Davos [Switzerland], January 19 (ANI): The Government of Madhya Pradesh on Monday held a meeting with Jasmin Hume, CEO and Founder of Shiru, an AI-powered protein discovery company, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos to explore collaboration opportunities in advanced protein innovation, agri-based inputs and applied research.

According to a statement, the meeting focused on Shiru's AI-driven protein discovery and design platform, which enables the development of high-quality, ready-to-use protein ingredients for industrial applications.

The company highlighted that nearly 77 per cent of its protein portfolio is derived from natural sources and outlined its potential for technology licensing, along with a capital-efficient, scalable production model suited for global markets.

Shiru representatives shared that their primary applications are in the food sector, with additional relevance in the cosmetics and health segments.

The company also briefed the Madhya Pradesh delegation on its global commercial footprint and partnership-led operating model, including contract manufacturing arrangements across regions such as the European Union, Canada, Latin America, and Asia, including Thailand and India.

The discussion comes ahead of the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) from January 19 to 23, 2026, at Davos-Klosters, which is set to welcome nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, including a record number of world leaders, CEOs, innovators and policymakers, under the theme 'A Spirit of Dialogue'.

The discussions also covered possibilities for collaboration through university partnerships and research and development linkages, leveraging Madhya Pradesh's strong agricultural ecosystem. Both sides explored opportunities related to crop-based protein inputs, engagement with agricultural universities and agri-research centres, and positioning the state as a hub for applied research, pilot projects, and future production facilities.

It was agreed that the next steps would include identifying suitable universities and agri-research institutions in Madhya Pradesh, mapping crop availability and suitability for protein inputs, assessing pilot and contract manufacturing opportunities, and holding follow-up discussions to structure a potential commercial and research partnership.

The engagement underscores Madhya Pradesh's continued efforts to attract innovation-driven investments and strengthen partnerships across the agri-food and life sciences value chain. (ANI)