The US and the UAE are emerging as key overseas markets for local healthtech startups, with several companies moving from pilot launches to commercial expansion, as demand for digital healthcare solutions accelerates in both regions.
Founders and investors say the two markets offer faster adoption cycles and greater willingness to pay for technology-led healthcare products compared with many emerging markets. The trend is also being supported by Indian startups building globally competitive products and tapping diaspora networks for early adoption.
Practo’s case
Healthtech platform Practo in January launched its care navigation platform in the US after establishing operations in the UAE last year. The company said the expansion reflects rising demand for online doctor discovery and care coordination tools.
Practo entered the US market in April 2025 and has since seen rapid adoption. The platform now lists more than 200,000 doctors in the country and reports an annualised gross merchandise value run-rate of over $75 million. Monthly active users crossed 300,000 within six months, with traffic rising nearly sixfold during that period.
The company also reported its first full-year profit in FY25, with its core business growing 25–30% year-on-year. According to reports, Practo is in discussions to raise a pre-IPO round.
Other startups, including Dozee, HealthPlix, Docstribe AI and Respyr are also expanding their presence in the US and the UAE.
What did Pankaj Jethwani say?
“This signals market maturity,” Pankaj Jethwani, managing partner at W Health Ventures, told FE. “Indian founders are building globally competitive products and navigating international regulations better. The Indian diaspora often becomes the first customer base.” Nearly a third of the firm’s portfolio companies are already selling into these markets, he added, noting that “the early response has been encouraging”.
Remote patient monitoring startup Dozee, backed by Prime Venture Partners and 3one4 Capital, has also prioritised overseas growth.
“The growth trajectory has exceeded our expectations, particularly in the US,” Mudit Dandwate, co-founder and CEO of Dozee, said. “Once solutions are localised for regulatory and clinical workflows, adoption can scale quickly.”
The US remote patient monitoring market alone is estimated at about $15 billion and is growing at around 13% annually, driven by rising healthcare costs, ageing populations and workforce shortages
Dozee began commercial operations in the US in the first quarter of FY26, and the company said revenues are already split roughly equally between India and the US. It expects the US share to rise to 70% in FY27 and 85% in FY28.
The UAE, though smaller, is also attracting interest because of regulatory similarities with the US healthcare system and its proximity to India.
Docstribe AI’s journey
Docstribe AI entered the US market in late 2025, targeting healthcare systems dealing with care fragmentation and revenue cycle inefficiencies.
“The response has been enthusiastic,” Akash Srivastava, co-founder of Docstribe AI, said. “Health systems recognised the value of data-driven care coordination that identifies high-risk patients and tracks adherence.”
The US care management solutions market was valued at $6.63 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at over 14% annually through 2030, according to industry estimates. In the UAE, the company has partnered with healthcare institutions to pilot its platform.
Respyr, a Bengaluru-based startup backed by Venture Catalysts and We Founder Circle, began entering the US market in early 2026 and is also in discussions to expand into the UAE next financial year. The company’s breath-based screening platform focuses on early metabolic risk detection and personalised metabolic analysis.
“As our trainer-led ecosystem scales, international markets could contribute 40–50% of revenue in two to three years,” said Ankur Jaiswal, chief executive of Respyr.
Founders say the US remains attractive because of structured reimbursement frameworks and a higher willingness to pay for healthcare innovation.
“The regulatory bar is high,” Dandwate said, adding: “But once you clear it, you have built a product that can be adopted across multiple global markets.”
