Hyderabad based assistive tech device creator, Makers Hive has raised $9 million from Starfish Growth Partners and Investpad. The startup that has developed and built KalArm, a fully functional bionic hand, will be utilizing the fresh capital towards R&D, to scale production and go to market strategy.

Founded in 2018, Makers Hive develops affordable prosthetics for differently abled people. The startup leverages cutting-edge technologies, 3D printing techniques, and electromechanics to make faster, lighter and customizable bionic hands.

Speaking about the funding received, Pranav Vempati, CEO & Co-Founder, said, “We came together with a collective vision to enhance the everyday lives of our fellow human beings who are disadvantaged by hand amputations. The access to assistive technology can be extremely tough for weaker economic sections of society and that remains our prime focus – to ensure global adoption without compromise in quality.”

Makers Hive has launched India’s first fully functional bionic Hand. It is 3D-printed, EMG sensors embedded, lightweight and affordable prosthetic targeted at both National and Global markets of persons with upper-limb below-elbow amputations.

Philip Thomas, Founding Partner & CEO, Starfish said, “Makers Hive represents the ideal innovation startup that we at Starfish aim to nurture in the future as we focus on empowering game-changing ideas. There is a clear need for their technology across the world and holds the potential to change millions of lives.”

Sai Abhishek Rayarao, CEO, Investpad said, “There are an estimated 40 million people across the world in need of prosthetic devices and India alone accounts for more than six million people…. Through the bionic arm and other medical devices under development, we are very confident that Makers Hive will play a leading role in bridging this market gap”.