Bigtec Labs is an Indian biotechnology and medical-technology research company known for developing molecular diagnostic technologies, particularly portable and point-of-care systems based on PCR and nucleic-acid testing. The company has played an important role in the development of technologies that eventually became part of the Truenat molecular diagnostic platform, now commercialized by Molbio Diagnostics.

Unlike a conventional medical-equipment manufacturer that produces a broad range of hospital machines, Bigtec Labs has primarily focused on the technology and research side of molecular diagnostics. Its work has concentrated on making sophisticated molecular testing more compact, affordable, automated and suitable for decentralized healthcare environments.

Today, Bigtec Labs operates as a wholly owned research and development subsidiary of Molbio Diagnostics and continues to support the development of diagnostic platforms designed for point-of-care applications.

Company Overview

Particular Details Company Bigtec Labs Industry Biotechnology / Medical Diagnostics / MedTech Core field Molecular diagnostics Main technology PCR and nucleic-acid amplification Major area Point-of-care diagnostics Founded 2000 Founder Dr. Chandrasekhar Nair Original location Bengaluru, Karnataka, India Current relationship Wholly owned R&D subsidiary of Molbio Diagnostics Major technology association Truenat molecular diagnostic platform Primary focus Diagnostic platforms, PCR technology, sample processing and point-of-care testing

Molbio’s official history identifies Dr. Chandrasekhar Nair as the person who established Bigtec Labs in Bengaluru in 2000, with the objective of converting scientific ideas into market-ready diagnostic products.

Who Founded Bigtec Labs?

Bigtec Labs was founded by Dr. Chandrasekhar Nair in Bengaluru in 2000.

His work focused on developing practical molecular-diagnostic technology rather than limiting PCR testing to large centralized laboratories. This approach eventually became important to the development of portable molecular testing systems.

Bigtec’s research expertise and Molbio’s commercialization capabilities subsequently came together around the development of the Truenat platform.

The relationship is particularly significant because Truenat was designed around the idea that molecular testing should not always require a large centralized laboratory. The system was developed to bring PCR-based diagnostic capability closer to patients and primary healthcare facilities.

What Does Bigtec Labs Make?

Bigtec Labs is best understood as a molecular-diagnostics technology and R&D company.

Its technology work has included areas such as:

• Real-time PCR
• Nucleic-acid amplification
• Sample preparation
• DNA/RNA extraction
• Microfluidic and lab-on-chip concepts
• Portable molecular diagnostics
• Point-of-care testing
• Automated diagnostic workflows
• Disease-specific molecular assays
• Miniaturized PCR systems
• Diagnostic instrumentation and platform development

Rather than publishing a simple number of individual “products,” it is more accurate to discuss Bigtec’s major technology platforms and R&D contributions.

Its most important commercial connection is the Truenat ecosystem, which combines portable instrumentation with disease-specific molecular tests.

Bigtec Labs and the Truenat Technology

One of the most important achievements associated with Bigtec Labs is its contribution to the technology behind Truenat.

Truenat is a portable, battery-operated, real-time PCR platform designed to perform molecular testing closer to the point of patient care.

The system is designed to work in environments where conventional laboratory infrastructure may not be readily available.

According to Molbio, Truenat is fully automatic, portable and battery operated and is intended for applications ranging from urban hospitals to remote healthcare facilities.

The platform has been designed around several important principles:

1. Portability

Traditional PCR laboratories can require dedicated laboratory space, electrical infrastructure, trained personnel and multiple pieces of equipment.

Truenat was designed to reduce these infrastructure requirements.

2. Battery Operation

Battery operation makes the system useful in healthcare environments where reliable electricity can be a challenge.

3. Real-Time PCR

The platform uses real-time PCR technology to identify specific nucleic-acid targets associated with diseases.

4. Decentralized Testing

Instead of transporting every sample to a large central laboratory, testing can potentially be performed closer to where the patient is receiving care.

