Can world-class surgical technology be developed in India, by Indians, for Indian needs, and still compete globally? Univlabs is proving its possible. Gurpreet Singh (R&D) and Sarbjeet Singh (Marketing) shared with EFY’s Akanksha Sondhi Gaur how their growing team, expanding global presence, and trusted products are showing that innovation can be made in India, not just imported.
Q. Can you share the founding story of UnivLabs and what inspired its inception?
A. Yes! UnivLabs was founded in 2015 by Sunil Kumar Singh, an electronics engineer passionate about democratising surgical technology in India. At the time, the Indian medical device market was dominated by multinational players, resulting in prohibitively high equipment costs and, consequently, expensive healthcare services. Our vision was to bring the latest technology to India, manufacture it locally, and make advanced surgical equipment more affordable for hospitals and patients alike.
Q. What early challenges did you face in the Indian and global medtech markets, and how did you overcome them?
A. The two main challenges were developing technology and turning it into viable products, both of which required significant manpower and funding. We started small, with our first product being a light source for minimally invasive surgeries, followed by a universal medical pump for irrigation and suction during operations. Building an in-house team with expertise in both business and technology was crucial to overcoming these hurdles.
Q. What are the core technologies and innovations behind your flagship products?
A. Our flagship products are fully designed and manufactured in India, giving us complete control over electronics, software, and mechanical components. This enables fast customisation and local support. For instance, our in-house 4K endoscopy camera delivers true 4K resolution with user-configurable calibration.
The patented Am-SafeX urethral catheter features a unique two-eye design and visual markers to guide safe placement and minimise the risk of injury. We are also co-developing a biodegradable ureteral stent with IIT Roorkee. These innovations prioritise performance, safety, sustainability, and automation. Recognised by MeitY, DGHS, and Armed Forces surgeons, our work has yielded a 36-fold return on the Ministry’s investment. We also hold a 4.5-star rating from top practitioners and hospitals.
Q. Can you describe the electronics architecture of your flagship products?
A. The core electronics architecture is built around field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) camera systems. These are supported by custom-printed circuit boards (PCBs) using microcontrollers from Atmel and STMicroelectronics to manage various interfaces, including universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter (UART), high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), and serial digital interface (SDI).
User interaction is facilitated through touchscreens and button-based controls, allowing straightforward system configuration. The light-emitting diode (LED) sources are regulated using pulse-width modulation (PWM), while components such as pumps and insufflators operate via electronically managed motors, solenoids, valves, and sensors to ensure precise performance.
A notable feature is the wearable urine bag, which includes Bluetooth connectivity, enabling real-time monitoring through a dedicated mobile application.
Despite significant challenges with electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), particularly in hospital environments due to high-frequency surgical equipment, UnivLabs achieved compliance with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard IEC 60601-1 through extensive testing at certified local laboratories.
Q. What sets your products apart from traditional solutions in the market?
A. We combine tech innovation, localised ‘Make in India’ manufacturing, and user-centric design. Our systems integrate light source, camera, insufflator, and pump into one unit. Rapid customisation and user-controlled settings boost clinical flexibility. Patented safety features, integrated AI, and fast local service minimise downtime.
Unlike competitors who rely on imports and assembly, we develop electronics, mechanics, and software in-house, ensuring superior quality, cost control, and customisation. We are among the few in India building complete endoscopy and urology systems from scratch.
Q. How does AI enhance your medical devices?
A. AI is central to our 4K endoscopy tower, enabling remote surgical collaboration. Surgeons worldwide can watch live surgeries, annotate in real-time, and guide the operating team through a secure interface. This platform is the first of its kind developed in India, led by our R&D director Sreedhar Anjanappa in Bengaluru.
Q. What are the biggest technical challenges you’ve faced, especially with AI and electronics integration?
A. Challenges include managing EMI/EMC in hospital settings, ensuring reliability amid variable power and grounding standards, and integrating high-frequency surgical devices without interference. We addressed these via IEC compliance and rigorous local lab testing.
Q. How do you ensure quality, safety, and regulatory compliance in your products?
A. We follow ISO 13485 standards, maintain end-to-end traceability, and are pursuing FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and CE (Conformité Européenne) certifications. Our regulatory team conducts usability studies and risk analysis. We also engage surgeons for direct feedback, ensuring clinical safety and relevance.
Q. Who are your primary customers, and how do you tailor solutions for diverse healthcare providers?
A. Our customers include hospitals and surgeons across laparoscopic, endoscopic, gynaecological, urological, and oncological specialities. We offer modular systems, from single-chip to four-chip/ICG-enabled, adaptable to both large hospitals and small clinics. Unlike traditional rigid systems, ours allow flexible image and colour adjustments. Trusted by over 2000 hospitals, including AIIMS and Fortis.
Q. How do you incorporate feedback from medical professionals into your R&D process?
A. Through our SUFI (Surgeons for Innovation) programme, we collect feedback from surgeons, which is regularly reviewed and integrated into product design. This ensures our solutions remain clinically relevant and easy to use.
Q. What are your current R&D initiatives and collaborations?
A. We are developing next-gen products like a wearable insulin patch pump and a biodegradable ureteral stent with IIT Roorkee. We collaborate with international consultants and vendors like ST, Atmel, and Panasonic and maintain a presence in Germany for global design compliance. We were also incubated at Electropreneur Park.
Q. How do you foster a culture of innovation and technical excellence within your team?
A. We recruit from top institutions like IITs, IISc, and C-DAC. Direct exposure to hospital environments gives engineers practical insights. Internships and open applications encourage young innovators to join and contribute.
Q. How do you balance innovation with cost-effectiveness in your product roadmap?
A. We control the entire design and manufacturing process, enabling access to global advancements while ensuring affordability. We use local suppliers and vertically integrated R&D to match or exceed global functionality at lower prices. Our roadmap includes 3D, 8K cameras, and consolidated devices, all built to ISO and IEC standards.
Q. What emerging technologies are expected to shape the future of medical devices, and how are you preparing for them?
A. Automation and robotics will drive the future, especially in endoscopy and laparoscopy. We are investing in infrastructure and developing proof-of-concept projects in robotics, AI, 3D/8K imaging, and remote collaboration tools—tailored for emerging markets.
Q. What is your market rank, recent growth, and revenue goals in the global and Indian endovision market?
A. We are among the top four in India’s endovision market. We have achieved 100% year-on-year growth, reaching ₹360 million in FY24 and targeting $250 million by FY28 and ₹60 billion by FY30. The global market is worth $22 billion, with India accounting for $2.6 billion and emerging markets $5 billion.
Q. What are your strategies for international expansion and future growth?
A. We are securing global certifications and expanding gradually. In India, we are scaling in tier 1 and 2 cities through a hub-and-spoke model and converting refurbished equipment distributors. Globally, we are taking a phased launch approach, supported by our European R&D presence.
Q. What are your goals for the next five years?
A. You see, we do not just want to be an Indian alternative to global brands, we want to be the global brand that just happens to be from India. We aim to be among the top 10 respected global medtech firms by 2030. Our focus includes AI- and robotics-enabled devices, scaling production, and expanding reach, especially in tier 2 and 3 Indian cities. We are building affordable alternatives to systems from global giants like Stryker and Olympus.
