Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) has entered into a strategic collaboration with FORGE Innovation & Ventures with the aim of developing a vibrant medtech startup ecosystem in the Medivalley Research Square in Visakhapatnam. The partnership has been established with a view to equipping early-stage medical technology startups and supporting India in becoming self-reliant in providing healthcare solutions at affordable costs.

As part of this effort, a number of key elements will be created, such as the Forge Factory, Forge Academy, and Forge Accelerator. The Forge Factory will be an important asset for startups, offering them necessary infrastructure like cutting-edge laboratories and prototyping facilities. This setting will allow entrepreneurs to create, build, test, and prove their medical devices in actual conditions, greatly improving their ability to succeed in the marketplace.

The Forge Academy will specialize in providing entrepreneurs, engineers, and researchers with the required competencies through tailored training programs. These training programs will span across a broad spectrum of areas such as industrial medtech, product design, regulatory affairs, and emerging technologies. By building both technical skills and entrepreneurial competencies, the academy hopes to produce a new generation of innovators capable of traversing the complexities of the medtech ecosystem.

Moreover, the Forge Accelerator will also offer startups personalized assistance through curated programs that include seed capital, business model crafting, and go to market planning. This holistic strategy will enable startups to expand their operations successfully, readying them for domestic as well as global markets.

Dr. Jitendar Sharma, MD and CEO of AMTZ, highlighted this initiative is a significant turning point in promoting medtech entrepreneurship in India. He showed hope that the association will not only improve innovation but also drive overall healthcare services improvement in India.

FORGE Co-founder Vish Sahasranamam shared this sentiment, indicating that AMTZ's strong infrastructure qualifies it as a great platform to develop a national innovation network. This network will provide backing to advancements in public healthcare, culminating in improved health outcomes for the masses.

Both AMTZ and FORGE are going to build a vibrant ecosystem that promotes innovation, fosters economic development, and places India in a leadership role among the medtech players worldwide. Through mutual cooperation between startups, industry stakeholders, and institutions of learning, this collaboration aims to tackle health concerns and make affordable medical technology more accessible to everyone.