5. Disease-Specific Assays

The same underlying platform can support different molecular tests through dedicated assays.

This makes the system more flexible than a diagnostic instrument designed for only one disease.

How PCR Technology Works in Bigtec’s Diagnostic Approach

PCR, or Polymerase Chain Reaction, is a molecular technique used to amplify specific sections of DNA.

For RNA-based pathogens, such as many viruses, the process generally involves converting RNA into complementary DNA before amplification.

A simplified molecular diagnostic workflow can be described as:

Patient Sample → Sample Preparation → Nucleic Acid Extraction → Amplification → Real-Time Detection → Diagnostic Result

The challenge is making every stage reliable while reducing the size, complexity and infrastructure requirements of the overall system.

Bigtec’s technology development has focused on solving exactly this type of engineering and diagnostic problem.

Truenat Product Ecosystem

Truenat is not simply one PCR machine. It is an integrated diagnostic ecosystem containing instruments, sample-processing components and disease-specific tests.

The platform has been used for testing for numerous infectious diseases.

Molbio currently describes applications including:

• Tuberculosis
• HIV
• Malaria
• Viral hepatitis
• COVID-19
• Dengue
• Chikungunya
• Influenza
• HPV
• Cholera
• Leprosy
• HLA-B27 and other markers

Molbio says the Truenat technology is patented in more than 100 countries.

Tuberculosis Diagnostics

Tuberculosis has been one of the most important applications of the Truenat technology.

The system was designed to enable molecular detection of TB closer to the point of care, including settings where conventional laboratory facilities may be limited.

WHO recommendations in 2020 recognized Truenat molecular assays for initial testing for pulmonary tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance.

This represented an important development because molecular testing can provide information that is much more clinically useful than relying exclusively on conventional microscopy.

COVID-19 and Outbreak Response

The technology also became particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Because Truenat was already designed as a portable molecular testing platform, its underlying technology could be adapted for SARS-CoV-2 testing.

This demonstrated an important advantage of a flexible molecular platform: once the instrument and workflow are established, new assays can potentially be developed for emerging diseases.

Molbio describes Truenat as having been used during multiple outbreaks, including H1N1, chikungunya, COVID-19 and Nipah.

How Many Products Does Bigtec Labs Have?

Bigtec Labs should not be described as having a fixed number of conventional medical devices in the same way as a large hospital-equipment manufacturer.

Its work is better represented through technology platforms, diagnostic instruments, assay systems and R&D technologies.

The principal commercial ecosystem associated with its technology is Truenat, which includes:

• Molecular diagnostic analyzers
• Sample preparation systems
• PCR testing modules
• Disease-specific diagnostic assays
• Digital/reporting components
• Supporting consumables

Molbio’s current Truenat platform has expanded significantly beyond its original applications and is now positioned as a multi-disease molecular diagnostic system.

Where Are Bigtec Labs Products Sold?

Because Bigtec Labs operates within the Molbio ecosystem, its technology reaches markets through Molbio’s commercial and distribution network.

Molbio has reported international deployment of Truenat in more than 85 countries, while other company and industry sources have reported more than 80 countries and more than 10,000 systems deployed.

The technology has therefore moved well beyond the Indian market and is used particularly in settings where decentralized molecular diagnostics can provide a significant healthcare advantage.

International applications include healthcare systems in:

• Asia
• Africa
• Middle East
• Latin America
• Other emerging and developed healthcare markets

The exact country list and installed-base figure can change as new markets are added, so these numbers should be treated as reported figures rather than a permanent product count.

Bigtec Labs Manufacturing and R&D Role

Bigtec Labs’ most important contribution is its R&D and technology-development role.

Molbio’s official website describes Bigtec as its wholly owned subsidiary responsible for designing and developing diagnostic platforms addressing clinical needs at point-of-care settings.

This means Bigtec’s role is closely connected with:

• Product research
• Molecular assay technology
• Instrument development
• Miniaturization
• Automation
• Diagnostic workflow engineering
• Technology validation
• New disease-test development

Commercial manufacturing and global distribution are associated with the broader Molbio Diagnostics organization.

