IIIT-Bangalore Partners with DHN to Find India's Next Big Healthcare Innovator

Bangalore: The DHN Innovation Challenge 2024 wrapped up recently with a successful showcase of healthcare innovations that address pressing issues in the sector.

Organized by Digital Health News (DHN) in partnership with IIIT-Bangalore, 100X.VC and ScaleHealthTech, the event focused on leveraging technology to improve India's patient care and healthcare delivery. Ninth Dimension was the program partner for this year's challenge, which drew participation from leading innovators and startups nationwide. The event was supported by startup Karnataka and K-tech.

Over 200 startups participated in this year’s challenge, with 14 shortlisted for the pitch stage. Five finalists were selected to present at the demo day, showcasing groundbreaking healthcare solutions that address critical challenges in India’s healthcare system.

Chief guest of the event, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao praised the innovation challenge initiative, saying, "I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Debabrata Das, director of IIIT-B, and Mr. Saxena from DHN, along with everyone participating in this hackathon. Your innovative ideas have the potential to make a real impact in the healthcare and medtech sectors. While not every idea will succeed, those that do can significantly improve health outcomes, services, and care delivery”.

He acknowledged the participants’ efforts, noting, “The goal is to scale these solutions, reduce costs, and help many people—especially in a country like India, where we face massive-scale challenges. Technology, such as AI and tele-ICUs, is already playing a vital role in bridging gaps in specialist care, and it’s exciting to see what new ideas will emerge from initiatives like this."