Shaw, 67, founded Biocon Limited in 1978 with only two employees in Bangalore and currently runs a company worth close to Rs 50,000 crore per market cap and employs over 11,000 people.
On being named the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year, Shaw said, “Entrepreneurship at its core is about solving problems. Often, the greatest opportunities arise in the toughest times, and that’s my experience throughout my entrepreneurial journey. My business focus is on global health care and providing universal access to life-saving medicine, but my responsibility as an entrant is my responsibility;
She added, “Wealth creation can be a catalyst for change, and all entrepreneurs have a responsibility to the world around them and the communities in which they operate. Women also play a hugely important role in economic development, and for too long their contribution has been ignored. It’s important that we use the platform of EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year to encourage more women to participate in entrepreneurial pursuits. I’m truly honored to receive this prestigious award.”
Biocon has grown from manufacturing pharmaceuticals such as statins and immunosuppressants to identifying, designing, and creating biologics to treat chronic diseases such as diabetes under Kiran ‘s leadership. Biocon has consistently been ranked as one of India’s top research and development spenders.
Throughout the unbelievable growth of Biocon, Kiran was driven by her ambition to create a business that would leverage science to benefit society. Biocon is leading efforts to provide affordable insulin to patients worldwide by manufacturing rh-insulin at less than US$ 0.10 a day, a third of current costs.
Kiran has led the corporate social responsibility initiatives of Biocon in the fields of health care, education, research, entrepreneurship, and civic and social matters. She is the second Indian citizen to join the global initiative Giving Pledge and has received two of India’s top civilian honors. Kiran is not, however, prepared to stop pursuing her goal of “developing affordable blockbuster drugs with the potential to benefit a billion patients.”
