Life is an unpredictable maze, but after passing through each twist and turn, we find two paths: one, to let worry and despair consume us, and two, to search for opportunities amidst setbacks and achieve something remarkable. Dr. Vanita Hari Kishore when found herself at such crossroad, a setback in her health, she chose option two. Today, she's rising as a leader in the Healthcare Startups segment by founding Regenxgen Biosolutions. Let’s hear more from her.

Take us through your early life and journey.

I was born and raised in Mumbai to South Indian parents. Exceling throughout my education enabled me to pursue Bachelor of Dental Surgery from Terna Dental College & Hospital with the support of my parents and scholarship from JRD Tata Trust, Mumbai.

However, an unfortunate diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome in my right hand forced me to take a break from clinical practice. Given my strong academic background and natural curiosity coupled with motivation from few of my professors, I decided to shift my focus towards R&D in healthcare and biomaterials.

This decision led me to seek Educational Loan to pursue a Master's degree in Dental Sciences with a specialization in regenerative-based biomaterials at Faculty of Dentistry at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

It was during this time in McGill University that I had my first exposure to entrepreneurship. Despite coming from a middle-class family without a history of entrepreneurship, I was drawn to this world of innovation and business. After long relentless efforts, I secured internships with 2 Canadian companies specializing in Regenerative Biomaterials and paediatric orthopaedic implants. These experiences provided me with invaluable insights into product management, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, and other facets of the medical device industry.

During this period, I met my life partner, S Hari Kishore, who was pursuing a Master's in Applied Biotechnology at McGill University. After two years in Canada, we decided to return to Chennai to get married. In Chennai, I joined my husband's family business, a biopharmaceutical company, Eucare Pharmaceuticals, based in Chennai.

During my tenure in Eucare, I was responsible for overall management of Quality - Regulatory Affairs & Clinical Research. I served as Board Director in Eucare from 2013 until 2020.

In 2016, Eucare had a Joint Venture with a French Multi-National company, offering us to relocate to the regional headquarter based in Singapore. I worked as a Regulatory Affairs Officer overseeing the Southeast Asian market for various healthcare products, in addition to the responsibilities at Eucare. During my tenure in Singapore, I also completed a Post Graduate Diploma course in Clinical Trial Management at NUS-Parexel.

In 2019, after returning to India, we were thrilled to welcome our first child, Akshara. It was during the peak of Covid-19 Lock down period, we drew inspiration from our Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message to be 'Atma Nirbhar' and ‘Make In India’, aiming to reduce healthcare providers' dependence on imported products by offering indigenously developed Indian solutions. This encouraged me to step down from employment and embark on journey of Entrepreneurship, leading to incorporation of Regenxgen in Aug 2020, along with my husband.

Tell us more about your brainchild in brief.

Regenxgen embodies a deep passion for developing and simplifying regenerative solutions for tissue regeneration. Childbirth was a great experience for me, I wanted to Cherish the memory but not the C-Section Scar. This led us to research on this topic, thereby, realizing after most surgeries or injury, wounds heal but the scars remain causing ongoing trauma on the body and the mind. We started doing R&D on developing our first product aimed at scar management leading to inception of SCARXGEN.

Our Start-up is mainly bootstrapped in addition to us being able to secure funding though Stand-Up India Scheme. We have built our manufacturing facility with clean rooms essential for manufacturing of safe and good quality medical products. We strive to provide safe, reliable and cost-effective solutions to those in need, both in India and abroad. Throughout our journey, we have maintained strong commitment to compliance and have obtained requisite product licenses and Quality Management certifications in India and Europe.

We launched our first product Silicone Gel Sheet (Brand Name: SCARXGEN), made from medical grade silicone and is indicated for prevention and management of scars which develop post- burns, trauma, injuries, surgeries, and more.We've entered the Indian market in July 2022 and are commencing export to global markets. To accelerate growth and access newer markets, we are actively seeking potential investors.

How do you foresee the landscape evolving?

The wound care and surgical treatment landscape in India holds great promise. High diabetes rate results in a significant demand for wound care, particularly diabetic foot ulcers. There is paradigm shift among healthcare practitioners from use of conventional therapies to advanced wound care solutions. In addition, patients now have greater access to information and often request specific treatments. Currently, there are few noted Indian players in the woundcare segment, but still is majorly dominated by multinational companies supported by significant resources.

Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Never forget why you started your journey, as self-doubt can often creep in. You need unwavering commitment and determination to excel. Choose your partner wisely, whether in business or life, someone you can openly communicate with. My personal mantra includes the four P's: patience, persistence, perseverance, and perspiration, which are essential for success in entrepreneurship.

Leader whom you seek Inspiration from.

I admire Madam Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson & Founder of Biocon. She has revolutionized the field of biotechnology and inspired a new generation of women entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams.

Dr. Vanita Hari Kishore, Founder & Director, Regenxgen

A trailblazing entrepreneur focused on simplifying tissue regenerative concepts with her company Regenxgen.