The idea of Ignite took shape in 2019, when three individuals from very different backgrounds came together with a shared concern. Ramaswamy Subramanian, a professor at Purdue University, Jogin Desai, CEO of Eyestem, and K. Jayshankar, Managing Director of Empowered Learning, observed that many promising scientific ideas in India struggle to advance. The issue was not a lack of talent; India has a strong scientific community, but funding delays, fragmented systems, and the absence of sustained project support.

Ignite was created to change this. As a private science philanthropy, Ignite promotes and supports life science research and stays actively engaged throughout the project lifecycle. Ignite focuses on efficient execution, rapid fund disbursal, and continuous support to ensure that research leads to real outcomes and measurable impact.

Ignite invests in high-quality research that addresses national priorities in areas such as health, agriculture, climate, and environmental sustainability. This includes projects such as nitrogen fixation solutions to reduce fertiliser dependence, vaccine research, antimicrobial resistance, and early detection and treatment strategies for neurodegenerative diseases. Ignite also supports thought fellowships and travel grants, enabling young PhD scholars and Post-doctoral fellows to build global networks and accelerate their scientific growth.

Today, Ignite continues to connect philanthropic capital with meaningful science, ensuring that discovery and impact coexist. The goal is simple yet ambitious: to make science work for India and enable ideas with potential to reach their fullest expression.