Theranautilus Bengaluru startup wins ET Top Innovator, schedules dental trials
Theranautilus, a Bengaluru startup founded in 2020, just picked up the Top Innovator award at the Economic Times Startup Awards 2026.
The team is working on tiny, magnetically controlled nanorobots for minimally invasive medical treatments, a technology rooted in research from IISc back in 2007.
Right now, they're gearing up for human dental trials this September.
Backed by 65cr, licensing nanobot technology
Backed by ₹65 crore, including equity-free grants, from investors like pi Ventures, Pravega Ventures, Golden Sparrow, and angel investor Abhishek Goyal, Theranautilus plans to license its nanobot tech to pharma and medical device companies.
While they're starting with dental care (think tackling tooth sensitivity and accessing hard-to-reach areas such as root canals), they've got their sights set on cancer treatment, drug delivery, and neuromodulation next, with hopes of starting cancer trials by 2028.
Another jury member and the cofounder and CEO of Urban Company, Abhiraj Singh Bhal, called their work "globally unique" and praised how much solid research backs it up.