About the Program
BFI NAMAH (Nailwal MedTech Acceleration Hub) at Venture Center is a one-year, end-to-end MedTech translation accelerator — designed to bridge the critical gap between early-stage research and market-ready medical devices.
Supported by Blockchain for Impact (BFI) and anchored at Venture Center, India's leading deep-tech incubator hosted within the CSIR-NCL Innovation Park in Pune, the programme provides innovators with a structured, milestone-driven pathway from concept to clinical deployment.
India imports nearly 70% of its medical devices by value, and close to 80% of MedTech startups fail between TRL 3 and TRL 6 — not from lack of ideas, but from lack of translational infrastructure. BFI NAMAH directly addresses this gap. By integrating certified engineering infrastructure, regulatory expertise, ISO 13485-compliant manufacturing, and clinical validation support, the programme enables innovations to move from prototype to regulatory approval with clarity, speed, and confidence.
Benefits to Applicants
Accepted innovators gain access to a comprehensive ecosystem built for end-to-end MedTech product realisation:
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Who Can Apply?
BFI NAMAH welcomes applications from innovators who have an early-stage MedTech concept or prototype and are ready to take it through structured product development. The programme is open to:
- Academic researchers and scientists working on biomedical technologies
- MedTech startups at the ideation or early prototype stage
- Clinicians and hospital teams with validated clinical problem statements
- Independent innovators with a viable MedTech product concept
Applicants should have innovations in the TRL 2–5 range, with ambitions to reach regulatory readiness and near-market deployment within the programme period.
How to Apply?
BFI NAMAH selects projects through two pathways:
Open Calls — Periodic nationwide calls for proposals are issued, inviting applications from academia, startups, hospitals, and independent innovators. All submissions undergo a multi-stage evaluation covering technical review, regulatory assessment, and clinical relevance screening.
Strategic Nominations — Select projects may be nominated by the BFI–Venture Center Project Committee based on strategic relevance, demonstrated clinical need, or exceptional translational potential.
Shortlisted applicants are onboarded through defined milestones and stage-gated reviews, ensuring structured progress and accountable development throughout the programme.
What We Are Looking For
BFI NAMAH evaluates applications against a structured framework. Strong candidates will demonstrate:
- National health relevance — Alignment with India's priority disease burdens and healthcare needs
- Import substitution potential — Ability to reduce India's dependence on imported medical devices
- Regulatory feasibility — A clear regulatory pathway with realistic prospects for CDSCO approval within programme timelines
- Manufacturing scalability — Potential for cost-effective, scalable production in India
- Clinical pull — Demonstrated demand or endorsement from clinicians and healthcare providers
Priority technology domains include in-vitro diagnostics, imaging and optical diagnostics, point-of-care devices, implants and active devices, Software as a Medical Device (SaMD), and assistive/rehabilitation technologies.
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