in 2023, which seeks to deepen research collaborations between the two prestigious institutions, particularly through linkages between their historic biochemistry departments, among the world’s oldest.

Additionally, both institutions have committed to co-invest substantial funding annually into the seed fund for an initial period of 3 years.

Beyond the funding, the initiative also aims to strengthen the research and innovation ecosystems by supporting cross-disciplinary engagement between scientists, clinicians, and technology experts.

Commenting on the new partnership, Professor Tariq Ali, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement and Partnerships at the University of Liverpool, said, “This joint seed fund marks an exciting new chapter in our growing partnership with IISc Bangalore. By bringing together world-leading expertise from both institutions, we are creating a powerful platform to address some of the most pressing global challenges of our time.”

“Through collaboration in areas such as AI, biotechnology, health and life sciences, quantum technologies, and space, and by investing in the next generation of researchers, we are strengthening research links and delivering impact on an international scale. We look forward to seeing the innovative ideas and long-term academic partnerships that will emerge from this initiative,” he added.

Reflecting similar thoughts, Prof. Baladitya Suri, Chair of the Office of International Relations at IISc, said, “We believe that academic collaborations play a vital role in advancing science, education, and innovation for the well-being of society, and joint programs/activities strengthen our commitment to the shared purpose.”

He further noted, “We hope this partnership will foster interdisciplinary dialogue, facilitate knowledge sharing, and establish sustainable pathways for our engagement through the exchange of faculty and students under a joint seed fund, co-supervision program, bilateral symposia/workshops, and collaborative innovation.”

Recently, the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) and the Indian Institute of Science(IISc) have formalised a collaboration to develop battlefield-ready medical technologies, combining clinical expertise with advanced research in artificial intelligence, wearables, and bioengineering.

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