Blood banks, sperm banks, egg banks etc have become a passé. The fastest mode which is catching up these days is the banking of umbilical cord blood. It is an investment to generate the stem cells for future healings.

Umbilical cord and cord tissue, which are produced during the post delivery, are usually disposed off, now being preserved as they are known to be a rich source of stem cells that have the potential to treat over 75 grave ailments. Over 55,000 have already banked cord blood and cord tissue and the numbers seem not to stop as the increasing consciousness for the cure is increasing.

The Chennai based cord blood banking LifeCell constitutes 40% market share in the domestic cord blood-banking sector and charge around Rs 35,000 at the collection stage from a couple to airlift the cord sample to the processing centre and preserve it, and about Rs 2,000 annually for its safe storage using liquid nitrogen.

This is a measure which is humanitarian based business. It not only provides an option cure various disease, but also is profit making business as the revenue generated by this company is more than Rs 28 crore.