Millions of people across India live with non-communicable lifestyle diseases. Although the technology for testing and treating these exists, point-of-care testing is unreliable or expensive, and dedicated laboratories are concentrated within Tier-1 cities. Even when sample collection for lab testing is available, it tends to come with high premiums. 

Thus, patients from other parts of India must bear the additional costs of travel or postage for diagnosis—and unfortunately, many choose to ignore their health conditions until it is too late. Treatable health conditions often remain undetected until they present life-threatening symptoms. As a result, the effectiveness of the healthcare system as a whole is lowered, reducing the treatment options for most patients.

Vidcare Innovations, founded in 2017 by Rohan Aggarwal and Dr Saurabh K. Srivastava, aims to solve the problem of access to quality diagnostics and resulting late lifestyle-disease diagnosis. Using a simple blood test kit, this Pune-based startup is building a new pathway for detecting and managing thyroid and diabetes-related problems in rural India. 

How does this technology work?

The technology in Vidcare’s testing device is similar to that in COVID-19  antigen kits, except that it—perhaps for the first time in the world—provides quantitative numerical values without special instruments. Under the guidance of a healthcare worker, the patient pricks their finger with a lancet, a drop of blood is collected and added to the device. Unlike in many traditional tests, they do not need to provide venous blood via syringe. 

After each blood test, the results appear within 20 minutes. These can be viewed on a linked mobile application and then be forwarded to a doctor for interpretation and diagnosis.

Currently, the device is capable of detecting the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), which are indicators of thyroid-related diseases and diabetes, respectively. However, Vidcare is also developing tests for 10–15 other conditions. 

How effective is the testing device?

Vidcare is now in the process of securing regulatory approvals for the device from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). It has already scheduled a clinical evaluation at a leading hospital in New Delhi. The next step will be to commercialize the product. According to Rohan, the company’s first users will be public health centers, clinics, and small hospitals in rural regions—starting with Gujarat and Maharashtra. 

Internal research from Vidcare suggests that compared to electrochemiluminescence assays—which are the gold standard for such blood tests—the company’s device can detect TSH levels with 96.5% accuracy. Here, the margin of error is lower than 10%, making this finding clinically acceptable. 

 In terms of costs, using the device will be comparable to taking a laboratory test. However, since the former can be used at the point of care, it will save clients time and travel costs. By reducing the amount of effort involved in testing, it will also increase the likelihood of patients following up on their medical conditions, improving their health in the long term.

Recognition of the innovation

Vidcare’s remote point-of-care blood testing device is the first of its kind in the world and has been independently developed within India. In recognition of this, multiple organizations have provided it with awards and recognition. 

From the early stages of development, the Venture Center at the National Chemical Laboratory in Pune has supported Vidcare. Other partners include Lavni Ventures and Social Alpha (since 2022), the Derbi Foundation, and CMIE-AIIMS. In 2019, the startup was one of the winners at the India Innovation Growth Program 2.0. Another major recognition for Vidcare was at the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations (IFIA)’s BRICS Innovation Awards in Brazil, where it won a silver award for healthcare innovation (2025).

Building a stronger healthtech ecosystem

From a policy perspective, a number of changes can be incorporated to improve the quality of innovation in health technology. 

Firstly, a streamlined approval process for new medical devices—such as that developed by Vidcare—can help new startups transition from research to deployment. Governments could facilitate such a process by establishing clear standards and guidelines in the industry.

Secondly, once approved, these tools could be included in public screening programs, with clear rules regulating how they are procured from private partners. This would spread awareness and increase trust in Indian society.

Finally, partnerships with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and public hospitals, along with more funding options for health startups, would give them greater support in the early stages. With these changes, policymakers can reward the most innovative of technology developers and pave the way for a more inclusive health ecosystem in India.