Healthcare startups showcase innovation, collaboration at Tech Summit

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

Young entrepreneurs in the healthcare industry shared insights into building innovative solutions, addressing challenges, and leveraging technology for growth on the second day of the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2024. Kavitha Rodrigues, CEO of Theramab Therapeutics, recounted her journey from founding an Indian startup to transitioning into a Delaware-incorporated company in 2016. “Initially, moving operations abroad was essential for IP protection and securing investor confidence. However, with India's evolving startup ecosystem, abundant talent, and growing investment in research, building from India for global markets is now a feasible and promising strategy,” she said.

Rodrigues stressed the need for patient capital to develop novel therapeutics, saying, “Investors must understand that therapies for critically ill patients require time and commitmen.” Tarun Bhambra, cofounder of Orange Diagnostics, described how his company aimed to disrupt the traditionally stagnant diagnostics sector. “We saw an opportunity to combine branded service quality with localised efficiency, surpassing the standards of mid-sized labs and national players,” Bhambra noted, highlighting the lack of innovation in the field over the past decade. Vivek Sinha, co-founder of HealthWorks, emphasised the role of skilled caregivers and support staff in healthcare delivery.

“While much focus is placed on doctors, the care team spends significantly more time with patients,” Sinha said. He outlined HealthWorks' efforts to train and empower this workforce through collaborations with universities and providers to address manpower challenges. “Healthcare startups cannot replicate the disruption playbook of consumer markets,'' he added.