The new millennium was ushered in with the conviction that innovation in life sciences, especially biotechnology, will play a transformative role in making India a knowledge economy. The optimism was palpable and several ventures emerged during the period spanning 2000 and 2002 to translate this dream. That was when I moved from Mumbai to Hyderabad to head the newly formed ICICI Knowledge Park (later renamed as IKP Knowledge Park, IKP), the first life science park in the country, founded by ICICI Bank with support from the then State government of Andhra Pradesh. But, before reminiscing about the evolution of the life sciences startup ecosystem since that time, a few trendsetters that created a fertile ground for change, need to be recognised