Zoho-Backed VoxelGrids Builds India’s First Indigenous MRI Scanner

VoxelGrids, a Zoho-backed medtech startup, has developed India’s first indigenously designed and manufactured magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, marking a significant milestone in the country’s push towards self-reliance in advanced medical technology.

The 1.5-tesla MRI system has been deployed at the Chandrapur Cancer Care Foundation near Nagpur, becoming one of the first clinical installations of a fully homegrown MRI platform in India. The deployment follows over 12 years of research and development led by founder Arjun Arunachalam and his engineering team.

India’s hospitals currently rely heavily on imported MRI machines from global manufacturers, resulting in high acquisition costs, dependence on foreign supply chains, and ongoing operational expenses. VoxelGrids’ system aims to reduce this dependency by designing and manufacturing the MRI entirely within India.

According to the company, the MRI scanner is not a replica of existing systems from global players such as Siemens or GE HealthCare. Instead, it incorporates proprietary technological innovations developed in-house, reflecting a ground-up engineering approach rather than reverse engineering.

One of the most notable differentiators of the VoxelGrids MRI is the absence of liquid helium, a critical and expensive component used in conventional MRI systems for cooling superconducting magnets. By eliminating the need for liquid helium, the company claims it has reduced manufacturing costs by approximately 40 percent, while also addressing supply volatility and maintenance challenges associated with helium-based systems.

The company is now working on further enhancements to its MRI technology, including the development of a containerised, mobile MRI unit. The mobile version is aimed at expanding access to advanced diagnostic imaging in underserved and remote regions, where traditional MRI installations are often impractical due to infrastructure and cost constraints.

VoxelGrids’ progress represents a rare example of deep-tech medical hardware innovation emerging from India, a sector historically dominated by multinational manufacturers. If scaled successfully, the company’s approach could reshape the economics and accessibility of MRI diagnostics across the country.