Open Challenge 7.0
Event Description
NIRMAAN (New-age Innovations Revolutionizing MedTech & Advanced Accessible Healthcare Needs) is the 7th Open Challenge Program (OCP 7.0) of STPI-MedTech CoE, inviting applications from innovative startups working in the domains of Medical Electronics and Health Informatics.
The program aims to identify, nurture, and support potential startups developing innovative products and technology-driven solutions to address critical healthcare challenges. It provides a unique platform for innovators to transform their ideas into market-ready solutions through access to world-class infrastructure, expert mentorship, clinical guidance, business support, and a collaborative innovation ecosystem.
The selected startups will receive comprehensive support to accelerate product design and development, prototyping, clinical validation, regulatory compliance, commercialization, and business growth.
OCP 7.0 is committed to empowering innovators, researchers, and entrepreneurs to develop impactful, scalable, and affordable MedTech solutions that enhance the accessibility, quality, and affordability of healthcare.
Focus Areas / Problem Statements (Indicative)
| Sl. No. | Problem Areas / Problem Statements | Expected Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | IoT-enabled multi-testing biosensing system for at-home testing or public health. | Development of an affordable, IoT-enabled multi-analyte biosensing system. The device should enable rapid, accurate, and connected diagnostics with secure real-time data transmission, remote monitoring, and clinical decision support, facilitating early disease detection, timely intervention, and improved population health surveillance. |
| 2 | Medical wearables for neurological, cardiac or other health monitoring applications. | AI-enabled medical wearable for continuous neurological, cardiac, or other physiological monitoring. The device should provide accurate real-time health assessment, detect early signs of clinical deterioration, enable remote patient monitoring, and support timely clinical intervention, improving disease management and long-term patient outcomes. |
| 3 | Early screening solutions for detecting brain tumors and/or detection of progression in patient through AI interventions. | Develop an AI-enabled solution for early detection and monitoring of brain tumors using multimodal clinical and imaging data. The system will support accurate screening, assess tumor progression and treatment response, and provide explainable clinical decision support. By enabling timely diagnosis and intervention, it is expected to improve patient outcomes, optimize treatment planning, and enhance neuro-oncology care across diverse healthcare settings. |
| 4 | Develop an affordable, portable quantitative neuromuscular monitor suitable for resource-limited Indian OTs. | A low-cost, portable quantitative neuromuscular monitor that enables accurate intraoperative and postoperative assessment of neuromuscular function. By providing objective monitoring of neuromuscular blockade and recovery, the device is expected to reduce perioperative complications, improve patient safety, support evidence-based anesthesia practice, and expand access to essential monitoring technology in resource-limited operating theatres across India. |
| 5 | Smart syringe labelling system with barcode/RFID verification that alerts before administration of wrong drug or wrong concentration. | A smart syringe labelling and verification system that combines barcode/RFID technology with automated safety checks to verify medications before administration. By detecting errors such as the wrong drug, incorrect concentration, or patient mismatch in real time, the solution will support safer medication practices, reduce preventable adverse drug events, and enhance patient safety in high-risk healthcare environments. |
| 6 | AI-Based Solution for Digitization of Patient Data, Follow-up, and Prognostic Assessment in Indian Hospital Settings. | An AI-powered system that stores and organizes patient information into a standardized, searchable format — enabling accurate patient assessment, structured follow-up tracking, and prediction of future prognosis. |
| 7 | Development and Validation of an Indigenous AI-Enabled Multimodal Neonatal Neuro-Monitoring Device for Early Detection and Prognostication of Hypoxic–Ischemic Encephalopathy (Neo Neuro Guard). | To deliver an indigenous, AI-powered neonatal neuro-monitoring device capable of continuously analyzing multimodal clinical data to detect HIE at an early stage, predict disease severity and neurological outcomes, and provide real-time decision support to clinicians. |
| 8 |
In normal human physiology, pleural pressure is negative compared to atmospheric
pressure. However, during pleural effusion, intra-pleural pressure rises and there
is fall with aspiration of fluid done for diagnostic purpose or to relieve dyspnea
as a therapeutic measure.
Problems associated: 1. Sudden drop in intra-pleural pressure during large volume aspiration leading to re-expansion pulmonary oedema. 2. No existing tool to anticipate pleural pressure drop in real time. 3. Aspiration of large volume fluid is time-consuming. |
A small handheld device or chest-wall attachable device that assesses pleural pressure in real time, displays pressure drop during fluid aspiration, and simultaneously aspirates fluid using a miniature pump with controllable flow rate depending on patient's clinical status. |
| 9 | AI powered Cognitive Assessment Tools. | To check cognitive abilities and predict early Alzheimer’s and Dementia. |
| 10 | AI-based sepsis detection/prediction and mortality prediction solutions. | Identify patients at risk of developing sepsis before clinical deterioration. Detect sepsis using real-time or near-real-time analysis of patient data. Predict likelihood of sepsis within a predefined prediction window. Generate patient-specific risk scores that update as new clinical data become available. |
| 11 (a) | Rehabilitation: Low-Cost Wearable Device for Foot Drop Using Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) |
|
| 11 (b) | Smart Home-Based Upper Limb Rehabilitation System |
|
| 11 (c) | Smart Cushion for Prevention of Pressure Injuries |
|
| 11 (d) | Remote rehabilitation solution with patient tracking & monitoring | Develop a digital remote rehabilitation device enabling continuous patient monitoring, personalized therapy delivery, and real-time tracking of rehabilitation progress through connected devices and mobile technologies. |
| 12 | Any other products/services targeting specific disciplines of MedTech/HealthTech in which Medi-Electronics interventions are involved. |
Who can apply
(a) The challenge invites the proposals/applications from Indian Start-ups* who are working in the fields of Medi-Electronics & Health Informatics.
