Villgro Innovations invests in healthcare technology startup Windmill Health

Chennai based Villgro Innovations Foundation has invested an undisclosed amount in Windmill Health Technologies, a startup which creates low-cost technology innovations for healthcare sector.

"We are looking forward to working with the entrepreneurs—a biodesign expert and a doctor—who are passionate and motivated," said Paul Basil, founder and CEO of Villgro Innovations.

Windmill Health, a Delhi-based startup, is founded by Dr. Avijit Bansal and Ayesha Chaudhary, both Stanford-India Biodesign fellows of 2011.

The first innovation of Windmill Health is NeoBreathe, a low-cost neonatal resuscitation device for frontline health workers to resuscitate newborns. The company is looking at making products that make a high impact on healthcare in the developing world.

"Every single baby should have access to a safety net of resuscitation at birth. Till now, the emphasis has been on training health workers while the device has stayed the same for three decades. Our solution is to make the device itself intuitive and more effective," said Bansal and Ayesha.

According to a release, globally, 6 million children suffer from birth asphyxia each year, of which around 904,000 die of it and many more are disabled for life. This can be prevented by using effective neonatal resuscitation devices. The worldwide market for pulmonary resuscitators was estimated to be around $2 billion in 2012, of which the bag valve masks alone constitute 40 per cent of the market.

Villgro Innovations supports and incubates innovators and social entrepreneurs for their early stage of growth. It has incubated 65 enterprises and secured Rs 200 million in follow-on-funding since 2001.