New Delhi: Cancer startup Oncare on Thursday announced that it has raised $1 million in a seed funding round led by Huddle Ventures. The round also saw the participation of venture capital firms such as TRTL Ventures, Cloud Capital and DeVC.
Founded in 2023 by Deepak Kumar and Amar Sneh, Oncare aims to revolutionise India’s cancer care landscape by partnering with 50-100-bed hospitals to create dedicated oncology wings. Through these partnerships, Oncare is reducing treatment costs by up to 40 per cent.
The brand’s aim is to offer an affordable yet high-quality alternative to expensive cancer treatment — which often exceeds Rs 10 lakh in corporate hospitals. By repurposing underutilised hospital space, Oncare ensures that patients receive comprehensive care while addressing one of the most pressing challenges in the Indian healthcare system — access to affordable cancer treatment.
Kumar said the $1 million seed funding would primarily be used to expand Oncare’s footprint across India, with a goal of opening 10 new centres in Delhi-NCR, Bangalore and Jaipur within the next two years. “This will allow us to reach more patients and make cancer care accessible to a wider audience. The funding will also support the expansion of our team — both clinical and administrative — to ensure we maintain high-quality care as we scale up. Moreover, we plan to increase our marketing efforts to raise awareness about our mission to make cancer treatment accessible and affordable for underserved patients,” he said. Emerging as a silent epidemic, the cancer burden in India is staggering, with annual cases expected to rise from 1.39 million in 2020 to 1.57 million by 2025, according to the annual Health of Nation report by Apollo Hospitals. However, high treatment costs, limited availability of oncology centres, and a shortage of specialised professionals are making cancer care inaccessible to millions. Recognising these challenges, Oncare is stepping in with an innovative model that aims to bridge this gap by making specialised cancer care both affordable and accessible.
Sanil Sachar, Founding Partner of Huddle Ventures, said, “Quality healthcare is a fundamental right, yet it remains inaccessible to many across various economic strata. We see a significant gap in the consistency and accessibility of cancer care that every patient deserves. By backing Oncare, our goal is to ensure the delivery of high-quality, affordable oncology treatments across the country. We are excited to support Oncare’s journey to become the leading oncology provider in India, driven by their commitment to making a tangible difference in patients’ lives.”
Oncare has been operational in South Delhi for the past 10 months, wherein it has provided over 2,500 patients with guidance on treatment plans and has successfully completed over 500 treatment sessions. On October 1, it expanded its footprint to Ghaziabad with the launch of its first centre in the city. It is also set to expand to West Delhi with its first centre in the region going live on November 1.
“So far, we have provided treatment guidance to over 2,500 patients and successfully completed over 500 treatment sessions. This expansion will allow us to make specialised cancer care more accessible and affordable for millions of underserved patients. Our mission is to build a network of centres that offer compassionate, high-quality, and cost-effective cancer care, transforming the way cancer treatment is delivered in India,” Kumar added.
