Fertility Startup Pluro Raises ₹125 Cr in Series A Funding Led by Bessemer Venture Partners at ₹ 1,000 Crore Valuation

Pluro Fertility and IVF, a healthcare partnership platform, today announced that it has raised Rs. 125 Crore in Series A funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners at a valuation of Rs. 1,000 Crores. The round marks a key milestone in Pluro's mission to partner with India's most accomplished fertility specialists and help millions of Indian women and men realize their dream of parenthood. Prominent angels such as Vikram Chatwal (MediAssist), Dharmil Sheth & Hardik Dedhia (PharmEasy/All Home), Salil Musale (Astarc Ventures), Shalibhadra Shah and Niket Shah (Motilal Oswal), Karan Kapur (K Hospitality), also participated in this round.

Founded in 2025 by Dr. Jaydeep Tank, Dr. Parikshit Tank, and Dr. Bhaskar Shah, Pluro partners with successful independent IVF specialists across India through a clinical partnership model that preserves doctor autonomy while offering centralized operational support. This enables clinicians to focus entirely on patient outcomes while scaling their practices sustainably. Pluro plans to have 25 fertility centers pan-India by March 2026, each in partnership with a leading fertility specialist with at-least a decade of exceptional clinical expertise.

Dr. Jaydeep Tank, co-founder & CEO of Pluro Fertility

“India’s most respected fertility specialists have spent decades building trusted patient relationships and delivering consistent clinical outcomes. Operational bottlenecks and bandwidth limit their ability to scale and invest in technology and infrastructure. Pluro solves for this and enables them to serve couples truly becoming partners in the journey to Parenthood enabled by Tech, research, great infrastructure and state of the art care” said Dr. Jaydeep Tank, co-founder & CEO of Pluro Fertility, on behalf of the Founders. Pluro supports everything outside the consultation room - so doctors can do what they do best: help create families.”

Pluro manages all non-clinical functions across partner clinics, including practice management, technology, compliance and marketing. The platform provides each partner doctor with equity participation, aligning incentives across the network and enabling wealth creation for doctors as Pluro grows.

Pluro plans to have a pan-India presence with the initial 25 fertility partners scaling up to 100+ clinics within 3 years. Pluro will use the fresh capital to expand its network presence, invest in technology, and deepen clinical capabilities in advanced reproductive science.

“India needs scalable, credible fertility care now more than ever,” said Nithin Kaimal, Partner and COO at Bessemer Venture Partners India. “Pluro brings together world-class medical leadership and a thoughtful partnership model for doctors, backed by strong execution. We are excited to partner with them to build India’s leading fertility platform.”

Pluro brings together three industry leaders with deep medical and operational expertise:

• Dr. Jaydeep Tank: Leading Gynaeocologist, amongst the earliest adopters of IVF in India; helped establish 20+ clinics, Immediate Past President of FOGSI.,
• Dr. Parikshit Tank: A Leading Gynaecologist and IVF specialist with over 80 peer-reviewed publications and author of four medical textbooks Deputy Secretary General of FOGSI.,
• Dr. Bhaskar Shah: Leading Cardiologist and Co-founder of Asian Heart Institute & Co-Founder, Board Member and Head of Dept. of Cardiology of Jupiter Hospitals (listed healthcare company)

i-Hub Gujarat and India Accelerator Launch ‘Sanjeevan Healthcare Accelerator Program’ to Empower Healthcare Startups

i-Hub Gujarat, the state’s flagship startup and innovation hub under the Education Department, Government of Gujarat, in collaboration with India Accelerator (IA), India’s leading fund-led accelerator, has launched the Sanjeevan Healthcare Accelerator Program—a 12-week initiative to nurture and scale promising healthcare startups.

The program is designed to strengthen India’s healthcare ecosystem by helping startups achieve market readiness, access funding, and grow sustainably. Selected ventures will benefit from structured capacity-building sessions, one-on-one mentorship with healthcare experts, tailored go-to-market strategies, and access to industry networks and investors. The program will conclude with a high-impact Investor Demo Day, giving founders a platform to showcase their innovations to top venture funds and healthcare leaders.

Hiranmay Mahanta, CEO, i-Hub Gujarat, said: “At i-Hub Gujarat, our vision is to create pathways from ‘Mind-to-Market’ by fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across the state. The Sanjeevan Healthcare Accelerator, in collaboration with India Accelerator, marks an important step in empowering innovators to deliver impactful healthcare solutions that strengthen India’s healthcare ecosystem and reinforce Gujarat’s position as a leading hub for innovation.”

Munish Bhatia, Co-Founder, India Accelerator, added “At India Accelerator, we believe in fund-led, ecosystem-driven growth. Sanjeevan is designed to empower healthcare entrepreneurs with the right mix of mentorship, networks, and capital. This accelerator will act as a catalyst for early and growth-stage startups, helping them scale innovations that can touch lives at large.”

The 12-week Sanjeevan Healthcare Accelerator will provide startups with expert mentorship, tailored go-to-market support, and access to networks, markets, and strategic partners. The program will conclude with an Investor Demo Day, giving founders the chance to pitch to leading funds and healthcare stakeholders.

Applications are open for early and growth-stage healthcare startups until 15th September 2025, with the cohort starting in September 2025.

• More details: indiaaccelerator.co/sanjeevan-accelerator-program.

About i-Hub Gujarat

i-Hub Gujarat, established under SSIP by the Education Department, Government of Gujarat, is a Section 8 company envisioned as a catalyst for building an end-to-end innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem in Gujarat. With modern infrastructure, focused mentoring, and access to networks and capital, i-Hub empowers young innovators to transform ideas into impactful enterprises. Gujarat’s pioneering efforts through SSIP have earned it the title of Best Performer in State Startup Ranking 2018 by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.

About India Accelerator

Founded in 2017, India Accelerator is a multi-stage, fund-led accelerator recognized as one of India’s leading platforms for nurturing startups across diverse sectors. With expertise spanning Defense Tech, AI, Energy, Mobility, Sustainability, Healthtech, Consumer and more, IA provides startups with mentorship, industry linkages, capital access, and global networks. Through its fund-led model and collaborative ecosystem, IA has emerged as a key player in supporting early-stage and growth-stage startups in India and abroad.

The Future of Primary Care After COVID: Innovation and Technology

During the pandemic, it was a relief when you knew there was a primary care doctor near you. However, many of us know just how slow healthcare has been to change with the times. Some areas were quick to improve and innovate while some remained stagnant, like primary care.

Primary care has been struggling to manage the increased demands for its services. Part of this is due to competing priorities, like administrative work. The administration handles electronic health records, volume-based compensation, and insurance conglomerates. And this results in burnout that impedes innovative progress.

That’s not to say that innovation was completely non-existent in the field of primary care. For example, physicians once opted to use Direct Primary Care (DPC) models. This enabled more physician-patient interaction which improved patient satisfaction.

But the biggest step that primary care took was the adoption of telemedicine due to the pandemic.

The Momentum of Primary Care Offices Near Me

With the pandemic, there’s been a dramatic spike in the number of people who receive care online. In 2021, 64% of U.S. households used telehealth services in the span of 12 months. However, before the pandemic, telehealth services were barely used.

This proves that the healthcare system can quickly change in times of need, but that’s only the beginning. They need to keep moving to lay a solid foundation for the future of primary care. They need to maintain the momentum and focus on more innovations to improve care delivery.

Using Predictive Models For Medical Doctors Near You

With the help of data collected during daily telehealth encounters, some companies were able to use AI for insights and building predictive models. It enabled them to predict COVID cases and surges which allowed them for efficient allocation of PPE and ventilators.

Consequently, hospitals could deliver better healthcare services. Doctors were able to monitor patients even from opposite coasts during the surges. Pre-pandemic, sharing resources across geographies at a massive scale was unheard of. But the technology and predictive models helped transform how care is given across the U.S.

