A comprehensive analysis of India’s talent landscape for the smart protein sector

A first-of-its-kind mapping of India’s smart protein skills landscape to align industry needs with technical training and outline strategies to build a future-ready workforce

Background

As India’s smart protein sector evolves, a well-equipped workforce will be essential to drive innovation and scale production. With the announcement and implementation of the BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) policy, the Government of India envisions the acceleration of bioeconomic growth by establishing biomanufacturing facilities, fostering innovation, and creating a highly skilled workforce. Additionally, the recognition and inclusion of functional foods and smart proteins as a thematic area under the policy, with dedicated funding efforts for cutting-edge research in the field, serves as a testament to the increasing growth of the smart protein sector. As a result, the need for graduates with industry-relevant skills tailored to emerging areas of biomanufacturing has become more critical than ever. While India produces a large number of graduates in disciplines relevant to the sector—such as biotechnology, food science, and bioprocess engineering—there is a dearth of specialised, hands-on skills required for smart protein research and manufacturing. This gap poses a challenge for companies looking to hire talent with industry-specific expertise.

This skills mapping study aimed to address these gaps by:

• Systematically identifying the technical skills required for various job roles in the Indian smart protein sector
• Assessing the alignment between academic curricula and industry needs
• Formulating structured recommendations for upskilling programs 

By engaging with industry stakeholders, analysing academic programmes, and estimating workforce availability, the study provides a roadmap for integrating smart protein training into university curricula and nationally accredited upskilling programmes. 

This study was commissioned through a publicly announced Request for Proposals (RFP), following which GFI India selected Idobro Impact Solutions as the implementation partner through a competitive evaluation process.