Bengaluru-based neuroscience startup BrainSightAI has raised $5 million in Pre-Series A funding, led by IAN Alpha Fund with additional participation from IvyCap Ventures, Silver Needle Ventures, and existing investors.
The funding will support the company’s efforts to enhance its neuroinformatics platform and expand its reach in India and international markets, said a statement.
Founded in 2019 by CEO Laina Emmanuel and CTO Dr. Rimjhim Agrawal, BrainSightAI develops solutions for diagnosing and treating complex brain disorders.
The company’s flagship platform, VoxelBox, uses connectomics—a technology that maps neural connections in the brain—to assist healthcare professionals in making precise diagnoses and prognoses for neuro-oncological and neuropsychiatric conditions.
The startup said that it currently collaborates with over 40 hospitals in India, focusing on neurosurgery and radiology, particularly for brain tumor cases. The startup plans to use the newly raised funds to expand operations in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities across India.
The company also aims to secure FDA certification, enabling entry into the U.S. and allied markets, and is exploring potential opportunities in Africa and Southeast Asia.
Additionally, the funding will support research and development for a caregiver-focused app designed to empower families of patients with brain disorders.
Laina Emmanuel, an ISB graduate with two decades of experience in healthcare and technology, co-founded BrainSightAI with Dr. Rimjhim Agrawal, a NIMHANS-trained expert in machine learning for neurological disorders.
According to a statement, the duo met during the Entrepreneur First program and shared a vision of democratising advanced brain care by bridging the gap between research and real-world applications.
“We are excited by the potential of connectomics to advance personalized brain care,” Emmanuel said. “This funding enables us to build for the world from India and take meaningful steps towards making advanced brain diagnostics accessible to everyone.”
Priyank Garg, Managing Partner of IAN Alpha Fund, said “BrainSightAI’s connectomics platform represents a fundamental innovation in brain physiology. Its potential to transform the diagnosis and treatment of brain disorders is truly inspiring.”
The company claimed that they leverages technology traditionally accessible only at institutions like Harvard and Stanford to make advanced brain diagnostics more widely available. By mapping macro-scale neural connections, the company aims to provide actionable insights for treating neurological and psychiatric disorders, thus addressing critical gaps in brain care globally.
According to BrainSightAI, as it scales its operations, it will focus on integrating its platform into more healthcare systems and securing regulatory approvals to reach international markets.
