Eye-screening firm Forus Health has received a 21 per cent investment to scale its AI diagnostics across India and abroad.
Forus Health develops ophthalmic diagnostics — tools that detect eye disease — and “oculomics”, which uses eye images to flag wider risks such as diabetes or hypertension. Its devices have screened over 22 million people in more than 75 countries, and its AI-integrated platform has delivered comprehensive eye assessments to over five million patients.
The deal is a secondary transaction intended to support the scale-up of Forus Health’s AI eye-screening platforms and international deployment.
Inviga Healthcare Fund has acquired the 21 per cent stake, its second major investment after Mynvax in 2024, signalling support for India-built AI diagnostics in global markets.
Dr B. S. Ajaikumar, founder of Inviga Healthcare Fund and chair of HCG, said: “Forus Health embodies the Inviga ethos: clinically strong, technologically deep, socially impactful, growth oriented, profitable. This investment is a testament to our confidence in India’s ability to produce world-class healthcare innovations for domestic and international markets. We are delighted to partner with visionary founders like Chandrasekhar (KC) who combine deep insight with execution to make preventive, equitable healthcare a reality.”
K. Chandrasekhar, founder and chief executive of Forus Health, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Inviga as we enter the next phase of our growth. Their expertise in healthcare, operational experience, and insights from a clinician’s perspective are incredibly valuable. Together, we aim to enhance our AI and platform capabilities, utilise our proven ability to innovate in medical devices, and expand our reach both in India and globally. Our mission remains focused on eradicating preventable blindness.”
Rakshith Rangarajan, fund manager at Inviga Healthcare Fund, said: “Our collaboration with Forus is a strategic step intended to facilitate the expansion of a reputed med-tech franchise that is serving a significant market demand through a sustainable and economically sound business model. It reflects our commitment to advancing accessible solutions that address large, unsolved health challenges. The Make in India, Make for India and Make for the World ethos of Forus resonates deeply with our Fund. We’re confident this partnership will drive sustained growth and long-term value creation.”
The burden underscores the need for scalable tools: an estimated 270 million people in India live with visual impairment, much of it preventable; globally, 2.2bn people live with vision impairment or blindness, with over 1bn cases considered preventable or treatable. Forus Health’s 3nethra screening devices and wearable 3nethra specto — a smartphone-operated digital refractor for remote and tele-optometry — target earlier detection and easier access to care.