Why Bigtec’s PCR Technology Is Different

The major innovation is not simply the use of PCR.

PCR itself is a well-established diagnostic technology.

The challenge is bringing PCR into a compact, portable and decentralized environment.

Bigtec’s technology approach addresses several problems simultaneously:

Conventional PCR Laboratory

A traditional molecular laboratory may require:

• Dedicated rooms
• Stable electricity
• Air conditioning
• Multiple laboratory instruments
• Sample transportation
• Specialized personnel
• Centralized laboratory infrastructure

Point-of-Care Molecular System

A decentralized system attempts to reduce these requirements through:

• Compact instrumentation
• Automated workflows
• Battery operation
• Integrated sample processing
• Disease-specific cartridges or assays
• Faster turnaround
• Local testing

This is particularly valuable for rural healthcare, mobile clinics, outbreak response and primary healthcare centers.

Major Medical Applications

Bigtec’s technology ecosystem can support molecular diagnosis across several areas.

Infectious Diseases

The largest application area is infectious disease diagnosis.

Examples include:

• TB
• HIV
• Hepatitis
• Malaria
• Dengue
• Chikungunya
• Influenza
• COVID-19
• HPV
• Leprosy
• Cholera

Women’s Health

Molecular HPV testing can be used as part of cervical cancer screening programs.

Molbio launched an indigenous HPV testing solution in India, extending the Truenat ecosystem into another major public-health application.

Public Health Screening

Portable molecular diagnostics can also be useful for:

• Community screening
• Rural healthcare
• Disease surveillance
• Outbreak investigation
• Mobile medical units
• Primary healthcare centers

Latest Developments and New Diagnostic Technology

As of 2026, the most important development associated with Bigtec is not a completely separate new PCR machine marketed under a new Bigtec brand.

Instead, the company continues to develop molecular-diagnostic technologies within the Molbio ecosystem.

The Truenat platform is being expanded to support additional diseases and diagnostic applications. Molbio currently describes the platform as capable of supporting a broad range of infectious diseases and other diagnostic markers.

One notable recent development is the expansion into HPV testing for cervical cancer screening. In 2025, India’s first indigenously developed HPV test kits were reported as being validated through work involving AIIMS and the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.

This illustrates the direction of the technology: rather than developing a separate machine for every disease, the company aims to use a common molecular platform capable of supporting multiple diagnostic applications.

Bigtec Labs and Molbio Diagnostics

The relationship between the two companies is central to understanding Bigtec.

In simple terms:

Bigtec Labs = R&D and molecular technology

Molbio Diagnostics = Commercialization, manufacturing and global diagnostic deployment

The two organizations’ histories are closely connected.

Molbio was established in Goa in 2000 by Sriram Natarajan, while Chandrasekhar Nair established Bigtec Labs in Bengaluru in the same year.

Their technologies and organizations eventually came together to develop and commercialize Truenat.

Major Strengths of Bigtec Labs

Bigtec’s key strengths include:

1. Molecular diagnostic expertise
   Strong focus on PCR and nucleic-acid technologies.
2. Point-of-care innovation
   Technology designed to move molecular testing outside conventional laboratories.
3. Miniaturization
   Development of compact diagnostic systems.
4. Multi-disease capability
   One platform can support multiple diagnostic applications.
5. Public-health relevance
   Particularly important for TB and infectious-disease programs.
6. International scalability
   The associated Truenat platform has reached more than 85 countries according to reported company figures.
7. Adaptability
   The platform can be expanded by developing additional disease-specific assays.

Bigtec Labs’ Role in India’s Medical Technology Industry

Bigtec Labs represents an important part of India’s medical-technology development story.

Rather than competing primarily in conventional hospital equipment such as ventilators, X-ray machines or patient monitors, the company has worked in a highly specialized area where biology, electronics, software and engineering meet.

