IIT Hyderabad incubated startup ‘BeAble’ wins Rs 25 Lakh funding

Hyderabad: Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad-incubated Startup BeAble has won Rs. 25 lakh in funding at ‘Open Innovation Challenge 2019’ of India Innovation Growth Programme (IIGP) 2.0. The startup is a spinoff from the first batch of Fellowship in Healthcare Entrepreneurship at Center for Healthcare Entrepreneurship (CfHE) – IIT Hyderabad, and works in the convergence of good design and technology to rehabilitate stroke patients.

The IIGP 2.0 Open Innovation Challenge 2019 received more than 1,600 applications from across India. BeAble Health was selected as one of the winners and awarded seed grant of Rs 25 lakh to support its market penetration and scale-up operations.

The IIGP 2.0 is a tripartite initiative of Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, American global defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin and Tata Trusts. Supporting the Government of India’s missions of ‘Start-up India’ and ‘Make in India,’ IIGP 2.0 works to enhance Indian innovation ecosystem by enabling innovators and entrepreneurs through the stages of ideation, innovation and acceleration to develop technology-based solutions for the future.

Congratulating BeAble on its success, Prof Renu John, Co-Head of CfHE and Head, Department of Biomedical Engineering, IIT Hyderabad, said, “The Center for Healthcare Entrepreneurship (CfHE), IIT Hyderabad, is focused entirely on boosting healthcare innovation in India. BeAble is one such example of an innovative startup coming out from the CfHE and we are sure they will make a positive impact on Indian healthcare sector. IIT Hyderabad looks forward to incubating many more successful startups through CfHE.”

‘ArmAble’ is BeAble Health’s first product and is aimed at solving the pressing need for an intensive, engaging and regular rehabilitation therapy for Upper Limb. It is aimed at conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Traumatic Brain Injury, Fracture and Frozen shoulder.

The key features of ‘ArmAble’ device include:

• Affordable

• Engaging Game-Based Therapy

• Higher Repetitions and Intensity

• Data based quantified progress and recovery

• Full ROM for the Arms

• Tele-Rehabilitation

Highlighting the impact this Seed Grant will have on the startup, Mr Habib Ali, a Biomedical Engineer and a CfHE Fellow who co-founded BeAble, said, “IIGP 2.0 has put BeAble Health in a position which allows us to aggressively pursue our targets. The seed granted will accelerate our pilot production.”

Further, speaking about the targets for BeAble, Habib Ali, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, BeAble Health, “We aim to deploy around 100 devices in the coming year, which involves both sales and rent. This will allow us to deliver more than 1 Lakh hours of therapy impacting the lives of many.”

As part of ‘Innovation Phase’ of the Open Innovation Challenge, IIGP 2.0, up to 50 innovators will get an opportunity to participate in a rigorous boot camp conducted by Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad. Select innovators may also get an opportunity to connect with industry players at Industrial Immersive Day.

Further, up to 10 innovators will undergo an incubation process and will receive seed funding. They will also get an opportunity to participate at an Immersion Workshop, and interact with global experts from the innovation, entrepreneurship and investment ecosystem besides access to network of sponsors, mentoring and hands-on support in building the enterprise from people who have done it before, and support for pilots/tests in India.

Another benefit for the startups is an opportunity to participate at ‘Demo Days’ organized under the IIGP 2.0 to showcase their technologies to and interact one-on-one with investors.

BeAble Health Pvt. Ltd is headed by Mr. Habib Ali and Mr. Sreehari. K.G, Co-founder and COO. ArmAble provides rehabilitation therapy for the upper limb through interactive and fun games, which motivate the users to perform therapy. It can be used by patients who have suffered a stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, frozen shoulder and/or fracture under the guidance of a physiotherapist. At present, the company is preparing to sell the devices to hospitals, physiotherapy clinics and rehabilitation centers as well as to individual customers on a rental basis.