Improving the System Through Digital Technology

Four decades ago, it was costly and complex to adopt technology into health services. There were no technologies that are common to this day, like smartphones and tablets. As technology became more mainstream over the years, its value in the health sector shined.

Different parts of the healthcare system have been improved by technology.

a. Communication

With technology, finding primary care offices near you became much easier. This is especially true for the elderly who can’t leave the house. You can schedule virtual appointments with your primary care doctor.

With technology, they can diagnose and monitor your condition from afar. If you need to schedule follow-up sessions, it’s efficient and convenient through the internet. You can easily reach out to your primary care doctor for any concerns.

b. Clinical Support

Integrating clinical support into primary healthcare helps doctors coordinate and ensure its continuity. Electronic health records contain important information about an individual’s health. This includes their medical conditions and medications.

With the electronic health record, the information is shared for referrals so doctors can make timely decisions. Duplicate care processes and unplanned hospitalizations can be avoided. This increases the efficiency of treatment and can very well save lives.

c. Increased Capacity

Technology has redirected some hospital settings and treatments to people’s homes. Hence, remote care is moving health systems towards a people-centered health service model.

This involves home monitoring where they can keep an eye on blood pressure and medication adjustment. Hospitals also offer blood and urine testing despite being remote. Technology has given patients access to tools that will help manage chronic conditions in home settings.

This allows hospitals to have more capacity, especially during the surge of the pandemic. More patients had access to care despite the lack of vacancies to accommodate patients in person. There’s no doubt that this method will continue post-pandemic as well.

The Innovators

a. Startups

The biggest drivers of change tend to be the startups that challenge the status quo. They are pioneers who demonstrate alternative and innovative ways of delivering primary care.

They develop team-based care and full virtual care delivery models. They always push for more possible developments within the system. In effect, they force large and well-established medical organizations to think outside the box.

b. Big Health Organizations

The pandemic allowed the big healthcare organizations to set themselves apart. They had to implement new technology, like telemedicine, and adopt advanced systems.

They had no choice but to accelerate the healthcare system’s evolution process. It also showed how flawed the system was initially. However, not all organizations were comfortable with making changes. Hence, they relied on telephone visits and may return to “normal” procedures as soon as possible.

c. The Government

Innovations can only do so much until they receive government recognition and support. Moving forward, we need innovative policies that can control the costs related to pharmaceuticals. They also need to introduce shared cost savings and incentivize primary care.

They need to present coverage solutions that let doctors do their job: to care for patients. If medicare doctors near me are too busy with papers, patients' lives are at stake. Doctors shouldn’t be stuck pushing papers and jumping through administrative hoops.

Conclusion

Primary care has no doubt evolved due to the needs created during the pandemic. Telemedicine which was once negligible has become a vital means of getting treatment. It allowed for easier communication between patients and physicians.

Patients can be monitored in the safety of their homes thanks to various technological devices and software. Doctors also have access to electronic health records so they can avoid duplicate treatments. They can refer their patients to fellow doctors without worrying about shared information.

And because some patients are treated at home, the hospitals now have more capacity to accommodate those in serious conditions. Hence, treating more patients and giving them higher chances of survivability. The healthcare system will keep evolving and its future is bright. That is as long as startups, big health organizations, and the government all work together. Startups will keep being innovative and challenging large health organizations to do the same. Meanwhile, the government must develop and enact policies that will keep the innovations accessible.

Home Healthcare Start-up Zorgers Raises Angel Round from Ritu Marya Family Office

Zorgers Founder Varun Gupta and Anil Kumar

The funds will be used towards expanding their presence across geographies and for mobilizing 50,000 healthcare professionals in the next two years

Zorgers, a home healthcare start-up has raised an angel round from Ritu Marya Family Office. The funds will be used towards expanding their presence across geographies, and for mobilizing 50,000 healthcare professionals in the next two years.

Chandigarh-based Zorgers is an eight-year-old healthcare startup that specializes in at-home healthcare and provides services like ICU at Home, Critical Care, and End-of-Life Palliative Care, Assisted Living-Elderly Care, Cancer Treatment at Home, Dialysis at Home, and Physiotherapy, along with a plethora of clinical procedures. The start-up currently has a fleet of 4500 healthcare professionals across the country, including 50 + doctors on board.

With growing lifestyle diseases putting a significant burden on healthcare infrastructure, and the spiraling cost of hospital-based care, Home Healthcare has emerged as the fastest growing industry in recent times. Managed Home Healthcare comes as a relief at both end-Healthcare setups and end consumers, the patients. As per statistics, currently 38 crore Indians need healthcare at home in the country. With increasing consumer receptiveness and rising clinician acceptance, the Home Healthcare market is expected to be 14.2 US Billion dollars by 2025. In the Post Covid Era, Indians’ acceptance of home healthcare has multiplied manifold.

Varun Gupta, Founder and CEO, Zorgers, said “The Covid-19 pandemic has brought to the fore the importance of home healthcare and the impact it can have on India’s overburdened healthcare system. There is a definitive need for a professionally managed and organized home healthcare setup that offers the highest standards of customer service. At Zorgers, over the last eight years, we have received an overwhelming response for our quality of care and our patient-centric approach. This investment further strengthens our mission towards making Zorgers a preferred partner for high-quality home healthcare”

Commenting on the investment, Ritu Marya who is also the Editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur India and Asia Pacific Operation, said, “The home healthcare space is still in its early days in India and would see massive growth. The percentage share of the elderly population in India is said to rise from 10.1 percent in 2021 and is projected to touch 13.1 percent in 2031. When we start seeing things for an aging and ailing India, there are different opportunities waiting to happen. In Zorgers, we found a team that was both passionate about home healthcare and deeply strategic about the business. They are championing Operational efficiency (ERP, App & MIS data analytics) which uses Cloud/network for Healthcare professionals and service providers through a data-driven intelligence platform. Zorgers with its emphasis on medically driven protocols and patient-centricity has the potential to become a leading player in the home healthcare space.”

Zorgers currently offers its services in Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, and plans to expand its service network to 30+ Cities. The company has recently closed a franchise partner in Delhi, and are looking for franchise partners across India, particularly in Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Kolkata. To date, the startup has serviced 25,000+ patients, currently has 10+operational units, and delivered 13+ million hours of care. By 2025, Zorgers intends to create an active workforce of 1 lakh trained and quality caregivers.

About Zorgers

ZORG is a Dutch word that means CARE. ZORGERS are the CAREGIVERS. Zorgers Healthcare endeavors to bring caregivers and care-seekers under one roof, in the comfort of your homes. Zorgers operating systems have been designed keeping in mind the ground principles of effective Caregiving -Compassion, Reliability, Authenticity, and Affordability.

Data-driven Healthcare Discovery Platform Dcode Care Raises Seed Round Co-led by Inflection Point Ventures and Pointone Capital

DCode Care is a health-tech startup that assists patients of critical illnesses (such as cancer) discover which doctors and hospitals are best fit for their clinical condition and budget.

IPV announces DCode Care as its 25th deal for 2021. It is the 3rd deal under IPV’s newest asset - WonderKid Wednesdays - where IPV looks at very early stage startups; likely to invest Rs. 155 crore this year across 60 plus startups.

IPV has so far invested Rs. 237 Cr across 85 deals.

16th August 2021, Delhi: DCode Care has raised a Seed round co-led by Inflection Point Ventures, one of India’s largest angel investment platforms and PointOne Capital. The infusion of capital comes six months after the firm raised Pre-Seed financing from early-stage venture firm 100X.VC and a clutch of angel investors. DCode Care helps critical illness patients discover the right treatment and healthcare providers basis their condition and budget. Currently servicing Cancer patients, the start-up leverages proprietary technology to bring transparency in medical treatments. The funds raised will be utilized for marketing and business development, expansion to cities beyond Bangalore, and product development to deliver a personalized tech-driven experience for patients.

