Niramai Health Analytix: supporting accessible, early breast cancer detection with AI and thermal imaging

In this case study, we highlight Niramai Health Analytix, a participant on the Accelerating FemTech: Evaluate programme who is making early breast screening portable, accessible and pain free.

Breast cancer remains the most diagnosed cancer type among women globally and the most common cause of cancer death in women. In 2022, there were an estimated 2.3 million women diagnosed with breast cancer and 670,000 deaths globally. Early diagnosis is critical if breast cancer mortality rates are to be improved. 

The NHS breast screening programme (BSP) is offered to women aged 50 to 71 every three years, aiming to support the early detection of breast cancer before symptoms occur. During these appointments, women are invited to the hospital for a mammogram – a type of X-ray that takes images of the inside of the breasts.  

Traditional X-ray mammography can sometimes miss small lesions, especially in patients with dense breast tissue. This means supplementary testing, such as Ultrasound or MRI scans, may be recommended to the patient  – an extra cost for healthcare services and additional stress for patients. 

Making early breast cancer detection portable

Niramai is a deep-tech startup based in India who are developing AI enabled automated solutions to address critical healthcare challenges. Thermalytix is a radiation-free breast screening test, which uses a hand-held thermal sensing device paired with AI to support early-stage breast cancer detection.  

Thermal images are analysed using their machine learning software to look for breast temperature patterns which indicate early cancer lesions, even in dense breasts. Temperature patterns are automatically translated by AI to produce a patient health report that can be sent to clinicians for review. 

This pain-free and non-invasive solution works for women of all ages, with the potential to improve accessibility and early diagnosis rates, when used as a screening tool ahead of mammography.  

Niramai's origin story

Niramai co-founder and CEO Geetha Manjunath, a computer scientist, became aware of systemic gaps in breast screening in India following the deaths of two close relatives who died of breast cancer due to late diagnosis.  

She realised there was a need for a safer, more affordable, and accessible early-stage breast cancer screening method and founded Niramai (Non-Invasive Risk Assessment with Machine Intelligence) in 2016, along with her cofounder, Nidhi Mathur. 

Co-designed with clinicians and patients, Niramai’s patented Thermalytix technology was refined through multiple studies and pilots. By partnering with hospitals, diagnostic chains and other outreach health initiatives, 400,000 women across over 250 locations in India have been scanned. As a result, over 2,000 cancers have been detected in hospitals and outreach so far.  

Early diagnosis is critical in saving the life of a cancer patient and Niramai’s method of screening has the potential to detect abnormal breast lesions at scale, providing accessible screening at a much earlier stage than traditional methods or self-examination.

Obtaining patents and growing the company's international footprint

Niramai received early investment from Venture Capitalists, which funded extensive clinical testing and multiple evaluation studies of their AI-based thermal imaging innovation.  

Thermalytix has subsequently been positively peer reviewed by over 50 reputed publications and obtained 39 patents, and they now have distribution partnerships in place across 22 countries in Asia, Europe, Africa and the USA. 

While exploring the possibility of entering the UK, they recognised the unmet need of compensating for the reduced sensitivity of mammograms on scanning dense breasts. This has been reflected more widely by feedback from stakeholders published in December 2025 by the UK National Screening Committee, which included discussion around breast density and the importance of women knowing how this could affect their screening results. Niramai saw potential for Thermalytix to be used alongside traditional screening methods for better results in UK. 

How did the Accelerating FemTech: Evaluate programme help Niramai? 

Being based in India, Niramai’s main aim ahead of taking part in the programme was to find out more about the healthcare system in the UK and understand NHS adoption requirements.  

Meeting with clinical leaders, health economists and subject matter experts helped Niramai refine their value proposition. It also provided clarity on the importance of early health economic analysis, real-world evidence generation and routes for pilot evaluation within NHS settings.   

They also found the regular workshops and 1:1 discussions valuable and appreciated the practical guidance on translating innovation into system-ready implementation.

What comes next for Niramai?

Following completion of the Accelerating FemTech: Evaluate programme, Niramai are applying to a special closed-call funding opportunity through the Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst, which is specifically offered through the programme. This funding will enable the company to assess the feasibility of introducing Thermalytix for women with dense breasts to the NHS breast screening programme (BSP). 

The recent publication by the UK Government of the National Cancer Plan for England offers an ideal backdrop for Niramai to initiate prospective pilot studies within the NHS and bring their innovation to GP practices and Women’s Health Hubs.

Niramai Health Analytix is part of Accelerating FemTech: Evaluate. This cohort ran from November 2025 until February 2026.

Accelerating FemTech: Evaluate is an Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst Accelerator delivered by the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London, DigitalHealth.London and partners from across the UK.