(b) Startups registered with DPIIT under start-up India programme are encouraged to participate in this programme.
(c) Individual Academicians, Researchers, Educators, Entrepreneurs, partnership firms, LLPs may also participate, however, if they are selected then they will have to register as private limited company in a stipulated time (preferably within 3 months).
Note:
- *At least 51% shareholding with Indian citizen or person of Indian origin. The applicant’s entity should not be a subsidiary company of any foreign corporation.
- Applicants may submit proposals addressing one or more of the identified problem statements under OCP 7.0 or propose their own innovative idea or solution, provided it aligns with the objectives of the program and the domains of Medical Electronics and Health Informatics.
Offerings
(a)Financial Incentives/Funding Support:
- A seed funding of up to Rs. 50 Lakh for selected startups, based on the innovativeness of the idea, novelty of the solution, strength of the founding team, and overall business viability
(b)Infrastructure Support:
- Access to State-of-the-Art IoT & Medi Electronics Labs equipped with advanced designing software
- Prototype development support
- Access to fully furnished plug-n-play office space, along with conference & meeting room facilities
- 3D modelling and 3D printing facility
- High Speed Internet Connectivity
(c)Business, Mentoring & Market Support:
- Mentorship from Industry & Clinical Experts
- Business Mentoring, market access, and growth acceleration support
- Networking opportunities with industry leaders, healthcare institutions, investors, and strategic partners
- Go-to-market support, including opportunities to showcase products and solutions at national and international conferences, workshops, exhibitions, and industry events
- Guidance and facilitation for IPR and CDSCO Compliances
- Access to angel investors, venture capitalists, and other funding opportunities
- Facilitation for product development, clinical validation, commercialization, and business scaling
Screening, Evaluation & Selection
- All the applications received shall be subject to a rigorous multi-tier screening process with involvement of appropriate experts from respective domain.
- All the applications received shall be subject to a rigorous multi-tier screening process with involvement of appropriate experts from respective domain.
- Decision of the Designated Committee(s) shall be final & binding on all.
TIMELINES
| Sr.No. | Activities | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | 09-09-2026 | Launch of OCP 7.0 & Application Submission Starts on Sayuj portal. |
| 2. | 08-10-2026 | Application Submission Ends. |
| 3. | 09-10-2026 | Start of screening & shortlisting of completed applications. |
Note: Changes in dates, if any, shall be made public on all relevant portals and social media channels well in advance.
FAQs for OCP 7.0
OCP 7.0 is an initiative by MedTech CoE that gives entrepreneurs and startups an opportunity to solve real-world problem statements identified by industry and academia in the field of medical equipment/electronics and health informatics.
Startups registered as a Private Limited Company, Registered Partnership Firm, or LLP, incorporated not more than 10 years ago, with annual turnover not exceeding Rs. 100 crores in any financial year since incorporation. Also working towards innovation, development or improvement of products or processes or services, or is a scalable business model with a high potential of employment generation or wealth creation. Unregistered founders may also apply but must incorporate within 3 months of selection.
As per the last editions of OCP’s, focus areas typically include Medi-Electronics, Health Informatics, IoT-based health monitoring, diagnostics/imaging devices, and connected medical devices, though solutions outside these areas are also welcome. (Kindly refer the OCP 7.0 page on medtech website)
Selection follows a multi-tier screening process - shortlisting of ideas/PoCs/Prototye/MVP/ Pre-market solutions in stage-1, followed by evaluation and final selection through a pitching session in stage-2, performed by a designated Pre-screening/SESC committee.
Selected startups get incubation space at the MedTech CoE (SGPGI Lucknow), access to Medi-Electronics & IoT labs, mentorship from industry/medical experts, facilitation of funding support (grants, equity, debt, VC connect), legal/IPR assistance, and market connect opportunity.
No! You don’t have to pay any charges for participation in OCP 7.0. STPI-MedTech CoE is not encouraging or charging any fees for OCP 7.0 participation, its completely free. Just login to Sayuj portal-> Contest-> select the MedTech CoE OCP 7.0 challenge program-> Apply. That’s it.
To get the fully fledged support, the selected startups may operate from the MedTech CoE Incubation facility at STPI Lucknow (SGPGIMS campus) to access the program's infrastructure and support. Virtual support may also be given to the selected startups.
Yes! Appliable to selected and successfully onboarded startups by signing an SSHA. MedTech CoE will charge an incubation equity (INCE) between (1-3%) subjected to prior funding received by startups before joining the MedTech incubation, revenue in last two financial years and/or current valuation of the startup. OR, If startups are not willing to dilute the upfront incubation equity, may select a per-seat monthly service charge (as per present STPI Incubation tariff).
Application open and close dates, along with the pitch/selection schedule, will be published on the MedTech CoE website and Sayuj portals (Live Contest) once launched. (Kindly refer the OCP 7.0 page on medtech website or Sayuj portal)
Applications can only be submitted through the Sayuj portal (linked on medtech.stpi.in) once the challenge goes live. Applicants should keep their company registration, pitch deck, and product/solution details ready. Apply for OCP 7.0
Yes. Startups that are selected and successfully onboarded with the MedTech CoE will be eligible for the opportunity to pitch before the MedTech CoE Investment Committee for seed funding of up to ₹50 lakh.