Ankur Mittal, Co-Founder, Inflection Point Ventures says, “Diseases like Cancer are scary. Any survivor would tell you that. But not just emotionally and physically, on the treatment side, this can be a huge drain on patient’s financial resources. DCode Care is currently designing a complete eco-system around cancer care, right from diagnosis to finding the right hospital to financing the treatment. We support them as they look to expand their reach across other critical illnesses. Half the battle is won when you have found the right doctor and the right treatment at the right budget for serious diseases. We believe that DCode Care’s platform has been thoughtfully designed to empower patients with the right information and guidance. The business model has a positive social cause with strong business metrics underneath”

DCode Care currently provides comprehensive solutions for Cancer treatment and is operational in Bangalore. The startup empowers patients with a Proprietary Hospital Rating System that analyses the availability of over 200 clinical resources required to treat cancer as per international guidelines. These ratings help patients identify which hospitals are best equipped to treat their type and stage of cancer. It also provides a Doctor Recommendation Engine that allows patients to identify the right oncologist basis their clinical and financial condition. DCode Care’s patient engagement app ‘Canswer’ guides each patient on the various aspects of their treatment as they progress with the prescribed treatment. The startup has buit an ecosystem of clinical partners including cancer diagnostic labs, day-care chemotherapy clinics, and hospitals.

Raghavendra Prasad, Venture Partner at PointOne Capital says “Having my own family member suffer from cancer, I understand the importance of getting the right counselling on options for treatment, hospitals and care for patients. DCode Care is using the right blend of technology and expert guidance to provide cancer patients and their caregivers the right options and guide them towards the best possible outcomes."

Preeti Veenam, Founder, DCode Care says, "We are on a mission to empower patients with expert guidance on correct treatment at the right prices. We are pleased to partner with IPV in our vision to create an impact in the space of critical illness management. IPV has opened its wide network of portfolio companies and investor mentors for us. We look forward to leveraging the knowledge pool within the IPV system to grow."

DCode Care has already helped over 50,000 cancer patients. Almost 50% of their patients belong to non-metro cities who are guided to the right clinical treatment options at affordable prices. DCode Care also provides medical financing to its patient base. The company has started with cancer as India has 18 lakh new cancer patients every year. The total spends on cancer care is $ 2.1 bn with over 65% of Indians not having taken insurance. This leads to them struggling to pay for expensive treatments. Through the company’s wide network of partnerships, it can extend tests and treatments at a discounted price, saving up to 30% of overall patient expenses incurred during the treatment. Since the timing of treatment is extremely critical for cancer patients, the earlier they get treatment, the better. With the platform, patients are can start their treatment 50% faster.

"DCode Care fulfills a huge gap in the critical illness journey of a patient. As the first institutional investor, 100X was impressed by the vision of DCode Care as India's first data-driven healthcare discovery platform for critical illness. We firmly believe that the DCode Care has built a good platform which meets a huge societal need and also lends itself to a scalable business model." Ninad Karpe, Partner, 100X.VC.

DCode Care envisions to be a comprehensive platform for critical illness patients including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurological illnesses.

About DCode Care

DCode Care is a health-tech startup founded by Preeti Veenam in 2019 after working in management positions at GE healthcare. Along with the tech co-founder Apurv Hajare, their mission is to help patients suffering from critical illnesses such as cancer find the right care providers at the right prices.

About Inflection Point Ventures

Inflection Point Ventures is an angel investing platform with over 4000 CXOs, HNIs and Professionals to together invest in startups. The firm supports new-age entrepreneurs by providing them monetary & experiential capital and connecting them with a diverse group of investors. IPV, started in 2018 believes that ‘Everyone can Grow with Startups’ as it plans to invest INR 155 Cr in 2021 across 60 startups.

Healthcare Startup Graphitto Labs to Build Innovative Technologies in Healthcare Sector in India

Aims big in the North American & MEA markets 

Seeks future growth with innovative health care equipments

Graphitto Labs, one of the India’s fastest growing heath care start-up based in Mumbai is betting big to offer innovative & newer technologies in the health-care sector in the country. In the recent months, the health care start-up has launched unique range of Protective equipment including Face Masks, PPE Kits, Oximeters etc amongst others.

With the honourable Prime Minister’s call for Aatma Nirbhar Bharat, Graphitto Labs is focussed on creating products under Vocal for Local schemes and is planning to set up a state of the art research & innovation lab in the state of Maharashtra. The company has recently launched a new face mask accessory – “Masky” an ear protector band, that helps relieve the stress caused on your ears while wearing face masks. It intends to make wearing face masks comfortable for a longer duration.

Masky

Graphitto Labs has access to over 1000+retail outlets and over a million customers online. The company has offices in Mumbai and Delhi and is expanding its reach continuously by adding more channel partners to it’s network. Graphitto Labs has already sold over 20,000 units of Masky in less than one month of its launch and is now expanding the reach of the product in various other cities in India and have also secured orders from North America and MEA clients for exports.

Kapil Jain, Founder and CEO, Graphitto Labs

“In this fight against Covid-19, we believe that each small innovation in the health space backed by extensive research is important. There has been an overwhelming response for our various products under Make in India scheme. In last 6 months, Graphitto has reached 22 states and have established a network of 1,000-plus retail stores. We are also proud to have served over 100+ well known hospitals and corporate within a short span of time,”said Kapil Jain, Founder & CEO, Graphitto Labs.

“Our vision is to be able to serve a billion Indians and ensure that high-technology enabled healthcare products are accessible and affordable to masses. Going forward, we will also be launching sensors enabled remote health monitoring medical devices. Keeping this in mind, we will further strengthen our research and innovations in the health care domain and work on further expanding clientele base and consumer reach, added Kapil Jain.

Kyt Ventures backs Zealthy - A Women Centric Vernacular Healthcare Platform

Zealthy, a women centric vernacular healthcare platform, has raised an undisclosed amount in seed round from Kyt ventures, First Cheque, AngelList and few prominent angel investors. 

The Bengaluru based startup plans to use the funding to further develop its product and technology offering, include more Indian languages and bolster its tier 2, 3 cities base across India. 

Started in 2019 by Dr Rishi Malhotra and Akhil Gupta, Zealthy is a holistic and trustworthy women-only platform to understand, share and learn health issues specific to women in their local languages. It connects users to reliable healthcare providers for specialties like maternity, infertility, cosmetic interventions etc. at affordable prices.

Dr Anu Gupta, Co-founder Kyt Ventures said, “Being a doctor and a woman, I could see how Zealthy’s women centricity, Tier 2/3 focus and vernacular strategy have the potential to lead the next phase of digital health in India.” 

 Zealthy claims to have over 5 million google impressions. Interestingly, 70% of the searches coming from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are in vernacular language. The startup already has a footprint across 15+ cities and has partnered with few of the prominent names including Apollo cradle, Milann, Morpheus, Motherhood and other maternity homes.

Consumption healthcare is a $40 billion market with a CAGR of more than 20%. It is huge, fragmented, highly competitive and lacks targeted customer acquisition channels which presents an opportunity for disruption. 

The mHealth sector alone is expected to grow to $1.6B by 2022. While Practo, Lybrate, mfine, DocsApp are the key players providing online health services,  players like MyUpchar differentiates itself by providing health information in vernacular languages and Elawoman has a special focus on infertility services.

Gagan Gupta, Co-founder Kyt Ventures said that Zealthy team with its mobile plus internet plus vernacular strategy, is well poised to make a major impact in the fem-tech segment. 

