Cent Raises $15 Million and Acquires Medsee to Expand AI-Powered Preventive Healthcare

Cent, a preventive healthcare startup founded by Practo co-founder Shashank ND, has raised $15 million in a Series A funding round co-led by Blume Ventures and South Park Commons. The company has also acquired Medsee, an artificial intelligence (AI) radiology platform, as it looks to strengthen its technology capabilities and expand its early disease detection services.

The funding round included participation from individual investors Arun Sarin, Srinivas Narayanan, Sharath Narayana, Aprameya Radhakrishna, and Krishan Sridhar, according to a LinkedIn post by Shashank ND.

Cent focuses on identifying potential health risks through medical imaging, biomarkers, and AI. The company plans to use the fresh capital to invest in hardware, AI development, and clinical research. The acquisition of Medsee is also expected to strengthen its AI capabilities.

Cent's Preventive Healthcare Approach

Cent is building a preventive healthcare model designed to identify potential diseases and health risks before they progress to more advanced stages.

According to the company, around 10,000 people underwent screening through its protocol over the past year. Of those screened, one in four had a finding that required medical attention, while one in 40 needed to consult a doctor immediately.

These figures are based on Cent's reported screening experience and do not, by themselves, establish the accuracy of its protocol or the long-term health outcomes of those screened.

The startup's approach combines multiple diagnostic tests in a single session, aiming to provide a broader assessment of a person's health than an isolated test might offer.

What Does Cent's Screening Protocol Include?

Cent's screening protocol combines medical imaging, cardiac tests, bone-density assessment, and biomarker analysis in a session lasting around two hours.

The protocol includes:

• Full-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

• Low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans

• Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)

• Electrocardiography (ECG)

• Echocardiography (ECHO)

• More than 100 biomarkers

Together, these tests are intended to help identify potential health concerns across different systems of the body.

The company operates its own centres in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi NCR, alongside a network of partner diagnostic laboratories established earlier.

By bringing multiple assessments into one session, Cent is seeking to make comprehensive screening more convenient. The clinical value of any screening programme, however, depends on appropriate test selection, interpretation of findings, follow-up care, and evidence that the approach benefits patients.

Why Cent Is Focusing on Early Disease Detection

Cent is targeting a gap in India's healthcare system, where some noncommunicable diseases are diagnosed only after they have progressed.

In its funding announcement, the company cited estimates of 101 million people living with diabetes in India, another 136 million with prediabetes, and approximately 315 million with hypertension.

These figures illustrate the scale of the health conditions Cent says it wants to address. They also point to the potential demand for approaches that support earlier identification of health risks.

Screening is not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. Its usefulness depends on identifying clinically meaningful risks and ensuring that people receive appropriate follow-up care. Broad screening programmes must also account for false positives, unnecessary investigations, costs, and the possibility of findings that do not ultimately affect health outcomes.

For Cent, demonstrating the effectiveness and practical value of its approach will be important as it expands.

Medsee Acquisition Strengthens AI Capabilities

Alongside the funding round, Cent has acquired Medsee, an AI radiology platform.

Medical imaging can generate large volumes of complex data that require careful interpretation. AI tools can potentially support parts of the imaging workflow, including image analysis and the identification of patterns that warrant further review.

Cent founder Shashank ND said the acquisition would strengthen the company's AI capabilities. The company has not detailed the acquisition's financial terms or provided a full breakdown of how Medsee's technology will be integrated.

The acquisition comes as Cent plans to invest more in AI, hardware, and clinical research. How effectively it combines these capabilities with its screening protocol will be an important part of its future development.

Funding to Support Technology and Clinical Research

The $15 million Series A round, co-led by Blume Ventures and South Park Commons, gives Cent additional capital to develop its technology and screening operations.

The company plans to invest in hardware, AI, and clinical research. These areas could support improvements in its diagnostic workflows, technology infrastructure, and evidence base.

Clinical research will be particularly important for a preventive healthcare business. Identifying an abnormality is only one part of the process; the relevance of the finding, appropriate follow-up, and eventual patient outcomes also matter.

Cent's expansion will therefore involve both building technology and establishing evidence for the clinical usefulness of its services.

Shashank ND's Next Healthcare Venture

Cent was founded by Shashank ND, who previously co-founded Practo, a healthcare technology platform.

In September 2026, Practo elevated Shashank to managing director and executive chairman, while Jagnoor Singh was appointed CEO, according to the cited report.

Cent represents a different focus within healthcare: rather than concentrating primarily on healthcare discovery and access, the startup is building around preventive screening, medical imaging, biomarkers, and AI-assisted analysis.

Its ambitions extend beyond its current operations. Cent aims to conduct 10 million scans by 2035 and help save one million lives through early disease detection. These are company targets, not achieved outcomes.

What Comes Next for Cent?

Cent has raised $15 million, acquired Medsee, and reported that around 10,000 people have undergone screening through its protocol over the past year.

The next stage will involve expanding its technology and clinical research while building its screening operations. The company's long-term ambitions will depend on whether it can scale its services, demonstrate clinical value, and ensure that people receive appropriate care after screening.

For India's preventive healthcare sector, Cent's funding round highlights investor interest in combining diagnostics, AI, and early disease detection. Its progress will be measured not only by the number of scans performed, but also by the quality of its screening, follow-up care, and evidence of improved health outcomes.