Tromsø, [Norway], December 1: Prof. Krishna Agarwal, Founder & CEO of Spermotile and Professor at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, delivered an impactful presentation on cutting-edge Arctic medtech innovation during a high-level knowledge-exchange programme hosted by ProTromsø. The session brought together a delegation of five young Members of Parliament from India, along with representatives from UN Women and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi.
The delegation included Mr. Anup Sanjay Dhotre, Mr. Putta Mahesh Kumar, Mr. Sirgapoor Niranjan Reddy, Mr. Gowaal Kagada Padavi, and Ms. Priya Saroj—India’s youngest MP at just 26. Their visit aimed to experience Norway’s distinctive approach to education, healthcare innovation, MSME growth, and human-centric governance, with Tromsø emerging as a powerful example of Arctic innovation excellence.
Highlighting UiT’s Growing Innovation Ecosystem
As part of the programme, UiT The Arctic University of Norway showcased its expanding research and innovation landscape. Prof. Agarwal represented the university’s medtech leadership, presenting breakthrough work led by her laboratory in AI-driven optical imaging and diagnostic technology.
Her medtech startup, Spermotile, became a key highlight. The device—already acclaimed internationally—uses AI-guided motion analysis and microfluidic engineering to transform sperm selection for IVF/ICSI. The Indian MPs responded with keen interest, acknowledging the technology’s potential to address critical gaps in India’s rapidly expanding fertility care sector.
A Journey from India and Singapore to the Arctic Frontier
Prof. Agarwal also shared her personal journey, beginning with her Gold Medal from IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, followed by a PhD from the National University of Singapore, and a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship at the Singapore-MIT Alliance. These global academic experiences shaped her multidisciplinary approach and laid the foundation for establishing a world-class research ecosystem in the far north.
Despite Tromsø’s extreme Arctic environment, she has built one of Norway’s fastest-growing medtech research clusters. Her laboratory now consists of 20 researchers from diverse fields, and she has secured more than €23 million in competitive Norwegian and European grants—an achievement applauded by the visiting delegation.
Strengthening Indo-Norwegian Innovation Bridges
The knowledge-exchange programme also underscored the rising collaboration between India and Norway in science, technology, gender equity, and sustainable development. Prof. Agarwal’s engagement with India’s young MPs reinforced the power of international academic journeys and cross-border innovation.
Her story resonated strongly with the delegation, demonstrating how supportive ecosystems in places like Tromsø can catalyse breakthrough technologies with global relevance.
As India looks to scale its medtech capabilities and digital health infrastructure, engagements like these are expected to strengthen Indo-Norwegian cooperation and open pathways for future research partnerships, technology transfer, and innovation exchange.
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