New Delhi: IHH Healthcare, in partnership with its subsidiary Fortis Healthcare, on Tuesday launched ‘IHH Catalyst | Fortis India Edition’, a national healthcare innovation platform aimed at accelerating the adoption of patient-centric and technology-enabled solutions across India’s hospital ecosystem.
The initiative aligns with the Government of India’s Startup India programme and seeks to support innovation-led growth in the healthcare sector. The platform is designed to help health-tech and med-tech startups move beyond pilot projects and proof-of-concept stages to real-world clinical validation and scalable implementation within hospital systems.
The programme builds on IHH’s broader innovation strategy and follows the launch of the IHH Global Incubator in October last year. Formalised as ‘IHH Catalyst’ in partnership with Fortis, the India edition will be anchored within the Fortis network and supported by Plug and Play as programme partner.
According to the company, the platform aims to address a key challenge in India’s rapidly growing healthcare startup ecosystem — large-scale adoption within hospital settings — by offering structured engagement, clinical access and defined pathways for validation and scale.
“India stands at a defining moment in its healthcare transformation, powered by a strong national focus on innovation and a vibrant startup ecosystem. Through IHH Catalyst, we are committed to taking healthcare innovation beyond experimentation into real hospital environments where solutions can be validated, adopted and scaled,” said Ashok Pandit, Group Chief Corporate Officer, IHH Healthcare.
He added that anchoring the initiative in India through Fortis would help strengthen patient outcomes, empower clinicians and contribute to healthcare delivery across India and the Asia Pacific region.
Fortis Healthcare Managing Director and CEO Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi said the programme is aligned with the Startup India vision and will create a structured pathway for startups to directly engage with hospitals, clinicians and patients.
“India’s healthcare future will be shaped by how effectively innovation is translated into everyday clinical practice. This initiative will enable scalable, technology-led solutions that improve quality of care, operational efficiency and access,” he said.
The three-month hybrid programme will combine in-person immersion with virtual engagement. Selected startups will receive mentorship from IHH and Fortis leadership and clinicians, opportunities to pilot solutions in live hospital environments, and support on regulatory readiness, data protection, cybersecurity and interoperability. The programme will also provide pathways for long-term partnerships, scale-up and potential investment.
The inaugural India cohort will focus on priority domains including patient journey and workflows, chronic disease management, multidisciplinary care, preventive and predictive care, and oncology.
Key milestones include the programme launch and call for applications on February 10, announcement of the selected cohort on March 25, and an in-person Demo Day in Gurugram on July 2, 2026.
