Biosense

Developing innovative medical devices for point-of-care diagnosis of chronic medical conditions for underserved populations in India

Biosense is a company in India conducting research, development and assembly of innovative, network-connected medical devices that provide accurate point-of-care diagnostic solutions in low-resource settings in India.

It began as an Indian dorm-room startup in 2008, and has grown to develop six medical devices to help diagnose chronic problems such as anemia, diabetes and malnutrition. Biosense devices are designed to be low-cost, portable and user friendly to address gaps in the provision of preventive care. In coordination with their medical devices, it has also pioneered a service to analyze results at remote, point-of-care labs, called Picolabs, to enable early detection and improve overall health outcomes for underserved poor populations in India.

Examples include:

ToucHb:
A non-invasive anemia screener using a lens connected to a smartphone and mobile app

uChek:
A smart-phone based portable diagnostic system for urine analysis

SYNC:
A smart, integrated glucometer designed for personal use to track blood sugar levels

Initial incubation support for Biosense was provided by Foundation grantee Villgro, and downstream financial support came from Program-Related Investments from the Foundation with innovative impact financing through Masala Bonds, as well as direct equity funding from Menterra Venture Advisors to help develop and scale its model. Since its creation, Biosense has reached millions with improved early detection of diabetes and other chronic diseases.