AIT India 2025/26: Renuro (UROPATCH)
Meet Kanika Dheman, one of the ten participants in the 2025/26 edition of the Academia-Industry Training India programme.
Interview with Kanika Dheman
“Today, there is no simple way for patients or caregivers to continuously monitor bladder volume in daily life. UROPATCH is a small wearable patch that measures bladder filling non-invasively and in real time. It aims to prevent health crises, reduce hospital visits, and give users back control over their bodies.”
What problem does your startup solve, and why is it important to you personally?
Bladder problems are very common in people with spinal cord injuries and neurological conditions. Many of them cannot feel when their bladder is full, which can lead to dangerous complications like infections and kidney damage. Today, there is no simple way for patients or caregivers to continuously monitor bladder volume in daily life.
UROPATCH is a small wearable patch that measures bladder filling non-invasively and in real time. It aims to prevent health crises, reduce hospital visits, and give users back control over their bodies.
Personally, this matters to me because through my work with patients and clinicians, I’ve seen how much stress, embarrassment, and medical risk people face just because no easy monitoring tool exists. I believe technology should restore dignity and independence – not just treat emergencies.
What inspired you to become a sciencepreneur, and what has been your biggest “aha!” moment so far?
I became a sciencepreneur because I didn’t want my research to end up as just another paper on a shelf. I wanted real patients, families, and clinics to benefit from it. My “aha!” moment was during an early visit to the Swiss Paraplegic Centre: a patient told me, “I wish I had something that could warn me before it becomes a problem and help me manage my life.” That one sentence made the whole mission crystal clear.
What unique perspective does your academic background bring to your startup?
My background blends biomedical engineering and AI applications in wearable health technology. I’ve worked closely with hospitals and researchers on physiological monitoring and modelling. This has taught me how to design devices that actually work on the human body – not just in the lab. Thanks to my research experience, I can speak the language of doctors, patients, and engineers, and translate clinical needs into practical tech solutions.
What’s one surprising lesson you’ve learned since launching your startup?
Science gives you answers – but entrepreneurship forces you to ask the right questions. I learned that having the perfect technology isn’t enough, because timing, user behavior, regulations, and trust matter just as much. Another surprise: people don’t invest in devices first – they invest in the story, the need, and the team.
If you could host a dinner with three innovators (past or present), who would they be and why?
Nikola Tesla – because he imagined technology far beyond his time and wasn’t afraid to experiment boldly. I’d love to ask him how he stayed so devoted to his vision even when the world didn’t fully understand him.
Dr Patricia Bath – the first woman to patent a medical device in the US and a pioneer in laser eye surgery. She proved that innovation in healthcare can restore not just health, but also independence and dignity. Her journey would resonate strongly with what we’re building with UROPATCH.
Elon Musk – not for the hype, but for his ability to take ideas that seem impossible and push them into reality at scale. I would ask him how to accelerate medtech innovation without losing sight of the human impact.
I think the conversations at that table would cover imagination, courage, and execution – the perfect trio for any meaningful innovation.