DPIIT, Roche India Partner to Boost Healthtech Startups in Critical Therapies

The collaboration is also a strategic step towards realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, where public-private synergies drive breakthroughs in healthcare access, affordability, and innovation.

In a significant move to accelerate India’s position as a global health innovation hub, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Roche Products (India) Pvt. Ltd. to provide strategic support to DPIIT-recognized healthtech startups. This landmark collaboration will focus on innovations in critical therapeutic areas such as oncology, neurology, ophthalmology, haematology, and rare diseases.

The formal agreement was signed by Dr. Sumeet Jarangal, Director at DPIIT, and Smt. Rajwinder Mehdwan, Managing Director of Roche Products (India), in the presence of senior officials from both entities. This MoU marks the beginning of a public-private partnership aimed at nurturing cutting-edge, patient-centric solutions aligned with India’s healthcare priorities.

Empowering Startups through Global Expertise

Under the agreement, Roche India will extend comprehensive support to startups by offering:

• Mentorship from global subject-matter experts

• Technical guidance on pilot programs and validation studies

• Access to advanced technologies and healthcare infrastructure

• Linkages to international healthcare innovation platforms

Startups will also benefit from advisory support on regulatory pathways, intellectual property (IP) strategy, and compliance with global health standards, thereby accelerating their journey from innovation to market deployment.

Building Capabilities Beyond Innovation

The partnership emphasizes capacity-building and knowledge transfer, with a particular focus on:

• Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR)

• Good Clinical Practices (GCP)

• Real-world evidence generation and patient engagement

This comprehensive framework is designed not only to foster innovation but also to ensure that emerging technologies and therapies are clinically effective, ethically tested, and equitably delivered.

Joint Secretary of DPIIT, Shri Sanjiv, hailed the MoU as a timely intervention to strengthen India's healthcare ecosystem. He noted:

“Startups are playing a pivotal role in transforming the Indian health landscape. Collaborations like these can guide innovators in translating disruptive ideas into viable healthcare solutions that meet both national and global standards.”

Roche’s Commitment to Indian Innovation

Echoing this sentiment, Smt. Rajwinder Mehdwan, Managing Director of Roche India, said:

“This MoU represents a collaborative journey. Our aim is to support healthtech startups with meaningful mentorship, scientific rigor, and global exposure. We believe in building solutions that are tailor-made for India’s healthcare needs while aligning with global innovation benchmarks.”

Roche’s involvement will act as a catalyst in bridging the gap between scientific innovation and patient-centric care, a vision that resonates with the company’s long-standing commitment to advancing healthcare in emerging markets.

Aligning with India’s Startup and Innovation Goals

This partnership is part of DPIIT’s broader strategy to promote inclusive innovation, particularly within the Startup India initiative. With over 100,000 recognized startups, India is home to one of the fastest-growing startup ecosystems in the world, and healthcare is a priority sector with enormous potential for both economic growth and social impact.

The collaboration is also a strategic step towards realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, where public-private synergies drive breakthroughs in healthcare access, affordability, and innovation.

A Model for Future Collaborations

The DPIIT–Roche partnership sets a precedent for how government and industry can jointly uplift early-stage innovation. It reflects a growing trend of co-creation and co-development, where the focus is not only on products but also on systems-level impact through policy guidance, clinical validation, and ecosystem building.

In doing so, this MoU serves as a model for future partnerships that aim to position India as a global leader in healthtech innovation, while ensuring that the benefits of technology reach the last mile of the healthcare delivery chain.