Pfizer INDovation program boosts six healthcare startups with INR 1.5 Crore grant

New Delhi: Pfizer Limited, in collaboration with NIPER-Ahmedabad, the Department of Pharmaceuticals, NITI Aayog and Social Alpha, has announced the six winners of the NIPER-A edition of Pfizer’s flagship INDovation program for healthcare start-ups.

Since the launch of the partnership in February 2024, Pfizer has received applications from over 200 start-ups across the country focusing on solutions for timely screening and cost-effective diagnostic tools. The shortlisting criteria to decide the final six included the potential impact of the product/solution, level of technological innovation, uniqueness of the value proposition, competitive advantage, financial and operational scalability, and clarity on the future roadmap.

The winning start-ups will receive a grant of INR 25 lakhs each from Pfizer, while NIPER-Ahmedabad will provide comprehensive incubation support that will help accelerate their lab-to-market journey. The winners include Aarca Research, Babycue Pvt Ltd, Biolockey Healthworks Pvt Ltd, Brela Innovations Pvt Ltd, RNT Health Insights Pvt Ltd and Utopic Tech Pvt Ltd.

Dr. Arunish Chawla, Secretary, the Department of Pharmaceuticals said, “Encouraging indigenous innovation in healthcare is not merely a priority, but a responsibility shared by all who are a part of this ecosystem. Our support to this collaboration between Pfizer and NIPER-A highlights the potential of start-ups bringing innovations that can advance the delivery of healthcare in the country.”

Commenting on the program, Meenakshi Nevatia, Managing Director, Pfizer Ltd, said, “At Pfizer, we are deeply committed to fostering innovations and breakthroughs that improve patients’ lives. With grants from Pfizer and incubation support from our program partners, I am confident that these start-ups will get the full support to rapidly bring their groundbreaking ideas to the market and deliver the promise of making a significant difference in healthcare delivery in our country.”

Dr. Shailendra Saraf, Director NIPER-Ahmedabad, said, “NIPER Ahmedabad has always been a launch platform for healthcare innovation. Through our collaboration with Pfizer, we will offer program acceleration support to help these start-ups scale their solutions effectively thus enabling to develop a strong healthcare ecosystem in India.”

“These six start-ups chosen through the Pfizer INDovation program exemplify the ingenuity and resilience needed to bridge critical healthcare gaps in diagnostics and treatment,” said Manoj Kumar, Founder, Social Alpha. “By providing comprehensive support, from grants to mentorship to market acceleration, we aim to amplify their potential to create diagnostic solutions that are both accessible and impactful, particularly for communities in need.”