How VitusCare Is Battling The Dialysis Crisis In India’s Tier II And III Cities - Related to openai’s, ad, altman’s, blog, decoding

Decoding OpenAI’s Super Bowl ad and Sam Altman’s grandiose blog post

This is the corporation’s first Super Bowl ad, and it cost a reported $14 million — in keeping with the astronomical sums commanded by ads during the big game. Which some come to see instead of the football. As you’ll see in a copy embedded below, the OpenAI ad depicts various advancements throughout human history, leading up to ChatGPT today, what OpenAI calls the “Intelligence Age.“.

While reaction to the ad was mixed — I’ve seen more praise and defense for it than criticism in my feeds — it clearly indicates that OpenAI has arrived as a major force in American culture, and quite obviously seeks to connect to a long lineage of invention, discovery and. Technological progress that’s taken place here.

On it’s own, the OpenAI Super Bowl ad seems to me to be a totally inoffensive and simple message designed to appeal to the widest possible audience — perfect for the Super Bowl and its large audience across demographics. In a way, it’s even so smooth and uncontroversial that it is forgettable.

But coupled with a blog post OpenAI CEO Sam Altman , entitled “Three Observations,” and suddenly OpenAI’s assessment of the current moment and the future becomes much more dramatic and stark.

Altman begins the blog post with a pronouncement about artificial general intelligence (AGI). The raison d’etre of OpenAI’s founding and its ongoing efforts to release more and more powerful AI models such as the latest o3 series. This pronouncement, like OpenAI’s Super Bowl ad, also seeks to connect OpenAI’s work building these models and approaching this goal of AGI with the history of human innovation more broadly.

“Systems that start to point to AGI* are coming into view, and. So we think it’s crucial to understand the moment we are in. AGI is a weakly defined term, but generally speaking we mean it to be a system that can tackle increasingly complex problems, at human level, in many fields.

People are tool-builders with an inherent drive to understand and. Create, which leads to the world getting improved for all of us. Each new generation builds upon the discoveries of the generations before to create even more capable tools—electricity, the transistor, the computer, the internet, and. Soon AGI.“.

A few paragraphs later, he even seems to concede that AI — as many developers and consumers of the tech agree — is simply another new tool. Yet he immediately flips to suggest this may be a much different tool than anyone in the world has ever experienced to date. As he writes:

“In some sense, AGI is just another tool in this ever-taller scaffolding of human progress we are building together. In another sense, it is the beginning of something for which it’s hard not to say “this time it’s different”; the economic growth in front of us looks astonishing, and we can now imagine a world where we cure all diseases, have much more time to enjoy with our families, and. Can fully realize our creative potential.“.

The idea of “curing all diseases,” while certainly appealing — mirrors something rival tech boss Mark Zuckerberg of Meta also sought out to do with his Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative medical research nonprofit co-founded with his wife, Prisicilla Chan. As of two years ago, the timeline proposed for the Chan-Zuckerberg’s initiative to reach this goal was by 2100. Yet now thanks to the progress of AI, Altman seems to believe it’s attainable even sooner, writing: “In a decade, perhaps everyone on earth will be capable of accomplishing more than the most impactful person can today.”.

Altman and. Zuck are hardly the one two high-profile tech billionaires interested in medicine and longevity science in particular. Google’s co-founders, especially Sergey Brin, have put money towards analogous efforts, and in fact, there were (or are) at one point so many leaders in the tech industry interested in prolonging human life and ending disease that back in 2017, The New Yorker magazine ran a feature article entitled: “Silicon Valley’s Quest to Live Forever.”.

Furthermore, this utopian notion of ending disease and. Ultimately death seems patently hubristic to me on the face of it — how many folklore stories and fairy tales are there about the perils of trying to cheat death? — but it aligns neatly with the larger techno-utopian beliefs of some in the industry, which have been helpfully grouped by AGI critics and. Researchers Timnit Gebru and Émile P. Torres under the umbrella term TESCREAL, an acronym for “transhumanism, Extropianism, singularitarianism, (modern) cosmism, Rationalism, Effective Altruism, and longtermism,” in their 2023 paper.

As these authors elucidate, the veneer of progress sometimes masks uglier beliefs such as in the inherent racial superiority or humanity of those with higher IQs, specific demographics, and ultimately evoking racial science and. Phrenology of more openly discriminatory and oppressive ages past.

There’s nothing to suggest in Altman’s note that he shares such beliefs, mind you…in fact, rather the opposite. He writes:

“Ensuring that the benefits of AGI are broadly distributed is critical. The historical impact of technological progress points to that most of the metrics we care about (health outcomes, economic prosperity, etc.) get superior on average and over the long-term, but increasing equality does not seem technologically determined and. Getting this right may require new ideas.”.

In other words: he wants to ensure everyone’s life gets enhanced with AGI, but is uncertain how to achieve that. It’s a laudable notion, and one that maybe AGI itself could help answer, but for one thing, OpenAI’s latest and greatest models remain closed and proprietary as opposed to competitors such as Llama’s Meta family and. DeepSeek’s R1, though the latter has apparently caused Altman to re-assess OpenAI’s approach to the open source community as he mentioned on a recent separate Reddit AMA thread. Perhaps OpenAI could start by open sourcing more of its technology to ensure it spreads wider to more customers, more equally?