About Kyt Ventures 

Kyt Ventures is a unified startup funding, incubation and acceleration platform, backed by its pan-India angel network. Launched in last quarter of 2019, Kyt Ventures already has a geographic footprint across 9 cities spread from Tie I to Tier IV cities. Kyt is sector agnostic and invests in promising early stage ventures from pre-seed to pre-series A. 

TiE Mumbai and IIM Ahmedabad Alumni Healthcare SIG Organize IIMPACT Health Conference - The Digital Transformtion of Healthcare

TiE Mumbai and IIM Ahmedabad Alumni Healthcare SIG organized a marquee healthcare conclave to promote, connect and foster the healthcare startup community among their peer large Healthcare Companies.

Big Data, Analytics, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Wearables, mHealth, Robotics, use of Augmented Reality and 3D Printing are fundamentally transforming healthcare delivery to patients, medical research, access to healthcare, physician-physician interactions and improving efficiencies in the healthcare supply chain, among other things.

With the surge of the Healthcare Start-up ecosystem in India, there is a tremendous scope for innovative start-ups to make their presence felt. The Theme for IIMPACT Health’s very first conference was ‘The Digital Transformation of Healthcare’ and was well attended by some of the biggest names in Healthcare in India today. The purpose was to provide a platform where startups, established players, investors, academia and consultants could engage with each other, exchange ideas, debate them and network. There were interesting discussions on how technology could disrupt established healthcare businesses and scaling up healthcare startups. A couple of thought leaders presented their views on healthcare developments in the coming decade. Summing up the event, an economist opined that digital technologies were the only way to close the gap between healthcare supply and demand in India.

“India is seeing its own digital health revolution, be it the rapid growth of e-pharmacies, health wearables, use of AI to deliver treatment, clinic management via cloud-based platforms amongst others. This conference enables startups and large companies to come together and innovate towards building a digital health ecosystem,” said Atul Nishar, President, TiE Mumbai.

“The Healthcare Start-up ecosystem in India is booming, with a lot of innovative start-ups coming up to solve hereto unsolved problems,” said Sudarshan Jain, Charter Member, TiE Mumbai and IIM-A Alumnus.

“This is a transformational time in healthcare," said Jawed Zia, Head of Abbott’s pharmaceutical business in India. “The need for technology-based services that help people manage their health challenges has never been greater. Technology will influence the quality and efficiency of services for better patient outcomes across the continuum of care,” added Jawed Zia.

This one day conference was attended by over 350 delegates which included 80 startups, corporate executives, serial entrepreneurs & healthcare professionals, investors and IIM Professors.

About TiE Mumbai

The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), was founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley by a group of successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and senior professionals with roots in the Indus region. Since 1992. TiE has been supporting entrepreneurs by offering education, mentorship, networking and funding opportunities. The mission of TiE is to foster entrepreneurship globally through the 5 pillars of TiE: mentoring, networking and education, funding and incubation. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community. TiE’s focus area is to generate enable the next generation of entrepreneurs. There are currently 11,000 members, including over 2,500 charter members in 60 chapters across 17 countries. TiE’s mission is to foster entrepreneurship globally through mentoring, networking, and education.

About IIM Ahmedabad Alumni SIG

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) at Ahmedabad is India’s premier Management Institute. Considering the importance of Healthcare to society at large and the strategic issues faced by this sector, there is tremendous scope for solution generation and value creation. This led to the formation of the Healthcare Special Interest Group (SIG) in early 2019, facilitated by a core group consisting of eminent faculty members and alumni. The objective of this SIG is to provide thought leadership that can aid industry level strategy and policy formulation, provide a platform for industry-academia-government interaction, contribute to the start-up ecosystem and provide networking opportunities.

 

Healthcare Startup Sanskritech Launches India’s 1st Advanced Anytime Health Monitoring System

Sanskritech Smart Solutions Private Limited, a leading healthcare startup, today announced the official launch of India’s first advanced self-monitoring health diagnostic POCT system ‘Swayam AHM’, an ATM-like Kiosk that helps people to walk in and test over 55 basic and advanced pathology tests with instant tests reports.

In today’s busy routine of the people living in metro cities, performing a healthcare diagnostic test is a task as it requires them to take time out from their schedule; similarly, the availability of a pathology lab with advanced clinical diagnostic devices in rural areas is still a major hurdle. Swayam AHM is an answer to all these problems. The high point of the diagnostic system is its ability to deliver test reports instantly within few minutes in both print and electronic format that generally take anywhere between a few hours to days through traditional ways.



Expressing delight over its launch, Sanskritech’s founders duo Mr. Pritam Kumavat and Ms. Trupti Naik said, “We set out with a dream to create a smart solution to optimize reach of healthcare diagnostic service to people across India and we are proud to announce that today we have a device that offers over 55 basic and advanced tests, more than any single portable diagnostic system in the world. The device is very affordable so that it betters healthcare services not just in the urban areas but also in the remote corners of the nation.”

Swayam is a futuristic diagnostic system as it is a one-of-its-kind machine that is portable, sophisticated and is integrated with clinical-grade diagnostic devices, Sanskritech aims to set up Swayam Kiosks in line with ATM centers in nook and corner of the country. “From corporate houses, business parks, to rural healthcare centers, doctor’s clinics, shopping malls, airports, industries, and residential colonies, the possibilities of setting up Swayam kiosks are limitless,” Mr. Pritam added.

Swayam has been developed by Sanskritech and is backed by DELL EMC, uses cloud technology to create a medical record for future reference and uses a touch screen interface that can operate in a wide array of ecosystems.

SWAYAM’S EDGE

The device facilitates crucial tests, including —BMI, Glucose, HbA1C, Hemoglobin, Lipid, Urine tests, Creatinine, ECG, Cardiac Marker, Hormone Marker, Blood Borne Disease, Respiratory Disease, PFT, Metabolic Disease, Vector-Borne Disease, Skin, Eat, Vision, Stethoscope, Alcohol Analyzer, etc.

ONE STEP AHEAD

Sanskritech has already worked on the logistics for installation and operational maintenance of services to every kiosk. The company has also appointed prominent healthcare professionals on its consulting panel, to ensure stringent quality and accuracy of the tests offered on its unique platform.

Swayam is a “Make in India” device that will revolutionize the pathology panorama by offering diagnosis without the hassles of an actual pathology lab. All you need to do is visit your nearest Swayam kiosk and get all tests done within no time and your medical report will be out instantly.

“For industries and corporates with a huge workforce, Swayam offers a cost-effective and space-saving healthcare facility. Swayam is not just a device but a movement that we want to take across India. We want every individual to feel more empowered and more confident by accessing better healthcare facilities. Swayam will take us closer to our dream of a healthier society and nation,” Ms. Trupti said.

Dubai-based Aster to Setup Innovation and Research Hub in India and GCC; To Collab with Startups

• Dr. Satish Prasad Rath has been appointed to lead the Aster Innovation and Research Centre as Chief of Innovation


• The Centre to be based in Bangalore would be introducing the latest advancements in healthcare science, while encouraging research through collaboration with start-ups, academia and industry partners

To improve the ultimate health outcomes for patients and enhance their overall experience at all its facilities, Aster DM Healthcare is setting up Aster Innovation and Research Centre in GCC and India. Over the next three years, the Centre will aim to achieve key milestones like introduction of innovative solutions for home healthcare with focus on digital primary care, establishing a rich eco-system of digital health partners from start-ups to academia and starting digital health/ informatics/ medicine as a stream for future healthcare workers.

Joining as the Chief of Innovation, Dr. Satish Prasad Rath, MD would be spearheading the innovation projects, that will be aim to leverage the advances in digital health research like AI, cognitive psychology, blockchain, IOT, behavioral economics etc. and on-board start-ups which can drive innovation. The Centre will also work in a collaborative manner focusing on applied research with academia, startups and industry partners.

