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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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LEAP Group Relaunches HumanView, a Growth Intelligence System Built to Explain Why Customers Behave the Way They Do

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Reimagined from the ground up, HumanView pairs statistical modeling with expert analysts to turn millions of real-world customer signals into business decisions

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LEAP Group today announced the relaunch of HumanView, its growth intelligence service. The new version has been rebuilt from the ground up and now has a dedicated home at leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

HumanView analyzes what customers say and do across social platforms, e-commerce sites, review platforms, search behavior and user-generated content, including signals from Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, Meta, Amazon and Walmart+ that general AI tools cannot always access. Because the data reflects unprompted, real-world behavior, it avoids the response bias built into surveys and focus groups.

The service works in three layers. HumanView captures signals at scale, decodes millions of records through validated statistical models such as regression, correlation and clustering, and then relies on experienced analysts to interpret the patterns. Clients receive clear, human-validated insights instead of another dashboard.

“Machines find the patterns. Humans find the point,” said Alan Gilleo, CEO at LEAP Group. “The first version of HumanView showed us how much customers reveal when nobody is asking them questions. This version is built to explain why they act the way they do, and to put those answers in front of everyone making decisions, from product to service to marketing.”

HumanView focuses on three areas:

Growth Intelligence: customer motivations and how people perceive a brand and its competitors

Market and Category Intelligence: product pain points, service friction, unmet needs and competitive gaps

Audience Intelligence: new segments, positioning opportunities and gaps in the market

Every model is designed and validated by data scientists and benchmarked before it informs a recommendation.

To learn more about HumanView, visit leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

About LEAP Group
LEAP Group is a boutique marketing agency holding company with offices in Louisville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Chicago. Guided by the belief that brands should “Market Less. Matter More.,” LEAP gives clients access to specialized experts across its entire network. Learn more at leapgroupnetwork.com.

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SOURCE LEAP Group

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STEPHEN A. SMITH ADDRESSES WHITE HOUSE DINNER ATTENDANCE, REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO HBCUs AND PROTECTING CORPORATE INVESTMENT IN BLACK EDUCATION

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NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Stephen A. Smith, media mogul, New York Times bestselling author, and proud 1991 graduate of Winston-Salem State University, is addressing the public discussion surrounding his decision to attend a White House dinner with President Donald Trump, emphasizing his commitment to the long-term financial stability of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

For Smith, the decision was rooted in a commitment to institutions that have educated generations of Black leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, and public servants.

“I will always advocate for HBCUs and the students whose futures depend on them,” Smith said. “My reason for attending the White House dinner was to discuss the challenges these institutions face in securing long-term funding and to make the case that corporate America must continue to invest in them.”

Smith acknowledged federal support through the FUTURE Act while expressing concern that political tensions surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) could discourage private companies from supporting HBCUs. He maintains that these institutions deserve sustained corporate partnerships, philanthropic contributions, and public investment.

“If we truly believe in free-market capitalism, businesses should be able to support educational institutions and charitable causes without fear of criticism or repercussions,” Smith said. “HBCUs have made extraordinary contributions to this country. They deserve sustained public and private investment.”

Ashley Christopher, Esq., Founder and CEO of the HBCU Week Foundation, recognized Smith’s advocacy and decision to engage with the administration.

“Stephen A. Smith has been a powerful advocate for HBCUs, using his platform and influence to shine a national spotlight on our institutions,” expressed Christopher, “His continued support of HBCU Week helps advance our mission of connecting students with life-changing educational opportunities, and we are proud to have him as our ambassador.”

Since Smith became an HBCU Week Ambassador in 2019, the initiative has facilitated more than 15,000 on-the-spot college acceptances and raised and awarded more than $150 million in scholarships, according to the HBCU Week Foundation.

As public discussion continues, Smith is emphasizing the importance of ensuring HBCUs have the resources and partnerships needed to educate future generations and expand opportunities for students.

CLICK HERE to watch Smith’s full response to his White House visit.

MEDIA CONTACT:

media@mrsasinc.com

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SOURCE Straight Shooter Media

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Advantex Announces Completion of Financing and Extension of Maturity Date of Previously Issued Debentures

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TORONTO, Oct. 23, 2026 /CNW/ — Advantex Marketing International Inc. (CSE: ADX) (“Advantex”), a leader in the merchant cash advance and loyalty marketing products for merchants, today announced the completion of a $250,000 secured debt financing. Advantex issued a $250,000 non-convertible debenture which bears an interest rate at 12% per annum and matures December 15, 2027. The proceeds raised from this issuance of the Debenture will be used for working capital purposes.

Advantex has also extended the maturity of its existing $700,000 in 12% secured debentures from October 10, 2026 to December 15, 2027.

About Advantex Marketing International Inc.

Advantex provides working capital to merchants. Advantex also provides specialized marketing programs that enable members of Aeroplan to earn Aeroplan points at participating merchants.

Advantex shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol ADX. For more information go to Advantex’s profile on www.sedar.com

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the future business and operations of Advantex. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The business and operations of Advantex described herein is dependent on a number of factors and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ material include, but are not limited to, changes in Advantex’s economic and competitive conditions including but not limited to the industry sectors in which Advantex operates.

The statements in this news release are made of the date of this release. Forward-looking statements are made based on management’s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements are made and Advantex undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE Advantex Marketing International Inc.

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