What if a single cough could cost someone their life? That’s exactly what pushed three visionaries from Lucknow to build Dectrocel, a health-tech startup now making headlines after raising ₹4 crore in fresh funding from top investors including IAN BioAngels, PadUp Ventures, and Vinners.
But this isn’t just another funding story. This one begins with a tragedy that should never have happened.
From a Missed Diagnosis to a Mission to Save Lives
One patient. A persistent cough. Delayed X-ray interpretations. And the worst outcome possible — late-stage lung cancer that could have been detected earlier.
This painful loss turned into a mission: to ensure no family ever suffers because of slow, inaccurate medical reports.
That’s how Dectrocel was born — to bring AI-powered diagnosis to every corner of India.
The Big Problem They’re Solving
India faces a shocking shortage of radiologists — just 1 for every 1.25 lakh patients.
- That means delays of 7–10 days for scans.
- Error rates as high as 40% in some regions.
Dectrocel’s flagship product, DecXpert, is changing the game:
- 10x faster scan interpretations
- 98% accuracy
- One of only three AI diagnostic tools approved by CDSCO for clinical use in India
Meet the Powerhouse Founders
Behind Dectrocel are three people determined to change healthcare forever:
- Ankit Shukla – AI-in-medicine expert, University of Queensland
- Saumya Shukla – Doctorate in Public Health, MBA from NUS, MS in Data Science from Harvard
- Nikhil Mishra – IIT Kanpur researcher in medical AI
Their blend of medical expertise and technical brilliance is exactly why investors are backing them.
What’s Next for Dectrocel?
With this ₹4 crore raise, the startup plans to:
- Expand across India, from large hospitals to small-town clinics
- Enter international markets facing similar radiologist shortages
- Launch new AI tools for CT, MRI, PET-CT, and HPB diagnostics
The bigger goal is a self-learning AI platform that gets smarter with every scan, creating a global standard for medical diagnostics.
Why Everyone’s Talking About It
Because this is more than just another startup story. It’s about millions of patients who can’t afford to wait weeks for a diagnosis.
Dectrocel isn’t just building AI. They’re building hope — hope that no matter where you live, expert-level medical care can reach you quickly and accurately.
From a heartbreaking loss to a life-saving mission, Dectrocel’s journey shows that some of the most powerful innovations are born out of pain. With fresh funding secured, this Lucknow startup is on a path to transform healthcare in India and beyond.