[caption id="attachment_134304" align="alignleft" width="212"] Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman & Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare[/caption]

Aster DM Healthcare has the unique positioning of providing an integrated service offering that ranges from primary care (aster clinics and pharmacy) to quaternary care, along with an in-house research center as MIMS Research Foundation and a medical college as DM Wayanad Institute of Medical Sciences (DMWIMS). The new center will accelerate various ongoing innovation projects being led by different units, like the diabetes, sepsis and dialysis projects; and will be working to introduce an interdisciplinary subject on digital health/medicine at DMWIMS.

“Our main objective as an organization has been to ensure that quality and affordable healthcare is easily available at the doorsteps of our patients. With evolving patient needs, it is essential to focus on digital transformation of healthcare because of advances being made in various areas like AI, genomics and molecular biology which is likely to produce a quantum leap. We are confident that under the leadership of Dr. Satish, Aster Innovation and Research Centre would play a major role in introducing the most advanced and unique patient care solutions and enable our organization to become one of the most technologically progressive healthcare providers in the world,” said Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare.

[caption id="attachment_134305" align="alignright" width="216"] Dr. Satish Prasad Rath, MD, Chief of Innovation, Aster DM Healthcare[/caption]

Dr. Satish Prasad Rath, a post-graduate medical doctor and a digital health scientist with multiple patents, comes with rich experience of leading research and innovation labs at Xerox Innovation Group, Wipro Technologies, Intel labs and Philips Research. He is also an adviser to several start-ups and incubators.

Commenting on the occasion, Dr. Satish said, “Today, there are many inefficiencies being experienced by the healthcare industry. We can reach far more people who are not able to access health system due to geography, knowledge or affordability constraints. Leveraging AI, IoT, blockchain, cognitive computing we can address these difficult segments in sustainable way. We will be tapping into the rich evolving entrepreneurship culture of start-ups and academia in a collaborative model whom we can curate and co-create for better future. Simultaneously we will be preparing the digital health aware/ empowered workforce in collaboration with govt and teaching institutions.

Aster DM Healthcare Limited is one of the largest private healthcare service providers operating in multiple GCC states and is an emerging healthcare player in India. With an inherent emphasis on clinical excellence the Company is one of the few entities in the world with a strong presence across primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary healthcare through its 25 hospitals, 115 clinics and 231 pharmacies. These are manned by our 20,329+ workforce (including approx.. 1230 doctors on fee for service basis) from across the geographies that we are present in, delivering on a simple yet strong promise to its people: “We’ll treat you well.” We reach out to all economic segments in the GCC states through our differentiated healthcare services across the “Aster”, “Medcare” and “Access” brands.

CoWrks Foundry and Yale Institute Launch Health Accelerator Program; Cohort 6 Startups

Earlier this year, the CoWrks Foundry partnered with the Yale Institute for Global Health (YIGH), supported by RMZ Foundation, to announce the collaborative Sustainable Health Initiative (SHI).

The SHI is a 24-week long interdisciplinary business accelerator program for young & early stage startups building innovative solutions in healthcare. On 7th June, the program officially launched with an event at CoWrks Residency Road to commemorate the partnership, by announcing the startups selected for the prestigious program.

In attendance from Yale were Sten H. Vermund, M.D., Ph.D., (Dean, Yale School of Public Health) and Michael Skonieczny (Deputy Director, Yale Institute for Global Health). The event was an exclusive gathering of healthcare entrepreneurs, experts in policy and seasoned practitioners. The objective of the event was to inspire and align and connect founders, investors and coaches. The event aimed at creating a community, with a shared focus on ushering innovative and scalable solutions to the Indian healthcare sector.

A keynote speech was delivered by Yale School of Public Health’s Dean Sten Vermund on the important role of social entrepreneurship in healthcare. Vermund’s speech was followed by a fireside chat between Vikram Damodaran, (Founder of five.eight), Anand Anandkumar (Founder of Bugworks) and Dr. Charit Bhograj (Founder of Tricog Health).

Moderated by Sten Vermund, the panel discussion was centered around the key challenges, opportunities and strategies in healthcare sectors in both rural and urban India. The event came to a close with all the shortlisted startups delivering immersive product pitches to the audience. The inaugural cohort of the Sustainable Health Initiative (SHI) program comprised innovative startups building new age solutions across maternal health, infectious diseases, and healthcare accessibility and affordability.

The SHI program has been designed to power ‘Innovation’ for long-term social, health and environmental impact in emerging economies. With the ecosystem ripe for innovation, healthcare companies in India are effectively poised to impact billions in the country as well as globally.

The 6 startups cohorted are -

NAPS & NIBBLES

A one-stop solution platform for child wellness, providing parents access to high-quality, structured, and medically accurate information from top doctors and specialists.
Website: http://www.napsandnibbles.com/

---

JIOVIO

Providing hassle-free and timely maternal care to expecting mothers and connecting high-risk patients to local healthcare providers. Jiovio’s wearable devices helps expecting mothers monitor their vitals, get expert consultation within minutes, and ensures a risk-free pregnancy.
Website: https://www.jiovio.com/

---

ONWARD ASSIST: 

Using Machine Learning and AI to analyse, diagnose and predict the behaviour of cancer cells in patients. Onward Assist’s computer-based algorithm allows oncopathologists to gain deeper insights on the tumor and the neighbouring tissue and ensure more accurate prognosis and treatment protocols.
Website: http://www.onwardhealth.ai/

---

METAMAGICS: 

Metamagics is a data analytics platform aimed at bridging the information gap in the organ transplant process - from pre-transplant regulatory compliance to patient care. Using dynamic and semantic technology, Metamagics facilitates successful organ transplants by enabling doctors, patients and caregivers to preempt and address complications before they turn fatal.
Website: http://www.metamagics.com/

---

KHUSHI BABY: 

Khushi-TB (KTB) is a new technology adaptation of a successful platform currently used to track maternal and child health in rural India. This technology is being reapplied for tuberculosis treatment in urban slums. The platform provides TB patients with a wearable digital health record and health workers with a mobile application. With the app doctors can scan the wearable tag, see what medication to provide today, and update treatment progress.
Website: https://www.khushibaby.org/

---

PREMIE BREATHE

Globally, 2.6 million newborns die within their first month of life every year, with nearly 90 percent of preterm deaths occurring in low- and middle- income countries due to complications including respiratory distress. To help end these preventable neonatal deaths , we have developed an affordable humidified high flow nasal cannula (HHFNC) device, designed and engineered to provide respiratory support to infants in district and referral hospitals in resource poor settings.

Website: https://news.yale.edu/2018/02/21/premiebreathe-gives-premature-babies-better-chance

---

"The cohort that we've assembled today is the culmination of a highly selective global application process. After a tough and intensive review that included multiple rounds of interviews and diligence, we've shortlisted companies from both the Indian ecosystem and Yale that are solving a diverse set of complex problems with a mission to impact the life and health of millions across the world. We find this class to consist of humble founders, passionate missions and resilient business models and look forward to arm these companies with the expertise, frameworks and network required to succeed at scale,” said Nruthya Madappa, Managing Partner, The CoWrks Foundry.

As part of this program, each startup will receive up to USD $70,000 in seed funding, mentorship from Yale’s faculty and alumni, as well as benefits from a network of Indian industry experts. In addition, the program includes structured sessions to help startups evolve into a sustainable and scalable business model, refine their go-to-market strategy and build a global network.

“Around the world, we face growing health and economic disparities. The public sector cannot fully address the scope and scale of these challenges without private sector ingenuity and creativity,” stated Sten Vermund, Dean, Yale School of Public Health. “We are enthusiastic about the launch today of the Sustainable Health Initiative to further find innovate solutions that will have a significant impact on the health of communities in India, the U.S., and around the world.”

