CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Is starting a new business in the middle of what may prove to be the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression a good idea? Surprisingly, experts at a recent MIT conference in Cambridge said the timing may be perfect.

Increasing Indian customers necessitates move for Mass. firm

NATICK, Mass. – The MathWorks Inc., a U.S.-based software developer for technical, computing and model-based design, has opened its first direct office in the Indian tech hub of Bangalore, reflecting the growing importance of the South Asian nation to the firm’s strategic growth plans.

NEW YORK – Content is still king despite all of the new avenues to reach consumers, Fox Broadcasting Co. chairman Peter Liguori told a standing-room-only crowd at a recent conference on the rise of South Asian influence on media, marketing and entertainment, held by the South Asians in Media, Marketing and Entertainment Association.

VC Report

GoFish Corp., a digital media company, recently secured $22.5 million in private placement financing led by Panorama Capital, Rustic Canyon Partners and Rembrandt Venture Partners.

Two INDIA New England reporters received top honors in the first New England Ethnic News Awards competition.

Current INDIA New England reporter Mark Connors and former INE writer Julie Masis shared first place in the Local News Reporting category.

Connected to water heater, AirTap maximizes efficiency

HOUSTON – A lot of businesses are talking “green” nowadays and looking for ways to capitalize on the growth industry of energy-efficiency products. Rick Pal and Sunil Sinha have their entry into the ring with AirGenerate Inc., but they are also going one more with their overall goal of making an energy-saving product that everyone can afford.

President & CEO, AMAG Pharmaceuticals

Dr. Brian J.G. Pereira is president and chief executive officer of AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc.

The Cambridge, Mass.-based AMAG Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company that utilizes its nanoparticle technology for the development and commercialization of therapeutic iron compounds to treat anemia and novel imaging agents to aid in the diagnosis of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Still, company professes challenges in govt. deals

FORT WORTH, Texas – Last October, officials from Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. gathered at the Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad, India, to deliver a new Bell 412 EP utility helicopter to K. Gnyandeep, managing director of the New Delhi-based construction firm ABIR Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd.

CANTON, Ohio – The Timken Co., a U.S.-based manufacturer of tapered roller bearings and other specialty steels that are used by companies in the transportation, industrial equipment, electronics, mining and drilling sectors, has been awarded a $16 million contract to supply Indian Railways with bearings for use on all of the state-owned railroad network’s passenger and freight trains.

Insurance plan covers Indian immigrants in U.S.

CARMEL, Ind. – For decades, foreign nationals who have immigrated to the United States – or even those who planned to live in this country for a shorter period of time, such as students and contract workers – have found it difficult to obtain comprehensive, long-term health insurance.

CAREY, N.C. – Sindhu Ravishankar, a 19-year-old sophomore at North Carolina State University and a Carey, N.C., resident since she was a young child, won a Global Action Award for her efforts to combat a lack of accessible eye care in her native Mysore, India, and reaffirmed her future career plans in the process.

Study: Big Pharma relies on India, China for R&D

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Mounting cost pressures, a vast pool of talented scientists in other nations around the world and increasingly abundant opportunities for collaboration with other companies in emerging markets have spurred Western pharmaceutical companies to shift much of the manufacturing operations and clinical-trial work to India and China.

BOSTON – Gujarat is a rising player in the world’s pharmaceutical market, so it’s hardly surprising that officials from the Indian state chose Boston, America’s biotechnology hub, as the final stop on a tour promoting the Indian state for investment opportunities by American companies.

In October 2006, the company announced that it had settled patent litigation with GlaxoSmithKline relating to sumatriptan succinate tablets, the generic version of GlaxoSmithKline Imitrex tablets. The specific financial terms and conditions of the settlement have not been disclosed.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Cambridge-based biotechnology giant Genzyme Corp. has teamed up with two area academic heavyweights and an Indian pharmaceutical company to develop new treatments for malaria. 

LONDON – Combating losses due to patent expiries has become a high priority for pharmaceutical companies and investing in new drug delivery technologies is becoming a critical strategy for them to maintain a strong presence in this cut-throat market as they offer the potential to enhance the life cycle of established drugs, according to a recent report from Frost & Sullivan.

Calif. man joins little-known, but massive factoring biz with Canada-based chain

DAVIS, Calif. – Two years ago, Amul Purohit took a leap of faith into the franchise industry with Liquid Capital, a financial services concept.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Navin Dimond, president and chief executive officer of Stonebridge Companies, has been inducted into the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association Hall of Fame.

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Egencia, an Expedia, Inc. company, has launched its travel services in India.

Companies doing business in India now have access to fully localized service and content combined with Egencia’s innovative suite of online booking and travel management tools, Egencia said.

WASHINGTON — The International Franchise Association has urged Congress to oppose the Employee Free Choice Act, known as “Card Check,” when the 111st Congress convenes in January.