Boehringer Ingelheim India enters into second collaboration with SIIC IIT Kanpur to support healthcare innovation.
- Boehringer Ingelheim India is providing a grant to Manastik Technologies incubated at Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC).
- Manastik Technologies is developing India's first tele-neurorehabilitation app - a one-stop solution for dementia patients and caregivers considering the problems and challenges faced by the community.
- According to the Global Burden of Disease Study, in 2019, India was the 4th largest contributor to the global burden of dementia and by 2050 it is expected to surpass Japan and USA to become the country with the 2nd largest number of dementia cases.
The Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), the technology business incubator of the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK), has entered into an agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim India, a leading global pharmaceutical company. The Boehringer Ingelheim India team, consisting of Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Managing Director, and Prabhat Sinha, Director of Government and Public Affairs, Corporate Affairs, visited SIIC, IIT-K to strengthen their partnership for fostering healthcare innovations.
Boehringer Ingelheim’s grant supports Manastik Technologies, a SIIC-incubated startup focused on developing India's inaugural tele-neurorehabilitation app for multidisciplinary dementia care and diagnosis, focussing on the unmet need for comprehensive mental health strategies to address the growing burden of dementia and other mental health disorders in India. Using DADT technology (Dementia Application and Diagnosis & Tracking), Manastik caters towards the dementia ecosystem by providing those in need with personalized help curated by experienced doctors and neuro healthcare professionals. Boehringer has pledged a grant to Manastik to validate their app, raise awareness, and conduct dementia screening campaigns nationwide in India.
In 2023, Boehringer support Lenek Technologies, one of the startups incubated at SIIC, IIT Kanpur to eradicate Tuberculosis (TB) by improving the screening process through its innovative handheld X-ray device, which has the potential to bring about a significant change in TB screening in areas where resources are limited.
Highlighting the significance of this partnership, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Managing Director, Boehringer Ingelheim India, said, "Our second collaboration with IIT Kanpur reinforces our belief in the power of collective innovation. We bring together scientific communities, patients and healthcare systems to develop new, holistic, and sustainable breakthrough therapies that address healthcare's greatest challenges. With every innovation, we are not just advancing science, but also redefining the possibilities for patient care, aiming for a future where everyone has access to the best treatments and health outcomes.”
Prof. Ankush Sharma, Professor In Charge, SIIC, emphasized the far-reaching effect of this support stating, "SIIC is home to medical technologies with a strong social impact. Boehringer Ingelheim's support aligns perfectly with our vision to create a healthy India for all. It enables us to empower the startup community, fostering an ecosystem of innovation and collaboration. Together, we are not just dreaming of a better future, we are actively building it."
The longstanding relationship between Boehringer Ingelheim and SIIC emphasizes their shared vision of promoting socially beneficial technologies. This visit not only benefits Manastik but also fosters interaction between Boehringer Ingelheim and other healthcare startups at SIIC, paving the way for future collaborations.
About Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), IIT Kanpur
Established in 2000, the Start-up Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) at IIT Kanpur stands as one of the earliest technology business incubators, boasting numerous successes. In 2018, the incubator's operations were integrated under the Foundation for Research & Innovation in Science & Technology (FIRST), a Section-8 company promoted by IIT Kanpur. Over the past two decades, this dynamic incubation ecosystem has successfully bridged all the essential stages in the journey from concept to commercialization.
About Boehringer Ingelheim
Boehringer Ingelheim, a leading biopharmaceutical company founded in 1885, develops breakthrough therapies for humans and animals. With 53,000 employees, it operates in over 130 markets, focusing on Human Pharma, Animal Health, and Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing. Established in 2003, Boehringer Ingelheim India manages operations in India and neighboring markets, offering innovative products in Human Pharma and Animal Health, with key therapy areas including diabetes, cardiovascular, and respiratory conditions. Learn more at https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/in