• Entrepreneurship philosophy: Ajay Bhardwaj believes the starting point of business must be making a difference rather than chasing money, which naturally follows quality work.
• Career and origins: After returning from the US in the early 1980s and working at Max India, Bhardwaj joined Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw at Biocon in Bangalore before going all-in to establish Anthem Biosciences with family support.
• Workforce and ownership: Anthem prioritises financial security for scientists and manufacturing staff; during liquidity events, Bhardwaj retained his majority stake while enabling colleagues to sell shares and create wealth.
• Award and IPO: Ajay Bhardwaj was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 in Life Sciences and Healthcare following Anthem's successful 2025 IPO, which was oversubscribed 63 times.
• Competitive differentiation: The company built end-to-end CRDMO capabilities in high-value, complex molecules through continuous reinvestment in cutting-edge technology and ongoing digital transformation.