Govt Sets Up Unit to Select Healthcare Startups' Tech that Reduce Imported Tech Dependency

Last year in September, India's central government launched National Health Protection Scheme or Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY), which is is touted as the 'world's largest government funded healthcare programme' aimed at targeting over 50 crore beneficiaries. In a latest to this, the National Health Authority (NHA), the implementing body for the AB-PMJAY, has set up a unit to promote innovations that reduce dependence on imported technologies to make quality health care affordable.

The NHA "innovation unit", which comprises a 4-member team, will carefully shortlist and select applications from start-ups, including organisations and individuals, offering technologies that lower cost and reduce dependency on imported technologies, which are costly.

The four members of the innovation unit will then refer the selected innovations to the government departments concerned for expert opinion. The NHA will take a call on whether to accept the proposal on the basis of feedback it receives from departments concerned.

Dinesh Arora, who is Deputy CEO of AB-PMJAY, said, "Lot of start-ups offer affordable health care by innovating on expensive technologies that exist. Many have approached us with proposals to develop cost-effective machines, gadgets, diagnostic kits, data privacy technology etc to bring down the cost significantly."

"There is a greater need to cultivate a landscape of synergies fixated on innovations centred on the Indian health care system to constantly evolve and deliver better outcomes through PMJAY… Thus, for focusing efforts in building an ecosystem geared towards accelerating innovations and facilitating partnerships with the external stakeholders’ present in the health care sector, a National Health Authority Innovation Unit is being established,” reads the NHA the order"

It may also be recalled that in March 2017, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) had moved a cabinet note and suggestion that the maximum age for classifying a biotechnology or a medical devices firm as a startup be raised to 8-10 years from the current 5 years [Read Here].

Later in May of same year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited startups to focus on research for innovative medical devices and use technology to make healthcare more affordable and said that "India should manufacture its own medical devices to bring down the cost. Recently, the government reduced cost of stents by 85%."

In April last year, the Government and the World Bank signed a $125 million loan agreement to support India in developing an innovative biopharmaceutical and medical devices industry.

Source - Hindustan Times

Social Entrepreneurs collaborate for PregRX, world’s first paper-based Pee & See pregnancy product

In the lead up to International Women’s Day 2019, on the 8^th March, Gurgaon-based Deep Bajaj, Founder of PeeBuddy, India's First Design Patent Protected Female Urination Device for women, and the Sirona range of Unique Intimate & Menstrual Hygiene Products, has launched yet another breakthrough innovation, this time in the home pregnancy testing space. Called PeeBuddy PregRX, the product will be one-of-a-kind unique funnel with strategically-integrated HcG test strip.

With PregRx,women can now
simply pee and instantly check their pregnancy status. Not only does it
eliminate the need for any plastic bottle/tumbler/dropper, but also makes for
an easy-to-use and eco-friendly home testing process for pregnancy.

Deep has collaborated with ImpactGuru.com, India’s largest crowdfunding platform for personal causes, in a bid to facilitate a larger conversation around women’s health & hygiene, and to ensure successful market distribution for PregRX. Details of the PregRX fundraiser can be found here: https://www.impactguru.com/fundraiser/help-deep-bajaj

Making of PregRx

The current process of home pregnancy
testing is very cumbersome, wasteful, and regressive. A lady is expected to sit, pee, and capture urine in a
bottle/tumbler, before using a dropper and putting a few drops onto a plastic testing
cassette. The current process leads to plastic overuse, for every pregnancy
test involves plastic in some form or the other. The use of so many elements
also makes home pregnancy testing uneconomical, while impacting the accuracy of
the results. Most women also find the current process extremely nauseating.

Deep
Bajaj, Founder – PeeBuddy: Sirona,said, “As
a start-up, we exist to solve intimate and menstrual hygiene issues that Indian
women face, but which are either not discussed or not addressed. We
successfully solved the issue of wiping dirty toilet seats with PeeBuddy, which
sold a million units, and have also introduced many category-defining products
under the Sirona range. These include India’s first herbal feminine pain relief
patch which frees women from hot water bottle/pain killers, Sirona Disposal
Bags for clean & discreet disposal of sanitary products, Sirona Tampons both
with and without an applicator, Sirona Menstrual Cups, etc.”

“In one of our focus groups, young
mothers shared their stories about home pregnancy testing and called it
cumbersome & annoying! We decided to look deeper into the process and realised
that we could significantly streamline it by integrating HcG test strips with PeeBuddy,
thereby simplifying the entire process in terms of usage while reducing
wastage. With PeeBuddy PregRx, women
would now simply be able to test pregnancy anywhere without needing any other accessory,”
Deep added.

Utilization
of funds through crowdfunding

Deep said, “The product is ready and has already been tested extensively. However, as this product is for all women, we need everyone’s help to spread awareness about this innovative solution. The funds raised through crowdfunding on ImpactGuru.com would be used to develop other variants and a part of it would also go towards marketing.”

Khushboo Jain, Co-Founder and COO, ImpactGuru.com said,

Crowdfunding has evolved to become an important medium especially for social innovators in creating awareness and raising funds for various causes. We at ImpactGuru are thrilled to help PeeBuddy PregRX in a bid to impact the lives of millions of women in India and abroad. I hope that many people especially women come forward to support this wonderful cause and help make it the leading product in this category.”

About PeeBuddy: Sirona  

Sirona is an award-winning intimate & menstrual hygiene product brand providing solutions to ‘ignored & unaddressed’ feminine hygiene woes and wellness-related problems. Formally incorporated in 2015 by Delhi-based entrepreneur Deep Bajaj (Founder) & Mohit Bajaj (Co-Founder), Sirona was an outcome of the numerous bad experiences that the women around them suffered, in terms of basic and intimate hygiene issues that remain largely unaddressed in a country like India. The company is widely popular for being the maker of India’s first portable, disposable & highest selling female urination device, PeeBuddy.

Pharma Major AstraZeneca and NASSCOM tie-up to Launch Accelerator for Healthcare Startups

Global biopharmaceutical major AstraZeneca and Indian IT industry body Nasscom have joined hands to set up an accelerator programme to support Indian startups in healthcare space.

Headquartered in Cambridge, U.K. AstraZeneca has launched a strategic partnership with the Nasscom IoT Centre of Excellence to set up an accelerator programme to support Indian startups develop innovative solutions to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) care in India.

AstraZeneca also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NASSCOM

AstraZeneca PLC Chairman of the Board Leif Johansson told PTI: “Best healthcare that can be provided and developed comes from cooperation across borders between industry, government and academia in a such way that we, with the help of technology, can provide a higher-quality service at a lower cost.” AstraZeneca is committed to strengthening innovation in healthcare in India, he added.

In a statement, Johansson said: “We are pleased to collaborate with the government, start-up eco-system and industry partners to achieve the shared vision of making meaningful interventions in improving the lives of patients impacted by non-communicable diseases in India.” Highlighting the Unnati initiative, Sweden’s Trade Commissioner to India Carsten Grönblad said: “Unnati is a model for co-innovation allowing industry, start-ups and the civil society to jointly develop solutions addressing global social needs.” This challenge calls for collaboration to implement early and remote screening as well as efficient AI-based patient management, he added.

NASSCOM – CoE IoT was launched as part of Government of India’s Digital India Initiative to help the country achieve a leadership role in the convergent areas of hardware and software. Under this collaboration, AstraZeneca and NASSCOM will incubate start-ups in bringing innovative and frugal solutions that can help in the management of NCDs. 

Source - Financial Express

Top Featured Image - WSJ.com

In An All-Time High, 80 Health-Tech Startups Raises $510 Mn in 2018

Funds raised by health technology startups in India is at all time high in this year of 2018 with $510 million Venture Capital investments made across 80 health-tech startups in the country so far, reported Livemint on the basis on data by Tracxn Technologies, a data analytics firm that tracks startups.

