Converging MedTech with Affordability in 2026

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According to a report launched at the 17th CII Global MedTech Summit 2025, MedTech manufacturing can take the leap towards being a ~$30 billion sector by FY2030, reduce import dependency to less than 50 per cent and increase India’s share to 10–12 per cent in the global market.

The report also highlights the need to build an accessible innovation ecosystem through partnerships with global hospitals helping accelerate clinical validation for Indian MedTech innovations; and to facilitate global companies to set-up ‘Co-innovation labs’ within MedTech parks in India to accelerate technology transfer, and deepen product R&D.

In other words, local innovation can be fostered by promoting in-house capabilities, strengthening industry-academia collaboration and building infrastructure for low-cost prototyping and trials.

The growth of the Indian MedTech sector was also well noticed during the 11th APACMed MedTech Forum, held in September 2025 in Delhi, which was convened outside Singapore for the first time, thereby signalling India’s emergence as a critical player in the global MedTech ecosystem.

While multiple initiatives are being taken by the government and the industry to strengthen the domestic MedTech sector, the entrepreneurial ecosystem is taking the lead with bold innovations and new risks.

As of 2025, India has an estimated 900 to 1,000 startups specifically focused on medical devices and MedTech hardware. However, when we look at the broader MedTech and health-tech landscape, which includes digital health, diagnostics, connected devices, and AI-driven healthcare solutions, the number increases significantly to around 3,000 to 6,000 active startups.

New Trend Setters

Gurugram-based startup SS Innovations International launched the world's first tele surgeon console. This revolutionary innovation in robotic technology marks a defining moment in the evolution of surgical care, enabling expert surgeons to operate remotely through a compact, self-contained robotic system, designed and manufactured entirely in India for the world.

Simultaneously, Bengaluru-based startup Articulus Surgical is emerging as a trailblazer in the field of soft tissue robotic surgery. One of the most anticipated developments from Articulus Surgical is PULSAR, a fully robotic system designed for multi-port minimally invasive surgeries, slated for launch in 2026.

“Advanced healthcare should not be a privilege reserved for a select few. By engineering a system that enables last-mile connectivity, we must ensure that patients across diverse geographies can benefit from safer, more precise, and less invasive surgical care resulting in shorter hospital stays and quicker recoveries”, pointed out Saurya Mishra, Founder and CEO of Articulus Surgical.

Within the surgery space, another Bengaluru-based startup is making noise. HRS Navigation has developed India’s first navigation system that integrates seamlessly with existing operating room infrastructure, to make advanced surgical navigation accessible to every hospital and surgeon. The startup has recently raised funding worth $5 million for its global expansion.

On the diagnostics front, 2025 witnessed the launch of India's first microRNA-based blood test for breast cancer screening, developed by a Hyderabad-based startup PrecisionRNA Biotech (Prerna). This medtech innovation is well aligned with the 2024 Nobel Prize in Medicine recognising the discovery of microRNAs and their role in gene regulation, highlighting their significance in modern diagnostics.

Further, Delhi-based startup Maverick Simulation Solutions is currently addressing a major challenge facing the medtech sector i.e. skilled workforce. The company is investing more than Rs 50 crore to advance medical training simulators with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), augmented and virtual reality-based technologies. The company aims to expand its R&D capabilities to meet the growing demand for hands-on training in medical, nursing, and paramedical education.

Anuj Chahal, Founder & CEO of Maverick Simulation Solutions said, “The medtech ecosystem in India still lacks enough localised R&D for training tools. By investing in indigenous innovation, we’re trying to fill that void by building an ecosystem where institutions, clinicians, and engineers co-create solutions suited for our healthcare landscape. Historically, medical simulation-based education has been concentrated in metropolitan teaching hospitals due to the high cost of imported systems. But that dynamic is shifting. The availability of locally manufactured simulators has made skill labs viable for smaller and mid-tier institutions.”

Leveraging AI capabilities, Bengaluru-based startup Bayosthiti AI, in partnership with Narayana Health, is building India's first AI-powered heart disease predictor that is something to look forward to in 2026.

While startups are working hard towards developing innovative medical solutions, a big support is also being provided by the bioincubators. Bengaluru-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) has launched the first cohort of the C-CAMP Healthium Innovations Programme for Surgical Interventions and Medical Technologies, to foster deep-science innovations in digitally enabled medical technologies that are affordable, scalable and clinically impactful.

Dr Taslimarif Saiyed, CEO and Director, C-CAMP, said, “India’s medtech ecosystem is at a critical juncture where innovation must be paired with affordability and scalability. We need to enable startups not only with resources and mentorship, but also with an ecosystem that can help them transform their technologies into solutions that impact lives at scale.”

Alongside these exciting innovations, we must keep a tab on the bottlenecks that might slowdown the leadership pace of our medtech entrepreneurial ecosystem in 2026 and beyond. 

For instance, many startups underestimate the time and cost required to meet quality standards such as ISO 13485 and generate clinical evidence. This often slows commercialisation and increases capital needs. Also, since successful adoption depends heavily on clinician trust and training, startups need to design intuitive systems and invest in user training programmes to ensure smooth integration.

However, on the brighter side, the funding environment is increasingly disciplined as investors are now focusing on startups that have validated their technology, proven outcomes, and strong intellectual property.

According to Dr Vishal Gandhi, Founder & CEO, BIORx Venture Advisors, “India’s MedTech revolution is taking shape at the intersection of affordable engineering, clinical validation, and manufacturing readiness. The startups that bring these elements together will scale the fastest and redefine how healthcare is delivered across the country. From an investment perspective, we are seeing selective funding at the seed stage but continued interest from later-stage investors and strategic partners. Companies that can show clinical validation, scalable manufacturing, and sound economics are likely to grow quickly.”

Vrushti Kothari

(vrushti.kothari@mmactiv.com)