1 Lavanya Shastri, Founder & CEO, Adivaa, India’s pioneering start-up in the field of smart hydrogen wellness technology in preventive healthcare.
“As Union Budget 2026 comes closer, we are hoping to see more focus on healthcare beyond just hospitals, medicines, and treatment. Today, lifestyle issues, stress, and poor daily habits are affecting health much earlier, so preventive health and wellness should be given more importance.
From our point of view, affordability plays a big role. Many health tech and wellness products are still taxed heavily, which makes people think twice before buying them. If the GST on such products is lower, more families can start using health solutions as a part of daily life, rather than treating them as luxury items.
Health tech startups also need stronger support, as this space demands research, testing, and compliance. Simpler regulations, faster approvals, and better access to funding can drive innovation. Budget 2026 has a chance to steer India towards a preventive, wellness-focused, and technology-driven healthcare system where staying healthy becomes a daily habit, not a reaction after falling ill.” Lavanya Shastri, Founder & CEO, Adivaa
2. Shubhendra Singh, CEO, ErlySign, Nagpur-based biotech startup developing India’s first salivary biomarker–based screening test for early-stage oral cancer
“As India prepares for the Union Budget 2026–27, early detection must become a central pillar of our national cancer control strategy. Today, nearly 70 per cent of cancers in India are detected at advanced stages, leading to poorer outcomes and significantly higher treatment costs. A dedicated, well-funded National Mission on Early Cancer Detection, implemented through MoHFW, NHM, NPCDCS and state health systems, can help shift the country from a treatment-centric model to a prevention-first framework.
We also hope the Budget strengthens public health capacity at PHCs, CHCs, dental colleges, and community health centres, where frontline screening can make the greatest difference. Incentivising indigenous diagnostic innovation through R&D grants, GST rationalisation, predictable regulatory pathways, and government-enabled pilot programmes will accelerate the availability of affordable, non-invasive screening technologies across India.
With targeted support for workplace and community-level screening, particularly among tobacco users, industrial workers, and underserved rural populations, India has the opportunity to reduce its cancer burden dramatically. A Budget that prioritises prevention, innovation, and equitable access will enable earlier diagnosis, improved survival rates, and a more economically sustainable healthcare ecosystem. ” — Shubhendra Singh, CEO, ErlySign
