Voxelgrids

Voxelgrids Innovations Private Limited is a medical technology company focused on making Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) accessible and affordable. Founded in March 2017 by Dr. Arjun Arunachalam, the Bengaluru-based firm develops and manufactures its own MRI scanners in India. Dr. Arunachalam's journey began after his tenure as a lead scientist at GE Corporate Research and an assistant professor at IIT Bombay, driven by the vision to address the significant gap in MRI availability, with approximately 70% of the world's population lacking access. The company's formation was catalyzed by early support from the Foundation for Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship (FISE), an initiative of Tata Trusts, which incubated and provided initial funding.

Voxelgrids' core business revolves around the design, manufacturing, and sale of proprietary MRI scanners. The company's flagship product is a lightweight, full-body 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner. A key feature of this scanner is its use of a compact, liquid helium-free superconducting magnet, which significantly reduces the machine's weight to around 2.3 tonnes, compared to the 6-tonne average of conventional scanners. This design innovation makes the scanners portable, allowing for installation in mobile units or on any floor of a hospital, a significant advantage for deployment in remote and Tier 2/3 cities. The scanners are also designed for lower power consumption and can operate under challenging electrical and environmental conditions. Voxelgrids has developed the entire technology stack in-house, from the cryogenic magnet and gradient coils to the pulse sequence and image reconstruction software, for which it holds patents in multiple countries.

The business model targets healthcare providers by offering a more cost-effective solution. The scanners are priced significantly lower than competitors, aiming to reduce the cost of an MRI scan for patients by about 30-60%. Voxelgrids plans to monetize its technology through direct sales and potentially through OEM partnerships. The company's market is the global diagnostic equipment sector, with a particular focus on underserved regions in India and worldwide. Voxelgrids has received significant financial backing, including a Series A round of $5 million from Zoho Corporation and grants from organizations like the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and the United States-India Science & Technology Endowment Fund. The first prototype was deployed in mid-2017, and the company received its commercial license for manufacturing and sales in June 2023.

Keywords: medical imaging, MRI scanners, health-tech, medical devices, affordable healthcare, diagnostic equipment, indigenous manufacturing, deep-tech, healthcare accessibility, liquid helium-free MRI, portable MRI, 1.5T MRI, Arjun Arunachalam, Zoho Corporation, Tata Trusts, Social Alpha, BIRAC, low-power medical devices, rural healthcare, mobile diagnostic units