The top three health-tech startup fundings this year were of -- PharmEasy, Curefit and Netmeds. PharmEasy, which is an online pharmacy, raised $115 million across three rounds this year, while fitness app Curefit raised $100 million from IDG Ventures, and online pharmacy Netmeds secured a $35 million round led by Cambodian investor DPC Group.

Rise in health-tech startup fundings have witnessed a steady growth since 2016. The Tracxn data suggests that in 2017 investment in health-tech startups recorded $343 million from $163 million in 2016 however it also to be noted that since 2016, this period also witnessed a fall in number of funding rounds i.e. -- from 135 in 2016 and 130 in 2017 to 80 in 2018 so far.

It may also be recalled that according to a report published by NASSCOM in November 2017, funding in health-tech segment has witnessed 129% increase in funding from $70 million in FY'17 to $160 million in FY'18, which attributes to the increased traction in these segments to innovation.

In latest 2018 Startup report by NASSCOM, HealthTech along with Enterprise Software and FinTech, is top-3 leading verticals, which comprise 50% of total Startups in India.

Health-tech is broadly defined as use of technologies, such as analytics, internet of things (IoT), mobile and wearable devices, among others, to improve delivery of healthcare services.

According to investors, increased funding in health-tech startups is a factor of sectoral tailwinds such as increased internet penetration, rise in digital payments and big-ticket government initiatives.

Demonetisation and the subsequent surge in digital payments also helped health-tech startups, said Anil Joshi, managing partner, Unicorn India Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm. “While investors say healthcare is a core sector, creating money-making business models and making customers pay is often the issue. The push towards digital payments somewhat helped overcome this hurdle and improved market access.”

Health-tech startups, especially online medicine delivery platforms, are focusing on customers with chronic ailments, enabling repeat orders, which resulted in increased business, added Joshi.

Unicorn India Ventures has invested about $2.5 million across two health-tech startups, including NeuroEquilibirum, which develops diagnostics for vertigo, and Pharmarack, which provides automated order processing and management for pharmaceutical retailers and distributors.

In May this year, India had urged the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to invest in health-tech and fintech startups in the country to help improve the quality of life in Asia while sharpening focus on infrastructure lending by ensuring loan disbursals within a year of request.

Healthcare schemes, such as Ayushman Bharat, have also put the spotlight on healthcare, leading to positive sentiments even among startups, said Amit Varma, managing partner, Quadria Capital, a healthcare-focused private equity fund. “Start-ups are trying to solve the key issue of last-mile connectivity. No one wants to go 400 km for better healthcare. And in this, technology is the differentiator."

Former Aussie Cricketer's Venture India & MedAchievers Launch $100 Mn Healthcare Fund for Startups in India

Healthcare platform MedAchievers and Venture India, which is an Business consultancy firm of former Australian cricketer Michael Kasprowicz, have partnered together to launch 'MedAchievers Connect, a US$100 million fund to fund cutting edge research in healthcare in India by supporting 15 startups in India.

"Australian companies see incredible opportunity in Indian healthcare market and are keen to learn from innovations happening in Indian healthcare market, while Australia can share its knowledge in sports medicine domain, which has matured in Australia," said Kasprowicz, who is serving on the board of Australia India Council of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Australia.

[caption id="attachment_126528" align="aligncenter" width="628"] Michael Kasprowicz [Image - CricketCountry.com][/caption]

Started in 2014, by Dr Harsha Vardhan, MedAchievers is a dedicated and strong global healthcare media and business transaction platform that hosts and interacts with entrepreneurs, researcher in clinical and data science, management experts, doctors, start-ups and students. In 2016, MedAchiever has also started Health Tech Incubator that incubates multiple global healthcare technology companies.

"With this US$100 million fund, we will be supporting 15 startups in India and through this we are looking to offer best balance between investments, innovations and implementation," said Dr Vardhan.

In India, MedAchievers has got over 400 hospitals onboard with over 50,000 medical doctors. Through this healthcare fund, the innovative technologies of the 15 selected startups will be shared with these hospitals to improve healthcare delivery across India.

Besides India, MedAchievers has strong presence in USA, United kingdom, Singapore and Australia. In the last 4 years, the platform has supported startups in 6 geographies.

According to a report published by Nasscom in November'17, funding in healthcare tech segment has witnessed 129% increase in funding from $70 million in FY17 to $160 million in FY18. Attributing to the increased traction in these segments to innovation.

It may also be recalled that in last December, Apollo Hospitals had announced that it is setting up an accelerator and innovation hub to mentor startups in the healthcare space. The innovation hub was said to be launched in Hyderabad, on the campus of Apollo Hospitals.

Source - Times of India

Former Aussie Cricketer's Venture India & MedAchievers Launch $100 Mn Healthcare Fund for Startups in India

Healthcare platform MedAchievers and Venture India, which is an Business consultancy firm of former Australian cricketer Michael Kasprowicz, have partnered together to launch 'MedAchievers Connect, a US$100 million fund to fund cutting edge research in healthcare in India by supporting 15 startups in India.

"Australian companies see incredible opportunity in Indian healthcare market and are keen to learn from innovations happening in Indian healthcare market, while Australia can share its knowledge in sports medicine domain, which has matured in Australia," said Kasprowicz, who is serving on the board of Australia India Council of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Australia.

[caption id="attachment_126528" align="aligncenter" width="628"] Michael Kasprowicz [Image - CricketCountry.com][/caption]

Started in 2014, by Dr Harsha Vardhan, MedAchievers is a dedicated and strong global healthcare media and business transaction platform that hosts and interacts with entrepreneurs, researcher in clinical and data science, management experts, doctors, start-ups and students. In 2016, MedAchiever has also started Health Tech Incubator that incubates multiple global healthcare technology companies.

"With this US$100 million fund, we will be supporting 15 startups in India and through this we are looking to offer best balance between investments, innovations and implementation," said Dr Vardhan.

In India, MedAchievers has got over 400 hospitals onboard with over 50,000 medical doctors. Through this healthcare fund, the innovative technologies of the 15 selected startups will be shared with these hospitals to improve healthcare delivery across India.

Besides India, MedAchievers has strong presence in USA, United kingdom, Singapore and Australia. In the last 4 years, the platform has supported startups in 6 geographies.

According to a report published by Nasscom in November'17, funding in healthcare tech segment has witnessed 129% increase in funding from $70 million in FY17 to $160 million in FY18. Attributing to the increased traction in these segments to innovation.

It may also be recalled that in last December, Apollo Hospitals had announced that it is setting up an accelerator and innovation hub to mentor startups in the healthcare space. The innovation hub was said to be launched in Hyderabad, on the campus of Apollo Hospitals.

Source - Times of India

WaterBridge & Infoedge Invests in Kota-based MedCords, An AI-Enabled Healthcare Startup

Early stage venture fund, WaterBridge Ventures, announced today that it along with Infoedge has invested an undisclosed amount in MedCords, a startup based in Kota, Rajasthan with a technology center in Pune. MedCords is working predominantly in Rural India taking a patient first approach with a vision of making healthcare accessible, affordable and efficient for all by leveraging cutting edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science technologies.

The company aims to become the "real time" healthcare decision making tool for citizens, organizations and state governments to eradicate problems and implement efficient healthcare processes. The funds will be used to expand the team, further develop the technology platform and to expand the scope of operations to new geographies.

More than 85% people in India do not have their medical records organized and at one place. 80% people living in villages have to travel 60 kms for the consultation and out-of-pocket expense on healthcare in India is close to 60% of total spends. The founders have seen the healthcare scenario first hand and after extensive research of 3 years across 800 villages of Rajasthan, MP, UP & Bihar and 2 pilots, they began developing MedCords in late 2016 and we went live in May 2017.

