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Artelus wins Roche Drishti HealthTech Challenge

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Drishti HealthTech Challenge is a joint initiative by DPIIT and Roche Pharma India under the Startup India program80+ startups submitted their applicationsArtelus will receive a financial grant of INR 35 lakhs to co-develop and pilot its winning solution

NEW DELHI, June 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Leading healthcare startup ‘Artelus’ – an AI-based provider of healthtech solutions, aiming to enhance diagnosis and treatment for improved patient outcomes was recognised as the winner of Startup India’s Drishti HealthTech Challenge, a joint initiative by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and Roche Pharma India. This recognition is a testimony to the rapid progress made by homegrown health tech startups who are disrupting India’s healthcare landscape. 

Aimed at identifying and supporting healthtech startups in India to develop transformative, scalable solutions for some of the country’s most important health challenges, the Drishti HealthTech Challenge received high-impact applications from 80+ startups working in the areas of digital health.

The Jury comprising of retinal health experts, startup mentors and select members of the Roche India leadership evaluated the applications through a rigorous, multi-stage evaluation criteria focused on problem relevance, impact potential, market readiness, leadership credibility, and regulatory, legal & IP moats. Artelus emerged as the winner and will receive a financial grant of INR 35 lakhs to co-develop, enhance and pilot its pioneering solution in partnership with Roche Pharma India.

The award ceremony, hosted at the Swiss Embassy in New Delhi in the presence of Her Excellency, Mrs. Maya Tissafi, Ambassador of Switzerland to India and Bhutan, marks another milestone in Indo-Swiss collaboration, driven by Roche’s partnership with Startup India and DPIIT to strengthen the healthcare ecosystem in India.

Her Excellency, Mrs. Maya Tissafi, Ambassador of Switzerland to India and Bhutan, said, “The Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement between EFTA and India has intensified the economic relationship between our countries. It creates a ground for exactly the kind of innovation we see today – such as this initiative by Roche Pharma India and Startup India, which creates platforms for entrepreneurs and supports opportunities for collaboration and brings us closer to real-world impact. I would like to offer special congratulations to the winning start-up, Artelus. Its work shows how healthtech can make early diagnosis more accessible and bring quality healthcare closer to those who need it.”

Shri Ateesh Kumar Singh, Additional Secretary, DPIIT, said, “Fostering an ecosystem where advanced technology seamlessly integrates with grassroots healthcare delivery is key to sustainable economic development. Initiatives like the Roche Drishti HealthTech Challenge underscore the immense potential of the Indian startup community to deliver high-impact solutions. Startup India, DPIIT remains committed to supporting open innovation frameworks that empower homegrown entrepreneurs to scale their impact across the country.”

Roche Pharma India Managing Director & CEO Rajji Mehdwan, said, “Retinal diseases are stealing sight across India. The healthcare community has clinicians dedicated to helping people and the medicines that can truly make a difference. What we didn’t have was a way to make early diagnosis accessible to everyone. Artelus solves that. Their offline AI technology brings screening to places we’ve never been able to reach before—expanding access to a much wider group of people. That changes everything. No patient should lose their vision to something preventable. Our partnership with DPIIT and Startup India reflects Roche’s unyielding commitment to India’s innovation ecosystem, nurturing local, home-grown solutions for India’s unique healthcare challenges.” 

About the winning solution

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a rapidly growing public health crisis in India, with delayed diagnosis leading to preventable blindness. The Drishti HealthTech Challenge was launched to uncover scalable, tech-enabled solutions to address this gap.

Artelus’s winning innovation—DRISTi (Diabetic Retinopathy Screening)—is an instantaneous, CE Class 1 AI product that completely redefines point-of-care diagnostics. By building a one-of-its-kind ‘AI on a Chip,’ Artelus enables fully offline retinal screening that functions entirely without internet or cloud connectivity. Alongside their backpack-friendly, 5G-enabled OCT systems, this breakthrough tech democratizes healthcare by bringing comprehensive, transparent retinal diagnostics directly to the remotest corners of India.

Girish Somvanshi, Co-Founder & VP, Artelus, said, “Breakthrough therapies save vision only when patients access treatment in a timely manner. The Roche Drishti Healthtech Challenge recognizes the critical importance of closing that gap. At Artelus, we are building the infrastructure to ensure every patient is identified, referred, treated, and followed up – at a population scale optimized for India and the rest of the world.”

