Practo Cofounder Launches Healthtech Startup Cent, Raises $5 Million to Transform Preventive Healthcare

Practo Cofounder Launches Cent: $5M Funding Signals a Promising Shift in Preventive Healthtech

India’s healthtech ecosystem continues to evolve rapidly as entrepreneurs explore new ways to improve access, diagnostics, and preventive healthcare. In a significant development, the Practo cofounder has launched a new healthtech startup called Cent, which has successfully raised $5 million in early-stage funding.

The startup aims to redefine preventive healthcare using advanced diagnostics, AI-driven analysis, and early disease detection technologies.

As India faces a growing burden of lifestyle diseases and late medical diagnoses, the emergence of platforms like Cent signals a shift toward proactive health monitoring instead of reactive treatment.

The Vision Behind Cent

Cent was founded by a team of experienced entrepreneurs and technology leaders who previously worked at some of India’s most prominent startups.

The founding team includes:

• Shashank ND (Practo cofounder)

• Arpit Garg (former Lenskart executive)

• Anshul Khandelwal (former Ola Electric executive)

Together, the founders bring deep expertise in healthcare technology, product innovation, and startup scaling.

Their mission with Cent is straightforward yet ambitious:
detect life-threatening diseases much earlier than traditional healthcare systems typically do.

The startup focuses on identifying health risks such as:

• Cancer

• Cardiovascular diseases

• Neurological conditions

• Metabolic disorders

These diseases account for a large proportion of global deaths, making early detection critical.

How Cent Uses AI for Early Disease Detection

One of Cent’s biggest differentiators is its AI-driven diagnostic approach.

Instead of relying on basic annual health checkups, the platform combines multiple technologies to provide deeper medical insights.

Advanced Screening Protocol

Cent’s platform integrates several medical diagnostics tools, including:

• Full-body MRI scans

• Cardiac CT scans

• ECG analysis

• DEXA scans

• Biomarker analysis from blood and urine

• Genomic screening

These diagnostics collectively analyze over 300 potential health conditions in a single visit.

AI-Powered Analysis

Artificial intelligence processes the massive amount of data generated during scans and tests. The system then produces a detailed organ-level health report reviewed by medical specialists.

Patients receive a comprehensive report that evaluates the health of various organs and identifies potential risk factors.

Why Preventive Healthcare Is Becoming a Global Priority

Healthcare systems worldwide are shifting toward prevention rather than treatment.

In many cases, serious diseases such as cancer or heart conditions are diagnosed only after symptoms appear—often when treatment becomes more complex.

Cent aims to change that model by detecting diseases before symptoms even begin.

According to early operational data from the startup:

• More than 1,500 scans have already been completed

• Around 26% revealed clinically meaningful findings

• Approximately 3–4% detected critical health conditions requiring immediate attention

These numbers highlight how many individuals may unknowingly carry serious health risks.

A Direct-to-Consumer Healthcare Model

Unlike many healthtech companies that partner primarily with hospitals or insurance companies, Cent is adopting a direct-to-consumer (D2C) healthcare model.

This means patients can directly access advanced diagnostic services without going through corporate healthcare programs or hospital referrals.

The model aims to make early detection services more accessible and transparent for individuals who want a deeper understanding of their health.

Rapid Growth in India’s Healthtech Startup Ecosystem

India’s healthtech sector has seen rapid growth over the last decade.

Startups are leveraging technologies like:

• Artificial intelligence

• Digital diagnostics

• Telemedicine

• Health data analytics

• Remote patient monitoring

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital healthcare adoption, and today investors are increasingly funding solutions focused on preventive medicine and diagnostics innovation.

Cent’s $5 million funding round reflects growing investor interest in startups tackling early disease detection and longevity-focused healthcare solutions.

Expansion Plans for Cent

The startup has ambitious plans to scale its services across major Indian cities.

Key expansion goals include:

• Launching dedicated early detection centers in major metros

• Expanding diagnostic capacity and infrastructure

• Scaling AI-driven health analytics systems

• Entering international markets in the future

The company aims to significantly increase the number of preventive scans conducted annually and make early disease detection more mainstream in India.

The Bigger Vision: Helping People Live Healthier for Longer

The name “Cent” reflects the company’s broader vision: enabling people to live healthier lives that extend toward 100 years of age.

By combining cutting-edge medical technology with artificial intelligence, the startup hopes to reshape how individuals approach healthcare.

Instead of waiting for symptoms, people could routinely check their health risks and take preventive action much earlier.

This shift could potentially save millions of lives over time.

FAQs

1. What is Cent healthtech startup?

Cent is a preventive healthcare startup focused on early disease detection using advanced diagnostics and AI analysis.

2. Who founded Cent?

Cent was founded by Shashank ND, the cofounder of Practo, along with Arpit Garg and Anshul Khandelwal.

3. How much funding did Cent raise?

The startup raised approximately $5 million in seed funding.

4. What problem does Cent solve?

Cent focuses on detecting life-threatening diseases early, before symptoms appear.

5. What technologies does Cent use?

The platform combines MRI scans, CT scans, biomarker testing, genomic analysis, and AI-powered diagnostics.

6. What diseases can Cent detect?

The platform screens for conditions including cancer, cardiac disease, neurological disorders, and metabolic issues.

7. Where is Cent based?

Cent operates from Bengaluru, India.

8. How many scans has Cent conducted so far?

The startup has completed more than 1,500 scans during its early operations.

9. What makes Cent different from traditional health checkups?

Cent integrates multiple diagnostic technologies and AI analysis to identify hundreds of health conditions in one visit.

10. What are Cent’s future plans?

The company plans to expand diagnostic centers across major cities and eventually explore global markets.