Pfizer Awards Rs 60 Lakh Grants to 14 Healthtech Startups Under…

Sarah J · 2026-02-18T16:10:22.000Z

Healthcare giant Pfizer has announced the winners of its INDovation Program 2025, selecting 14 promising healthtech startups that will each receive a grant of Rs 60 lakh along with structured 18-month incubation and acceleration support. The announcement was made in New Delhi, with the initiative designed to accelerate clinical validation, regulatory readiness and real-world deployment of innovative health technologies. The INDovation programme targets critical healthcare areas including immunization, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), brain health, oncology, maternal and child health, and is backed by a coalition of major public-sector stakeholders. Partners include the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the Department of Pharmaceuticals, NITI Aayog, and the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MSINS). Implementation support is provided by Social Alpha, with additional backing from the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT) at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. Alongside non-dilutive grant funding, selected startups will receive tailored incubation resources, mentorship from industry experts, regulatory guidance and access to networking and implementation channels all aimed at bridging the gap between early-stage lab innovation and impactful healthcare solutions reaching patients. At the awards showcase, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal emphasised the need for health and MedTech startups to look beyond India’s domestic market and leverage global trade opportunities through free trade agreements covering nearly 70 % of global GDP, reinforcing India’s position as an emerging global hub for affordable, scalable medical technologies. Pfizer’s INDovation programme highlights how corporate-led innovation platforms can catalyse healthtech ecosystems and promote India’s healthcare startups on the world stage. With structured support, grant funding and cross-sector public-private partnerships, these healthtech innovators are better positioned to collaborate internationally especially in areas where European startups and healthcare institutions share similar priorities around regulatory navigation, clinical validation and scalable impact. This development aligns with mission of building Europe-India innovation bridges, particularly in sectors like digital health, medical devices, AI-driven diagnostics, biotech platforms, and clinical care technologies. As healthtech startups from both regions work to solve universal healthcare challenges, such programmes underscore the potential for cross-regional co-creation, funding flows, ecosystem linkages and market access that benefit both continents.

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Pfizer Awards Rs 60 Lakh Grants to 14 Healthtech Startups Under… | SEINET