About the Roche Drishti HealthTech Challenge

The Drishti HealthTech Challenge, launched on the Startup India platform is a joint initiative by DPIIT and Roche aimed at strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem and advancing transformative solutions in healthcare. It invited applications from startups working in the following areas of retinal health:

AI driven early screening, referral, and treatment pathways for retinal diseasesA unified, interoperable RWE platform that can integrate with existing systems

About Artelus

Artelus is an award-winning Indian healthtech company building innovative AI-powered portable diagnostics, and digital health infrastructure to enable early detection and integrated management of retinal diseases. With a mission to make quality eye care accessible, affordable, and available to populations worldwide, its solutions are deployed across hospitals, public health programs, NGOs, and international markets, helping reduce avoidable blindness at scale.

About Roche Products (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Roche Products (India) Private Limited is as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Roche Group, the world’s largest biotech company headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. For 80+ years, Roche has been dedicated to improving lives in India, evolving from Vitamins in the 1940s to advanced, differentiated medicines for cancer, ophthalmology, neurology and blood disorders. For more information, visit www.rocheindia.com

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Agoda Unveils South Korean Travelers’ Top Domestic and International Destinations for Chuseok Holiday

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– Fukuoka, Tokyo, Osaka, Da Nang, and Nha Trang topped overseas destinations, while Jeju, Busan, Seoul, Sokcho, and Gyeongju led domestic hotspots  

SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — With the Chuseok holiday around the corner, South Korean travelers are already making plans to make the most of the four-day break. According to digital travel platform Agoda, accommodation searches for international and domestic destinations have increased by 38% and 160%, respectively, compared to two weeks before the holiday period.

Based on accommodation searches made by South Korean travelers between May to mid-August 2026, Agoda found that Japanese destinations dominated the list of the most-searched overseas destinations for the Chuseok holiday. Fukuoka ranked first, followed by Tokyo and Osaka. Beyond Japan, Vietnamese destinations also proved popular, with Da Nang and Nha Trang rounding out the top five. The findings highlight South Korean travelers’ continued preference for short- and mid-haul destinations, where they can enjoy a combination of cultural experiences and seaside leisure.

Due to its proximity to South Korea with an average flight time of just 1.5 hours from Seoul, Fukuoka is one of the most accessible Japanese destinations for South Korean travelers. The destination is expected to become even more accessible with Eastar Jet’s expanded services on the Incheon–Fukuoka route through October 24, and the Busan–Fukuoka route from August 29 to October 24, covering the Chuseok holiday period.

For those making travel plans closer to home, Jeju ranked as the most-searched domestic destination, with a 131% increase in travel interest, followed by Busan (147%), Seoul (64%), Sokcho (324%), and Gyeongju (222%). Sokcho, which recorded the strongest growth in search interest among the top 5 domestic destinations, saw tourism expenditure by South Korean travelers increase by 8.2% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, according to the Korea Tourism Organization. The high growth in interest in Sokcho’, driven by its diverse mix of mountains, beaches, lakes, culinary experiences and cultural attractions, suggests that the destination could see continued visitor demand through the second half of the year, including during the Chuseok holiday period.

Gyeongju, which ranked fifth, continues to attract South Korean travelers with its historic sites and rich cultural heritage. The city’s appeal could be further boosted by expanded KTX and KTX-Eum services scheduled to begin in September, offering travelers improved rail connectivity during the autumn travel season.

Alex Park, Country Director, South Korea at Agoda shared, “As the Chuseok holiday approaches, South Korean travelers are showing strong interest in nearby destinations, with domestic travel seeing particularly strong demand. As a global travel platform, Agoda is committed to supporting travelers with diverse preferences by offering great deals on flights, accommodation, and activities, whether they are looking to explore destinations overseas or closer to home.”

As South Korean travelers finalize their Chuseok holiday plans, Agoda continues to offer a seamless booking experience across more than six million holiday properties, 130,000 flight routes, and 300,000 activities worldwide. To find the best deals for autumn travel to Asia and beyond, visit Agoda.com or download the Agoda mobile app. As part of Agoda’s August Mega Sale, travelers can enjoy up to 60% off on hotel bookings during the main sale through 31 August.

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SOURCE Agoda

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TECNO Wins Two IFA Global Product Technology Innovation Awards for Modular Phone and Tonino Lamborghini TECNO TAURUS

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BERLIN, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TECNO, a global AI-driven innovative technology brand, achieved two IFA Global Product Technology Innovation Awards at IFA 2026:

Tonino Lamborghini TECNO TAURUS took the Miniaturized Gaming PC Technology Innovation Gold Award, standing out with its Italian aesthetics and exceptional performance in the compact body. The TECNO Modular Phone was honored with the Ultra-Slim Magnetic Modular Technology Innovation Gold Award, praised for its ultra-slim craftsmanship and unique modular magnetic technology.

