Med-Tech Launcher Program 2026: TRL 7-9 Accelerator for Medical Devices — Frequently Asked Questions

It is a late-stage accelerator for medical devices and In-Vitro Diagnostics, run by the UP Promote Pharma Council (UPPPC). UPPPC is a Section 8 company established by the Government of Uttar Pradesh through its Department of Medical Education. The programme is built to help technologies at TRL 7-9 move past the prototype stage into clinical validation, regulatory clearance and commercial deployment, an area where support for Indian MedTech is otherwise limited.

Your innovation must sit between TRL 7 and TRL 9. TRL 7 means a prototype system or model has been proven in an operational environment. TRL 9 means the system is complete and has been qualified through rigorous testing and demonstration. Anything below TRL 6 falls outside the scope of this accelerator.

The programme accepts medical devices and In-Vitro Diagnostics. In practice that includes diagnostics, therapeutic devices, surgical instruments, implants, monitoring systems, digital health solutions that are classified as medical devices, and IVD reagents or instruments. You also need a functional prototype with technical and preliminary clinical validation data, such as lab testing, pre-clinical studies or early pilot human data.

No. The Med-Tech Launcher Program does not offer any upfront cash grants or direct financial support to participating innovators. The value comes as in-kind assistance — infrastructure, clinical access, mentorship, regulatory and legal guidance, and business development support — delivered at zero upfront cost. Where money is needed later, the programme facilitates introductions to late-stage venture capitalists, strategic industry partners and government grant agencies such as BIRAC and the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme.

Nothing is charged upfront. The commercial mechanism published for this programme is a success-linked revenue share rather than an equity stake: on commercial launch, participating academic and research institutions may receive up to 10% of post-tax Gross Annual Revenue from product sales for a maximum of ten years, and UP Promote Pharma Council receives up to 5% of post-tax GAR. Collaborating institutions and contributors may additionally receive royalties of up to 20% from IP monetisation, based on documented contributions.

Applications close on 15 October 2026. Submissions are made online through the portal at https://uppromotepharmacouncil.org/medtech-launcher, which is the same place you will find the application requirements and any updates to the programme.

The online application asks for detailed technical specifications of your innovation, your existing validation data (lab testing, pre-clinical studies and similar evidence), profiles of your core team, a clear articulation of the market opportunity, and your proposed regulatory strategy. You should also be ready to demonstrate IP ownership or a licence to core intellectual property — or set out your strategy for developing defensible IP and assessing freedom to operate.

The programme's published eligibility criteria do not list DPIIT recognition or MSME registration as a requirement. Selection is judged on the technology readiness level, the product category, the strength of your validation data, the quality of your team, the market opportunity and your IP position, rather than on a particular registration status.

A multi-disciplinary panel of MedTech specialists, clinicians from the identified institutions, regulatory affairs experts and business development professionals reviews eligible applications. Scoring covers clinical impact, technical maturity, market potential, regulatory feasibility, IP strength and team capabilities. Shortlisted teams then meet the Apex Screening Board, which is chaired by the Managing Director of UP Promote Pharma Council and includes representation from the Department of FSDA, NIPER Raebareli, CSIR-CDRI, NIB, IITs, plus subject matter experts from the identified medical institutions and industry associations.

Selected innovators get facilitated ethics and regulatory approvals and direct institutional access to 11 premier medical institutions in Uttar Pradesh for clinical trials, product testing and usability studies, along with expert clinical feedback. The programme also provides secure, controlled access to de-identified clinical datasets and clinical mentorship for iterative product refinement — the parts of late-stage validation that teams most often struggle to access on their own.

Med-Tech Launcher Program 2026: TRL 7-9 Accelerator for Medical Devices is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

Apply directly through the official application link on this page. Review the eligibility criteria and prepare your startup documents before you begin.