The summit, themed ‘Shaping the Decade: Empowering Global Growth through Technology, IP, and Industry-Academia Partnerships,’ highlighted the critical role of cohesive strategies linking technology, intellectual property, and collaborative research in driving transformative growth.
HUL is pioneering the next generation of bold consumer and planet-centric innovations with multi-layered partnerships between academia and industry - while driving Good Health and Well-being, Nutrition for All, Climate Action and Sustainability.
As a company that pioneered the 1st ever (and even today, the largest) FMCG R&D set-up in India, HUL's recognition also underscores its commitment to fostering robust industry-academia partnerships and collaborations including initiatives in problem-solving, knowledge building, training, upskilling, and Women in STEM fellowships - all which have significantly contributed to bridging the gap between academic knowledge and practical application.
Among the various projects and studies that HUL has partnered with academia on is a comprehensive COVID-19 vaccine efficacy study called VISION. This study, driven through multiple institutes like NCBS, IISER, CMC Vellore, and the Office of the PSA, spanned the two waves of COVID and the Omicron wave. Published in top journals, including Nature Immunity and The Lancet (2023-24), the VISION study is vital for future pandemic preparedness, building research capacity in India, and achieving self-reliance in novel vaccine development.
Dr Vibhav R. Sanzgiri, Executive Director - R&D at HUL and Site Head, Unilever India R&D, also participated in the Industry Leader’s panel, discussing India’s future through technology, IP, and industry-academia leadership. The panel included esteemed leaders including Prof. Ramgopal Rao, Vice Chancellor of BITS Pilani, Mr Masood Mallick, Chairman of the CII National Committee on Waste to Worth Technologies and Mr Shaheen Majeed, Global CEO and MD Sabinsa.
Dr Vibhav Sanzgiri says, “We will continue to consciously choose academia-industry partnership projects that have defined social and environmental impacts while also directing our future-fit innovation process. This award is a testament to Unilever and HUL's on-going efforts to drive co-innovation and translate academic research into market-ready solutions.”