Saurya Mishra, founder and CEO of Articulus Surgical.Medical startup Articulus Surgical has raised funding from Kalaari Capital, as it looks to commercially roll out its indigenously built surgical robotics systems across Indian hospitals.
While the startup did not disclose the amount, it said the capital will be used to accelerate market deployments, expand surgeon training programmes, and deepen partnerships with hospitals over the next 12-18 months.
Founded in 2019, Articulus Surgical builds robotics systems for minimally invasive soft-tissue surgeries, a segment where adoption remains low despite large volumes. Globally, robotic surgery penetration is estimated at around 5-6 per cent, while in India it is under 1 per cent, the startup said, adding that about 200 million abdominal surgeries take place every year.
“We’ve spent nearly five years building and validating the technology. This capital allows us to shift focus from development to scale and adoption, while staying true to a Make-in-India approach that actually works in Indian hospitals,” Saurya Mishra, the company’s founder and CEO, told ET.
Mishra added that unlike many imported robotic systems, which are large and infrastructure-heavy, Articulus’ platforms are designed specifically for Indian operating rooms, which tend to be smaller and resource-constrained. “The company’s flagship system, Pulsar, is a compact modular robotic platform for minimally invasive abdominal and pelvic surgeries and is currently undergoing clinical validation ahead of commercial deployment,” he said.
Articulus has also developed Nebula, a robotic surgery training and simulation platform that is being deployed in teaching hospitals and medical colleges. Another product developed by the startup is Galaxi, an intelligent surgical optics robot.
“Robotic surgery is about letting machines do what they do best, precision and stability, while surgeons do what they do best, which is clinical decision-making,” Mishra explained. “But most systems are not built for India, whether in terms of cost, size, or training models. That’s the gap we are trying to solve.”
Pranav Koshal, vice president, Kalaari Capital, said accessible, high-quality healthcare remains one of the most critical opportunities in India, where millions of patients still lack access to world-class surgical care.
“Their approach is focussed on bringing precision, safety, and minimally invasive procedures within reach of surgeons and patients across the country — precisely the kind of impact-driven innovation India needs,” he added.
The company currently operates an R&D facility and a manufacturing unit in Bengaluru, and plans to scale gradually.
The firm is also backed by Gaurav Agarwal, cofounder and managing director of Innvolution Healthcare, and Sandeep Daga, managing director of Nine Rivers Capital.
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