Kolkata, February 11, 2026: In a major step aligned with the Government of India’s Startup India and innovation-led growth agenda, IHH Healthcare (“IHH”), world’s leading multinational healthcare provider, in partnership with its subsidiary Fortis Healthcare, announced the launch of ‘IHH Catalyst | Fortis India Edition’, a national healthcare innovation platform designed to accelerate the deployment of patient-centric, technology-enabled solutions across India’s hospital ecosystem.
The initiative is part of IHH’s broader innovation strategy and was first introduced in October last year as the IHH Global Incubator. Now formalised and launched as ‘IHH Catalyst’ in partnership with Fortis, the programme seeks to bridge a critical gap in India’s healthcare innovation journey, moving promising health-tech and med-tech startups beyond pilots and proofs-of-concept into real-world clinical validation, hospital adoption, and scalable implementation. Anchored within the Fortis Healthcare network and supported by Plug and Play as the programme partner, the platform will leverage global innovation expertise and structured startup engagement to accelerate execution.
The initiative reflects a long-term commitment by IHH and Fortis to support India’s emergence as a global hub for healthcare innovation and delivery excellence.
Speaking on the launch, Ashok Pandit, Group Chief Corporate Officer, IHH Healthcare, said: “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. By anchoring this initiative in India with Fortis, our primary healthcare platform in the country, we aim to support innovations that strengthen patient outcomes, empower clinicians, and contribute meaningfully to the future of healthcare delivery in India and across the Asia Pacific region.”
India today hosts one of the world’s fastest-growing healthcare startup ecosystems, addressing challenges across access, affordability, quality, and efficiency of care. However, large-scale adoption within hospital systems remains a key barrier.
IHH Catalyst | Fortis India Edition has been structured to directly address this gap by providing startups with access to clinical expertise, hospital infrastructure, and defined pathways for validation and scale.
The platform will focus on execution-ready startups that demonstrate strong relevance to hospital workflows, patient outcomes, and operational efficiency, ensuring innovation translates into measurable healthcare impact for India.
As the India anchor partner, Fortis will play a central role in enabling startups to work closely with clinicians and hospital teams across its network, ensuring innovations are tested in real-world settings and aligned with clinical realities.
Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, MD & CEO, Fortis Healthcare, said: “India’s healthcare future will be shaped by how effectively innovation is translated into everyday clinical practice. IHH Catalyst | Fortis India Edition is aligned with the Government of India’s Startup India vision, creating a structured pathway for healthcare startups to engage directly with hospitals, clinicians, and patients. At Fortis, we see this as an opportunity to enable scalable, technology-led solutions that improve quality of care, operational efficiency, and access, while positioning India as a global centre for healthcare innovation.”
The three-month hybrid programme will combine in-person immersion with structured virtual engagement. Selected startups will receive:
- Mentorship from IHH and Fortis leadership, clinicians, and functional experts
- Opportunities to pilot and validate solutions within live hospital environments
- Support across regulatory readiness, data protection, cybersecurity, and interoperability
- Clear pathways toward long-term partnerships, scale-up, and potential investment
The inaugural India cohort will focus on priority healthcare domains aligned with national and institutional needs, including:
- Patient Journey & Workflows
- Chronic Disease Management
- Multidisciplinary Care
- Preventive & Predictive Care
- Oncology
The programme will follow a multi-stage selection and evaluation process. Key milestones for the inaugural cohort include:
- 10 February 2026: Programme launch and call for applications
- 25 March 2026: Announcement of selected cohort
- 2 July 2026: In-person Demo Day in Gurugram
The initiative targets early-growth to enterprise-ready startups, with solutions ready for pilots, proof-of-concepts, and deployment within hospital systems.
Starting with India, ‘IHH Catalyst’ serves as a regional platform, with future editions planned across IHH markets, enabling Indian startups to scale internationally while contributing to global healthcare innovation.
