IIT Kanpur & Blockchain For Impact Join Forces to Drive Healthcare Innovation in India

BFI will support IIT Kanpur in promoting entrepreneurial initiatives through the Startup Incubation & Innovation Centre (SIIC).

The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) and Blockchain For Impact (BFI) have forged a strategic partnership to foster innovation and drive advancements in healthcare across India.

This collaboration, under the BFI-Biome Virtual Network Programme, aims to nurture entrepreneurial initiatives and support biomedical research initiatives.

Per the partnership, BFI will extend its support to IIT Kanpur in promoting entrepreneurial initiatives through the Startup Incubation & Innovation Centre (SIIC).

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at IIT Kanpur, solidifying the commitment of both institutions to drive healthcare innovation.

Financial Commitment for Startup Development

BFI has pledged to allocate over $150,000 across three years to develop tailored programs for healthcare-focused startups at IIT Kanpur's SIIC. This financial support underscores the dedication of both organizations to nurture and empower budding entrepreneurs in the healthcare sector.

The collaboration harnesses IIT Kanpur's established leadership in fostering entrepreneurship and BFI's dedication to advancing biomedical research. The partnership aims to develop impactful solutions that address critical gaps in India's healthcare landscape by combining these strengths.

Sharing thoughts, Prof Kantesh Balani, DoRA (Dean of Resources & Alumni), IIT Kanpur, said, "I am very optimistic about the partnership between IIT Kanpur and BFI. This MoU will help us share knowledge, support startups effectively, and improve our capacity-building efforts."

Dr Gaurav Singh, CEO of BFI, commended the dedication of IIT Kanpur incubates and emphasized the alignment of their mission with BFI's goal of accelerating impactful solutions in biomedical research.

Dr Singh underscored BFI's commitment to addressing critical gaps in India's healthcare landscape through diverse initiatives in biomedical research and innovation.

Through joint efforts and financial support, both institutions are poised to empower entrepreneurs and drive impactful solutions in the healthcare sector.

IIT Kanpur's Latest Healthcare Initiatives

In September last year, IIT Kanpur developed an affordable, unobstructed, and compact technology that can monitor the lung health of patients continuously. The advanced technology was developed by a group of inventors from IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Kharagpur, and the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Naya Raipur.

Reportedly, the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has financially supported this development. Moreover, the technology is already patented.

Before that, IIT Kanpur signed a MoU with the Hyderabad-based Sensa Core to make and sell bilirubin detection devices. The device utilizes a non-enzymatic electrochemical sensing strip, offering several advantages over traditional methods of bilirubin detection.

IIT-K and Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences (UPUMS) also collaborated to facilitate crucial clinical trials for non-invasive medical devices nationally and internationally.

In another instance, IIT-K joined hands with Karkinos Healthcare and Kalyan Singh Super Specialty Cancer Institute (KSSSCI) to offer enhanced cancer care with the launch of the Centre for Advanced Molecular Diagnostics and Research for Cancer (CAMDRC) in Lucknow.