Its work demonstrates how an Indian company can take a sophisticated laboratory technology such as real-time PCR and redesign the surrounding workflow for use in decentralized healthcare.

This approach is particularly important for countries with large rural populations and uneven access to centralized diagnostic laboratories.

Awards and Recognition

The broader Molbio-Truenat technology ecosystem has received significant international attention because of its contribution to decentralized TB diagnostics.

Molbio was recognized with the Kochon Prize, a major TB-focused international award, for its contribution to expanding access to molecular TB diagnostics. The company was reported as the first private-sector recipient of the prize.

The recognition reflects the public-health importance of making molecular diagnosis available beyond major metropolitan laboratories.

Future of Bigtec Labs’ Technology

The future direction of Bigtec’s technology can be broadly understood around five areas:

More Diseases on One Platform

The ability to use the same basic diagnostic infrastructure for additional diseases can make molecular testing more economical and practical.

Faster Point-of-Care Testing

Reducing the time between sample collection and result can improve clinical decision-making.

Rural and Remote Diagnostics

Portable systems can help reduce dependence on large centralized laboratories.

Outbreak Preparedness

A flexible molecular platform can potentially be adapted to new infectious threats more quickly than building an entirely new diagnostic infrastructure.

Integration With Digital Healthcare

Future point-of-care systems are likely to increasingly connect instruments with centralized reporting, disease surveillance and digital health networks.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Bigtec Labs founded?

Bigtec Labs was established in 2000 in Bengaluru, Karnataka, by Dr. Chandrasekhar Nair.

Who founded Bigtec Labs?

Dr. Chandrasekhar Nair founded Bigtec Labs and built it as a research-focused organization working on molecular diagnostic technology.

What does Bigtec Labs make?

Bigtec primarily develops molecular diagnostic technologies, including PCR-based and point-of-care diagnostic platforms. Its technology is strongly associated with the Truenat molecular diagnostic ecosystem.

Is Bigtec Labs owned by Molbio?

Yes. Molbio Diagnostics currently describes Bigtec Labs as its wholly owned R&D subsidiary.

What is Bigtec’s most important technology?

Its most significant commercial technology association is the Truenat portable real-time PCR platform, developed through the Bigtec-Molbio technology journey.

What diseases can Truenat test?

The current Truenat ecosystem supports tests for numerous diseases and markers, including TB, HIV, malaria, hepatitis, dengue, chikungunya, COVID-19, influenza, HPV, cholera, leprosy and HLA-B27.

Is Truenat a PCR machine?

Truenat is better described as a complete point-of-care molecular diagnostic platform, rather than simply a conventional laboratory PCR machine. It combines portable instrumentation, sample processing and disease-specific molecular assays.

How fast can Truenat provide results?

Depending on the particular assay and workflow, the platform is designed for rapid molecular testing, with many applications delivering results in approximately an hour. Molbio describes Truenat as a rapid point-of-care real-time PCR platform.

Where is Truenat available?

Molbio has reported deployment in more than 85 countries, giving the technology a substantial international footprint.

Conclusion

Bigtec Labs is an important Indian molecular-diagnostics technology company whose significance goes beyond the size of its conventional product catalog. Founded by Dr. Chandrasekhar Nair in Bengaluru in 2000, the company was established around the idea of converting advanced scientific research into practical diagnostic technology.

Its strongest contribution has been the development of technologies that helped enable the Truenat portable molecular diagnostic platform, now commercialized through Molbio Diagnostics.

The importance of this technology lies in bringing real-time PCR closer to the patient. Instead of restricting molecular diagnostics to large laboratories, portable and battery-operated systems can support testing in primary healthcare centers, rural areas, mobile clinics and outbreak situations.

With continued expansion into infectious diseases, HPV and other diagnostic applications, the Bigtec-Molbio technology ecosystem represents one of India’s notable examples of locally developed molecular-diagnostic innovation with a growing international footprint.