These awards once again demonstrate TECNO’s sustained breakthroughs in product innovation and industry-leading craftsmanship in design excellence. The Global Product Technology Innovation Awards were established in 2014 by IDG, IFA, and DIHK to celebrate excellence across the global consumer electronics industry. The awards honor products that set new industry benchmarks and drive innovation through intelligent technology and user-centric design.

TECNO Modular Phone: The World’s Thinnest Modular Smartphone

At just 4.9mm, the TECNO Modular Phone is powered by proprietary Modular Magnetic Interconnection Technology. It combines a precision magnetic array with pogo-pin connectors, offering a flexible ecosystem for different needs. The host retains a 3000–4000mAh battery, while modules draw power directly for a snap-and-go experience. It also resolves the inherent conflict between rising AI computing demands and limited device space.

The technology has earned over 20 accolades from leading media, with CNET and Yanko Design naming it the Best of MWC 2026, and The Verge recognizing it as the Best Mobile Tech at MWC 2026.

Tonino Lamborghini TECNO TAURUS: One of the World’s Smallest Water-Cooling Gaming Mini-PCs

At around 6.36 liters, the panoramic transparent chassis of the Tonino Lamborghini TECNO TAURUS fuses iconic Italian design with raw engineering. Powered by the Intel® Core™ i9-13900HK and NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 5060 (614 AI TOPS, 145W TGP, DLSS 4), it achieves the pinnacle of performance, providing a high-fidelity gaming experience and high-efficiency AI workstation. The water-cooling system sustains peak frequencies, while 15 ports and WiFi 6E deliver connectivity. It was recognized with Yanko Design’s Best of MWC award.

In addition, TECNO made waves at IFA with the Next-Gen Bezelless Concept Phone featuring a revolutionary 0mm screen bezel, and the convertible laptop MEGABOOK T15 360 Pro. Relentlessly pushing the boundaries of design, performance, and AI innovation, TECNO is pioneering limitless possibilities for futuristic technology.

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Morpho UV Printer Unveiled at IFA with Hands-On Live Creation

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BERLIN, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Morpho, a company specializing in UV printing technology, is showcasing its first desktop UV printer at IFA 2026, Hall 17-196. Visitors are observing Morpho’s colorful, textured prints, and some have the opportunity to print on a range of blank materials provided.

Morpho’s desktop UV printer can print on a wide range of materials, including wood, glass, leather, metal, and more, delivering vivid colors and tactile textures for customized results. At IFA 2026, the booth attracted interest from creators, educators, and technology professionals, who gathered to watch live demonstrations.

Among those who have tried Morpho’s printer, three aspects are most frequently highlighted: print quality, the moving gantry design, and overall ease of use.

Visitors are first drawn to the prints, which feature precise color reproduction and finely detailed textile textures. With G7 Master ColorSpace certification, Morpho ensures consistent tones across different pieces. The same level of precision is evident in the raised textures created by the industrial-grade printhead, which builds fine layers of ink for detailed, tactile surfaces. The printhead maintains fast carriage motion speeds of up to 600mm/s while preserving precise detail.

Attendees have also noted the printer’s compact desktop footprint. With its moving gantry architecture—where the entire gantry moves along both axes—the printer offers a large, fully enclosed print chamber that accommodates various objects while remaining desktop-friendly.

First-time users have given positive feedback on Morpho’s usability. The integrated Stereo Vision Smart Alignment™ System quickly captures an object’s height and contours, while Morpho Studio’s guided workflows help users move from idea to print with minimal setup.

Morpho’s team shared that the program has been in development for several years, with the goal of making UV printers a practical tool for everyday creative use. Founder Mingyu “Brett” Wang, formerly Global VP of R&D at DJI, commented, “We communicate directly with our community, listen to feedback, and make fast improvements.”

Ahead of IFA, Morpho’s Kickstarter campaign surpassed $10 million in support from over 2,800 backers worldwide. The company is committed to further developing its proprietary core technology and delivering reliable engineering for creators, makers, and small businesses.

Visit Morpho’s website to learn more.

About Morpho: Morpho develops desktop UV printers that bring industrial-grade printing and coloring to everyday materials, enabling creators to turn almost any physical surface into a canvas for their ideas.

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