Gujarat Startup Saving Lives with Early Diagnosis Devices

Ahmedabad | Gujarat — Today, women are excelling in education, sports, and industry, and the number of women entrepreneurs is increasing across the globe, with Gujarat showcasing its own inspiring examples. One such example is Shilpa Malik, a woman entrepreneur from Gujarat, who leads the startup BioScan Research. Under her leadership, the startup has become a thriving venture, creating medical devices that facilitate the early diagnosis of life-threatening diseases, saving countless lives.

BioScan Research Develops Medical Devices for Early Detection of Life-Threatening Diseases

BioScan Research Private Limited was established in September 2017 in Ahmedabad by co-founders Shilpa Malik and Anupam Lavania. Shilpa Malik is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of BioScan Research. 

A successful technopreneur, she brings over a decade of experience in hardware innovation. She has previously worked as a scientist in the Defence Research and Development, contributing to the design and management of military sensor systems. Under Shilpa Malik’s leadership, BioScan Research develops, tests, manufactures, and markets medical devices that enable non-invasive, early diagnosis of life-threatening conditions such as traumatic brain injury. The company leverages advanced technologies in optics, electronics, mechanics, and software to create portable, onsite detection tools for intracranial hemorrhage. These innovations allow for timely diagnosis, helping to save lives. 

BioScan Research has received financial support from the International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology (i-Create), an autonomous organisation under the Government of Gujarat that supports tech-based start-ups. Additionally, the company has received backing from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), the Department of Health Research (DHR), and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Reflecting on the journey of BioScan Research Private Limited, Shilpa Malik says, “A member of our family experienced a traumatic brain injury, and during his treatment, we realised that the real challenge was not the injury itself, but the lack of early detection. Many patients suffer further complications because their conditions are not diagnosed promptly. This experience became our motivation. Drawing on our technical expertise, we decided to establish a start-up dedicated to developing medical devices for early diagnosis. We received full support from i-Create, an organisation under the Government of Gujarat that provides financial assistance to tech-based start-ups. After investing four to five years in research, we established BioScan Research in September 2017.”

After developing a medical device for brain injury, they received support from the Gujarat government to file its patent. They then dedicated three years to clinical research, during which the device was tested on patients. Following the trials in Gujarat, it was further tested in hospitals across India, involving neurosurgeons from leading institutions such as NIMHANS, Bangalore, and AIIMS, Bhopal. Over two years of clinical research, tests were conducted on 1,500 patients, and more than 11,000 brain scans were performed. After these successful trials, the device was officially launched for commercial use.

70 Units Sold Across India, Predominantly to Government Health & Community Centres

Shilpa Malik said that around 70 units of the device have been sold across India so far. The medical device demonstrates a performance accuracy of 95% and a sensitivity of 97%. The device has received an excellent response from government departments, with most sales going to primary health centres, community health centres, and trauma centres. Its high accuracy has also earned the trust of doctors.

BioScan Research Has Won Over 50 Awards

BioScan Research has received more than 50 prestigious awards and recognitions, including:

* Best Extramural Research Award (2024) by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

* Winner of the India-Israel Innovation Challenge

* Best Healthcare Innovation of India Award by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

* Supernova Award for Best Digi Health and Biotech Innovation of Asia at GITEX Thailand

* Best Healthcare Start-up of India under Unitus Seed Fund, StarHealth 2017

* Ranked among India’s Top 10 Women-Led Tech Start-ups by the AICTE Canada India Acceleration Program

* Listed among India’s Top 15 Women-Led Biotech Start-ups by BIRAC TiE WInER Startup Place

* Winner of the Infosys Startup-Preneur Award