Bengaluru-based deep-tech startup eNLife Research has raised ₹6 crore in a seed funding round led by Piper Serica VC Fund. The company will use the fresh funding to improve its blood-based biomarker platform, expand its research and development (R&D) team, and take its first diagnostic test from the prototype stage to clinical validation.
The startup is working on an AI-powered blood test that aims to detect Alzheimer’s disease years before symptoms appear. By making early diagnosis faster, cheaper, and less invasive, eNLife hopes to improve treatment options for patients and support India’s growing healthcare needs.
AI Blood Test Could Detect Alzheimer’s Up to 15 Years Before Symptoms
eNLife Research was founded by Dr. Deepak Kumaran Nair, Professor at the Centre for Neuroscience at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), along with Lt. Col. Jojo Jacob and former CAMS Finserv CEO Anish Mathew. The company was incorporated in April 2025 and is currently incubated at the Foundation for Science Innovation and Development (FSID) at IISc.
The startup is developing an AI-powered blood test that can detect Alzheimer’s disease up to 15 years before clinical symptoms begin. Today, Alzheimer’s is usually diagnosed using PET scans, MRI scans, or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tests. These methods are expensive, invasive, and often identify the disease only one or two years before memory problems become noticeable.
eNLife wants to change this by offering a simple blood test that can help doctors identify the disease much earlier. Early diagnosis is important because many Alzheimer’s treatments work better when started before major brain damage takes place.
The current version of the test checks five to seven biomarkers, including amyloid beta and harmful forms of tau proteins, which are linked to Alzheimer’s disease. In the future, the company plans to expand the test to study 25 to 100 biomarkers. This could help detect different types of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases through the same platform.
The company is also building its AI and machine learning system using data collected from the Indian population. This is important because most existing diagnostic models are based on Western populations and may not fully match India’s genetic and lifestyle differences.
Once the technology is ready, the blood test is expected to deliver results within two to five hours through regular diagnostic centres.
Fresh Funding to Speed Up Research and Clinical Validation
The ₹6 crore funding will help eNLife strengthen its research, improve its technology, and expand its scientific team. The company also plans to complete clinical-grade validation of its first diagnostic test.
At present, the technology is between Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 and 4, which means the proof of concept has already been completed and the company is now working to build a complete diagnostic platform for real-world use.
Since eNLife is still a pre-revenue startup, it plans to follow a business-to-business (B2B) model. Instead of selling directly to patients, the company will partner with hospitals and diagnostic laboratories to offer the test. It also plans to work with pharmaceutical companies by providing data that can support clinical research and drug development.
The startup is also preparing to file patents over the next nine to eighteen months for its biomarker technology, diagnostic tests, and detection platform.
Piper Serica Sees Strong Potential in India’s Deep-Tech Healthcare Sector
The investment shows growing confidence in Indian startups that are using advanced technology to solve healthcare challenges.
Piper Serica recently launched its Bharat Tech Fund, which focuses on high-growth technology sectors such as artificial intelligence, deep-tech, biosciences, semiconductors, and spacetech. The fund has already invested in more than 30 startups across these sectors.
The investor believes India needs affordable and accessible solutions for diseases like Alzheimer’s as the country’s ageing population continues to grow. The company also believes eNLife’s technology has the potential to make early diagnosis available beyond metro cities, including Tier 2 and Tier 3 regions.
To strengthen its research, eNLife is working with leading institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Hyderabad, and the Centre for Brain Research (CBR) in Bengaluru. These partnerships will help the company build high-quality datasets and improve the accuracy of its AI platform.
As India’s health-tech sector continues to grow, eNLife Research’s latest funding round highlights the increasing focus on AI-driven medical innovation. If the technology is successfully validated and commercialised, the startup’s blood test could make early Alzheimer’s detection more affordable and accessible, helping doctors diagnose the disease much earlier and improve patient care.