“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 commitment to yield meaningful results.”
Tarun Bhambra, co-founder 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 critical yet often overlooked role of skilled caregivers and support staff in healthcare delivery.
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“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. Collaboration with existing stakeholders is key,” he added.
The panelists also discussed the role of technology in enhancing operational efficiency and customer engagement. Rodrigues highlighted Theramab’s use of gene libraries and antibody platforms for developing novel therapeutics, while Bhambra described Orange Diagnostics’ integration of telepathology and AI to optimise sample logistics and accelerate diagnostic results.
The session concluded with a shared vision of India’s growing prominence in global healthcare innovation. The panelists agreed that with advancements in R&D, infrastructure, and investment, India’s ecosystem is now ripe for startups to develop transformative solutions for both domestic and international markets.