MedCords is founded by Nikhil Baheti, Saida Dhanavath & Shreyans Mehta. The startup is currently operational in Kota and Jhalawar districts with a technology center in Pune. They are a digital health partner for the Smart City Kota project and are a recipient of prestigious Bhamashah Technofund funding under Rajasthan Government’s Istart Program.

MedCords’s co-founder Nikhil Baheti, explaining the product said, “MedCords is a cloud-based, ML powered ecosystem that connects and enables various stakeholders of the healthcare ecosystem. The ecosystem facilitates, amongst other things, remote consultations and follow-up consultations with doctors and intelligent digitization of users' medical records and on-demand availability of such records. The venture aims to create IP out of medical data and advanced analytics to create efficient healthcare decision systems for doctors, hospitals and the government.”

Shreyans spoke about the journey and said, “The biggest challenges initially which we faced was that there was no benchmark which we had to follow, most of the people in rural areas either did not have smartphones or they had a very limited know how of how to operate them- but they were in dire need of a solution. So, we had to build a solution which was ultra-simple and addressed to 80% of India’s Population.”

Saida added that “The healthcare ecosystem is extremely fragmented and to stitch it together for the users is an exciting challenge that we wake up to solve every day”.

“The challenge of providing effective health care to India’s rural population is a massive one. We are impressed by the MedCords team’s passion and technology driven approach to solving this problem. We are privileged to partner with Shreyans, Nikhil and Saida on their journey”, said Sarbvir Singh, Managing Partner, WaterBridge Ventures.

In March this year, Waterbridge led ₹3.5 crore funding of Gurgaon-based Doubtnut, a multi lingual online learning platform for students.

Founded in 2016, by investment veterans Manish Kheterpal (ex Providence, Actis, Rho Ventures) and Sarbvir Singh (ex Capital18, Citi), WaterBridge Ventures is an early stage venture fund with a founders first philosophy. The first fund with a corpus of $40M has a portfolio of 15 start-ups and tends to be the first institutional investor backing strong and persistent founders leading technology disruption across sectors. WaterBridge has invested in several market leading companies such as Unacademy, Chalo, ZipLoan, MagicPin, Social Cops and Dataweave.

Social Alpha & Tata Trusts Launches India's 1st Nationwide Search for Healthcare Startups

Social Alpha and Tata Trusts – PATH Impact Lab, today, announced the launch of India’s first nationwide search – ‘Social Alpha Quest for Healthcare Innovations’. The program is designed to solve key healthcare challenges, eliminate disparities, and achieve health equity in India.

The program focuses on healthcare technology innovations in devices and diagnostics including point of care devices in the following areas:

a) Innovations in maternal and child health including and not restricted to, areas such as sepsis, maternal diabetes & hypertension

b) Innovations chronic and non-communicable diseases such as point-of-care detection of diabetes, neuropathies, retinopathies, cardio-vascular diseases, head & neck cancer, cervical cancer and other cancers

c) Innovations in detection and diagnosis of infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV, TB, chikungunya, HCV etc.

Commenting on the program launch, Manoj Kumar, Head of Innovation, Tata Trusts and CEO, Social Alpha, said, “Science and Technology innovations have the potential to create enormous new possibilities and opportunities for solving affordability, accessibility and quality challenges in the healthcare delivery. The Social Alpha Quest for Healthcare Innovations is a step towards supporting the innovative startups in their lab to market journey. Along with our partner PATH, we hope to search and support high impact, high quality yet affordable healthcare solutions and take them to the underserved communities across the world.”

Neeraj Jain, Country Director, PATH Impact Lab, said, "We are pleased to partner with Tata Trusts Social Alpha for 'Quest for Healthcare' to bridge significant gaps in adoption and scaling of medtech innovations which would positively impact public health in India and beyond. This program brings together complementary strengths of PATH and Social Alpha as well as our other partners THSTI, Philips and IIT Delhi in providing an optimal mix of support tools to medtech startups at the cusp on exponential growth"

The Social Alpha Quest for Healthcare Innovations program will primarily focus on adoption and scaling of innovative products in order to accelerate development, positively impact public health outcomes and achieve global product standards. This will be achieved through funding to conduct clinical validation studies along with intensive mentoring and support in business models, regulation, global technologies and market dynamics. Startups that have developed product prototypes and now seeking expertise and financial support for clinical testing and validation will benefit from this program.



The selected startups will be supported by Tata Trusts - PATH Impact Lab and their network of mentors for a period of up to 15 months and will receive the following offerings:

• Funding up to INR 25 lakhs for clinical validation




• Mentorship support in refining business model, navigating regulatory landscape, understanding national & global market dynamics




• Support in product design through access to Social Alpha and Tata Trusts - PATH Impact Lab’s product shop




• Access to PATH’s expertise in design and clinical validation and facilitate access to PHCs/hospitals.




• A 2-3-day Barrel for the founder(s) of selected startups intensively focused on business strategy and growth




• Facilitating engineering and technical support




• Additional grant up to INR 25 lakhs for Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) and achieving international product standards




• Opportunities for global exposure visits for advanced training, networking, research support etc.




• Opportunity for dilutive investments by Social Alpha and eligibility to receive support in raising the next round of funding post meeting eligibility and diligence requirements

Tata Trusts – PATH Impact Lab was launched in January 2018, a first in India to support and bring to market innovations for affordable and high quality public health solutions to benefit vulnerable populations with limited resources and provide comprehensive support to selected innovators through product design, clinical validation, commercialization and market development.

To apply, please log onto: www.socialalphachallenge.org. Last date to submit applications is August 23rd, 2018.

Home Healthcare Services Aggregator HealWell24 Raises $200K in Pre-Series A Round of Funding

Mumbai-based home healthcare services aggregator HealWell24 has raised $200,000 (~ Rs 1.4 crore) in its Pre-Series A round of funding from bunch of angel investors including Prashant Mehta, Mitali Pawar, Nikhil G and Bhavesh P, members of Indian Cooperative Oncology Network (ICON), and R Ranganathan, reported VCCircle.

Existing investors who participated in this round too include an executive at medical intelligence provider Medintel Services Pvt. Ltd, and ONCOTRUST, a member of the oncology network in Mumbai.

The startup will use the fresh capital raised to develop its artificial intelligence (AI)-based patient mobile app, expand its services and hire talent, among others. HealWell24, which currently has only a website to operate through, will launch an app by October this year, said the VCCircle report.

Founded in 2017 by Harddik K Patel and Jyoti K Singha, HealWell24, which operates under its parent company HWell24 Plus Healthcare Pvt Ltd, provides solutions to patients at home-to-hospital-to-home, which is known as a 3H model. The startup provides home nursing, home attendants and has recently added home dental care as part of its services in the city.

The startup had earlier raised $100,000 in angel funding from three high-net-worth individuals in September 2017. According to Jyoti Singha, the startup has generated revenue of Rs 1.25 crore in the last financial year through March since it began operations in June last year.

Among HealWell24's top competitor are -- Care24, Portea Medical and Medwell Ventures.

Care24, which is also based out of Mumbai, has raised total of $4.4 million in two separate round of funding from investors including Saif Partners and India Quotient. Bangalore-based Portea Medical, on other hand, has raised $72.5 million in three rounds of funding from Accel Partners, Qualcomm Ventures and Sabre partners, among others.

The current estimates for the home healthcare industry, which is still in its nascent stage in India, is approximately $2 billion and growing at a CAGR of 20 percent.

The home healthcare market stood at around $3.20 billion in 2016, and is expected to grow to around $4.46 billion by 2018 and $6.21 billion in 2020, according to Cyber Media Research (CMR) Ltd analysis and industry estimates. CMR is an ISO 9001: 2008 company and an institutional member of the Market Research Society of India.

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