IIT Hyd startups develops healthcare technology to save babies

Hyderabad : Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad startups is at its infancy and within a short span of its set up, it has have developed healthcare technologies to save babies lives and help bed-bound patients. Named as HEAMAC Healthcare, a startup, has introduced a device that provides graded phototherapy so that babies suffering from physiological jaundice get sufficient illumination. Researchers say nearly 13 million infants per year are unable to process bilirubin quickly enough and require jaundice treatment to prevent death or lifelong disability.

Another similar startup, Kvayat Medical, is on a mission to improve the quality of life (QoL) of bedridden patients by building innovative products that enable them to lead dignified lives. It has developed a faecal management system, which is non-invasive, and hygienic, thereby improving the quality of life of bed-ridden individuals and enabling them to lead life with dignity. The solution also keeps the power to address infection rates and costs associated with them while reducing costs related to bed care, nursing and laundry.

The co-founders of the Center for Healthcare Entrepreneurship (CfHE) Kvayat Medical have spent more than 400 hours to understand this problem through interacting with patients, stakeholders in hospitals and healthcare professionals across the country.

The Second Batch of Fellows graduating from CfHE, IIT Hyderabad, have introduced two startups and met a jury panel to pitch their ideas during 'Second Graduation Pitch Day 2018' held yesterday, August 1, 2018.

The startups, Nemocare, which works on ending avoidable neonatal and maternal deaths by developing monitoring solutions, and Beable Health, which works on intensive rehabilitation for upper limb, also interacted with the investors during the Pitch Day 2018.

Dr. Anurag Mairal, Director, Global Outreach Programs, Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign, Stanford University, said, "IIT Hyderabad's Center for Healthcare Entrepreneurship program has quickly become a well-structured effort with a high-quality pool of fellows and partners. The rigorous focus on the needs-focused biodesign methodology that forms the basis of the Center's Fellowship has led to new ideas that serve the real needs of India's healthcare system. The startups coming out the center seem promising and definitely worth watching closely."