Pune: Aamikza Biotechnology Pvt. Ltd. has inaugurated a 2,000 sq. ft. Research & Innovation Centre in Hadapsar, Pune, strengthening its capabilities for developing indigenous dairy starter cultures and fermentation solutions for the dairy industry.
The new facility marks a significant step for Aamikza Biotechnology as it expands its research and product-development capabilities aligned with steady growth in the starter culture sector.
According to Persistence Market Research, the global starter culture market is projected to grow from approximately US$ 1.49 billion in 2025 to US$ 2.18 billion by 2032, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6%, driven by rising demand for fermented foods and functional dairy products.
At the national level, Deep Market Insights estimates that the India starter culture market was valued at US$ 86.11 million in 2024 and is forecast to reach US$ 144.78 million by 2033, expanding at a CAGR of approximately 5.95%, reflecting increasing consumption of fermented dairy products and modernisation of dairy processing.
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Aamikza Biotechnology Strengthens Indigenous Starter Culture Development
Aamikza’s journey began in 2015 as a research initiative led by Pravin Jadhav and Pooja Raut, incubated at Venture Center.
The team received support through Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC)’s Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG), enabling R&D on bacteriophage-resistant, robust dairy starter cultures based on Indian microbiology.
Building on this research foundation, Aamikza Biotechnology Pvt. Ltd. was incorporated in 2021.
In the same year, the company received support under the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISF) through Venture Center, supporting its transition to scalable product development and commercialization.
Vijay Walunje joined the company as Investor and Sales Director, strengthening commercial and market outreach.
Dr Premnath Venugopalan, Founder Director, Venture Center, said: “We are delighted to see the progress of Aamikza Biotech from a nascent tech development effort by young technologist entrepreneurs to a successful supplier of starter culture and other key additives to the dairy industry. Aamikza is a great addition to Pune’s biotech ecosystem.”
Reflecting on the company’s growth and the significance of the new facility, Pravin Jadhav, CEO, Aamikza Biotechnology Pvt. Ltd., said: “We are proud to contribute to the growth of India’s biotechnology industry. The inauguration of our Innovation Center marks a significant milestone in our journey to develop high-quality products and drive innovation at par with global standards.
This achievement would not have been possible without the invaluable support of Venture Center, BIRAC, and the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, whose early backing laid the foundation for our growth.”
Aamikza follows a strong Make in India philosophy, developing dairy starter cultures using microbial strains isolated from the Indian environment.
The new centre enables end-to-end strain development – from isolation and optimisation to pilot-scale validation – supporting applications across cheese, dahi, yoghurt, and other fermented milk products.
In addition, the company operates a Food Technology Department in Baramati focused on stabilizers and emulsifier blends for ice-creams, kulfi, and frozen desserts, designed for high melting stability.
With the inauguration of the Research & Innovation Centre in Pune, Aamikza Biotechnology reinforces its commitment to indigenous innovation and India-relevant solutions for the dairy and food processing industries.
