Lucknow: Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), an organisation under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, organised Investor Connect 2026 at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow, to strengthen innovation, investment and collaboration in the MedTech and HealthTech sectors.
The event also marked the launch of Open Challenge Programme (OCP) 7.0 under the MedTech Centre of Entrepreneurship (CoE), an initiative established through collaboration among MeitY, STPI, SGPGIMS and the Department of Information Technology and Electronics, Government of Uttar Pradesh. The centre aims to encourage startups working in medical equipment, medical electronics and health informatics, while promoting indigenous technological innovation in healthcare in line with the Make in India vision.
Investor Connect 2026 brought together medical experts, academics, investors, industry representatives, researchers, innovators and MedTech startups on a common platform. The programme featured three major sessions: the launch of OCP 7.0, a panel discussion on advancing innovation for accessible healthcare, and a startup pitching session aimed at connecting emerging ventures with investors and industry stakeholders.
Addressing the inaugural session, Dr Praveen Kumar Dwivedi, Additional Director and Officer-in-Charge, STPI Lucknow, said the Investor Connect was not merely an event but an important effort to bring different stakeholders of the healthcare innovation ecosystem together.
He said OCP 7.0, with its theme focused on “Building – Latest Innovations Revolutionising the Needs of MedTech and Advanced, Accessible Healthcare”, would seek to identify real-world clinical challenges and encourage innovators and startups to develop technology-driven solutions.
Dr Dwivedi emphasised the importance of integrating the clinical expertise of SGPGIMS, STPI’s technology and startup ecosystem, the scientific capabilities of research institutions, the reach of industry, government support and the entrepreneurial energy of startups and innovators. He welcomed doctors, researchers, innovators, startups, investors, industry representatives and other participants attending the programme.
Dr Vishal Gandhi, Founder, BIORx Venture Advisors Pvt. Ltd., highlighted the importance of investment and strategic guidance for MedTech startups. He stressed that access to appropriate capital, mentorship and industry networks was essential for startups seeking to translate innovative healthcare technologies into scalable products.
Himanshu Kaushik, Managing Director, Uttar Pradesh Electronics Corporation, underlined the need to further strengthen technological innovation and the startup ecosystem in Uttar Pradesh. He emphasised the role of collaboration among government institutions, industry and entrepreneurs in creating an environment conducive to technology-led growth.
Vandana Srivastava, Director, STPI-Noida and CEO, MedTech CoE, explained the role of STPI’s Centres of Entrepreneurship in nurturing technology startups and described OCP 7.0 as an important initiative for developing indigenous technological solutions to address real healthcare challenges.
She said the MedTech CoE in Lucknow was actively supporting startups in the HealthTech sector. At present, 70 startups are benefiting from the facilities and ecosystem of MedTech CoE, working on 36 products and 57 prototypes, reflecting the growing innovation pipeline emerging from the centre.
Prof. (Dr.) R.K. Dhiman, Director, SGPGIMS, Lucknow, stressed the importance of close collaboration between medical and technology institutions for successful MedTech innovation. He said the outreach under the Open Challenge Programme should extend beyond SGPGIMS and actively connect institutions such as RML, KGMU and other leading medical institutions with the MedTech CoE initiative.
He noted that linking clinical requirements with technological expertise and entrepreneurship could help create practical and impactful healthcare solutions. Prof. Dhiman also highlighted SGPGIMS’s clinical expertise and encouraged innovators to participate actively in OCP 7.0.
A significant highlight of the event was the disbursement of financial assistance to 10 MedTech CoE startups under the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme. Against a total sanctioned financial assistance of ₹1.20 crore, the first instalment amounting to ₹39 lakh was released to the startups, with cheques distributed during the programme. The support is expected to help emerging ventures advance product development, prototyping and commercialisation.
The second major session featured a panel discussion titled “Problem Statements under OCP 7.0: Advancing Innovation for Accessible Healthcare & Support Services by STPI CoEs.” Experts associated with SGPGIMS and the MedTech CoE discussed healthcare requirements, emerging medical technologies, innovation opportunities and areas where startups could develop solutions with direct clinical relevance.
The panel included Prof. (Dr.) Amit Keshari, Head, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, SGPGIMS; Prof. (Dr.) Sujeet K. Gautam, Department of Anaesthesiology, SGPGIMS; Dr Abhishek Kumar, Department of Anaesthesiology, SGPGIMS; and Shyam Kumar, COO, MedTech.
The discussions focused on bridging the gap between clinical needs and technology development. Experts highlighted the importance of involving medical professionals at the early stages of product development so that innovations address genuine healthcare challenges, improve accessibility and remain suitable for real-world clinical environments.
The programme also featured a Startup Pitching Session, providing selected MedTech startups an opportunity to present their innovative products, technology solutions and business models before investors and industry experts.
A total of eight startups participated in the pitching session, enabling them to showcase their innovations and engage directly with potential investors and industry representatives. Through Investor Connect, startups also gained opportunities for potential investment, strategic mentorship, partnerships and business development.
The startup pitching jury comprised Dr Vishal Gandhi, Founder, BIORx Venture Advisors Pvt. Ltd.; Ashish Kaul, Director, Diya Industrial Technologies Pvt. Ltd. and Founder Chairman, TiE Lucknow; Sudhanshu Rastogi, Founder, ASR Venture Pvt. Ltd.; and Amit Kumar Verma, Additional Director, STPI Lucknow.
The Investor Connect programme highlighted the growing importance of a collaborative ecosystem in accelerating healthcare innovation. By bringing clinicians, technology experts, entrepreneurs, investors, industry and government stakeholders together, the initiative sought to create stronger pathways for converting research and ideas into market-ready healthcare technologies.
The launch of OCP 7.0 is expected to provide another avenue for innovators to identify and address pressing healthcare challenges through technology. The programme is particularly significant for the development of indigenous MedTech solutions, as startups increasingly seek to combine clinical knowledge, advanced technologies and entrepreneurial capabilities to create affordable and accessible healthcare products.
With its focus on real-world problem statements, startup support, clinical collaboration, funding and investor engagement, OCP 7.0 and the MedTech CoE in Lucknow are positioned to contribute to the development of a stronger indigenous MedTech and HealthTech ecosystem in Uttar Pradesh and across India.
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