In an effort to bolster the healthcare startup scene in India, Pfizer has joined hands with the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER) in Ahmedabad. They want to help and encourage new healthcare startups grow with their INDovation program.
Under the partnership, Pfizer will provide financial backing of up to Rs 25 lakh to each selected startup, along with access to incubation facilities at NIPER Ahmedabad. With the help of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, the project aims to back homegrown healthcare solutions that suit what our country needs, bringing good changes to society.
New businesses with creative ideas should sign up on the official website for the program. This partnership widens Pfizer’s INDovation program, which has already helped 34 startups in India. The program will adopt a cohort-based approach, aiming to select six innovators nationwide for a year-long accelerator program at NIPER Ahmedabad.
Selected startups will receive comprehensive incubation support, including assistance in product development, navigating regulatory pathways, pre-clinical testing, tech transfer support through the NIPER system and real-world clinical fitment checks. Additionally, each startup will be eligible for funding support of up to Rs 25 lakh.
They are especially keen on new ideas in deep tech, artificial intelligence for predicting things, testing at the point of care, Software as a Service (SaaS), informatics, wearable technology and solutions for tracking and tracing.
NIPER Ahmedabad, in the process of establishing a Centre of Excellence in Medical Device, aims to further bolster support for startups in the medical device domain. Through the partnership with Pfizer, these startups will gain access to the NIPER Ahmedabad ecosystem.
Arunish Chawla, from the Department of Pharmaceuticals, stressed how vital it is to support local healthcare innovation.
Prof. Shailendra Saraf, the Director of NIPER Ahmedabad, talked about their dedication to pharmaceutical research and teaching.