Meanwhile, speaking of specific timelines. Altman seems to project that while the next few years may not be wholly remade by AI or AGI, he’s more confident of a visible impact by the end of the decade 2035. As he puts it:

“The world will not change all at once; it never does. Life will go on mostly the same in the short run, and. People in 2025 will mostly spend their time in the same way they did in 2024. We will still fall in love, create families, get in fights online, hike in nature, etc.

But the future will be coming at us in a way that is impossible to ignore, and. The long-term changes to our society and economy will be huge. We will find new things to do, new ways to be useful to each other, and new ways to compete, but they may not look very much like the jobs of today.

Anyone in 2035 should be able to marshall [sic] the intellectual capacity equivalent to everyone in 2025; everyone should have access to unlimited genius to direct however. They can imagine. There is a great deal of talent right now without the resources to fully express itself, and. If we change that, the resulting creative output of the world will lead to tremendous benefits for us all.”.

Where does this leave us? Critics of OpenAI would say it’s more empty hype designed to continue placating OpenAI’s big-pocketed investors such as Softbank and put off any pressure to have working AGI for a while longer.

But having used these tools myself, watched and reported on other people and sene what they’ve been able to accomplish — such as writing up complex software within mere minutes without much background in the field — I’m inclined to believe Altman is serious in his prognostications, and hopeful in his commitment to equal distribution.

But keeping all the best models closed up under a subscription bundle clearly is not the way to attain equal access to AGI — so my biggest question remains on what the corporation does under his leadership to ensure it moves in this direction he so clearly articulated and. That the Super Bowl ad also celebrated.

Table of Contents Table of Contents By the numbers Insane efficiency Intel needed a win.

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Lumus and Schott aim to make lightweight AR glasses into mainstream products

If you take a look at the Lumus Z-30 Optical Engine for augmented reality glasses, it looks pretty much like an ordinary pair of glasses.

It’s lightweight. Yet it aspects an AR screen based on the Z-Lens 2D waveguide architecture with a small 30-degree field of view. This allows it to fit seamlessly within standard glasses sizes, offering major functional and aesthetic benefits. They’re a step down from the more powerful Z-50, but they serve the purpose of fitting inside an ordinary pair of glasses. This progress is an example of how the tech is moving forward to something practical for mainstream uses.

Israel-based Lumus showed off the AR glasses, with Schott glass. At the SPIE Photonics West 2025 event in San Francisco last week. I put them on. The glasses were super light and the colors on the screen were pretty vibrant. David Goldman, vice president of marketing at Lumus, noted in an interview with GamesBeat that it combines both brightness and energy efficiency.

I wrote about Lumus some years ago in an age when AR was hyped but. Didn’t live up to its expectations. But the tech has made some headway since then, Goldman expressed. Lumus has been in the market for 14 years. The Maximus came out about five years ago.

“You saw the Maximus before. At the time, this was considered small. But it was still pretty heavy. Then we went to the Z-50. This is 50 degrees. You can see the reduction in the geometry and the weight,” Goldman noted.

On the AR lenses. The box with AR imagery can be moved around to different places on the glasses. If you want to put a box translating language in real-time on the lenses, then that would likely go lower on the lenses. A manufacturer doing traditional AI can put the box with AR images in the center, Goldman stated.

With Z-30. critical performance aspects of AR glasses are optimized to improve the user experience. For example, glasses that feature an integrated Z-30 optical engine will require lower processing requirements and less powerful hardware thanks to having fewer pixels to render. Which makes them more affordable to produce. Plus, devices with a mid-sized field-of-view operate more efficiently, creating a smoother visual experience and extending battery life –making them more compatible for long-term consumer use.

Z-30 is lightweight, measuring in at grams, offering full color. 720 x 720 pixels resolution, and a brightness of >3,000 nits/Watt. With a 50% reduction in weight and volume compared to the Z-50, it enables the creation of even smaller form factors for AR glasses, which has been a critical barrier to entry.

The Z-30 optical engine integrates Lumus’ Z-Lens waveguide architecture. Which offers good image quality and allows for smaller projector designs. It also enables flexible positioning of the eye-box, reduced world ghost effects, and the possibility for direct bonding of Rx lenses or protective plastic elements. Additional benefits of the Z-Lens waveguide architecture include compatibility with microLED projectors, enabling even slimmer and more power efficient design options.

Far brighter than other solutions. Lumus is the only waveguide ideally suited for outdoor usage. With up to 10 times advanced luminance efficiency over competing waveguides and supply chain partners like Quanta Computer Inc. and Schott, Lumus wants to be the leading choice for OEMs making AR glasses, Goldman stated.

Lumus waveguide technology provides unparalleled color uniformity and a true white due to the straight-forward light path inherent in its architecture.

Other key advantages: a smaller micro-projector, a large field of view. And a distortion-free view of the real world. Battery efficiency is up to 10 times greater than any other waveguide on the market, and forward light leakage (forward projection) is inherently negligible. Goldman expressed.

Lumus’ manufacturing processes supported by its big supply chain partners, including Quanta Computer Inc. and Schott, enable scalability for mass manufacturing. The corporation is the leading designer of geometric waveguide technology at the core of several existing AR products, including Thales’ Scorpion full-color head-mounted display, Augmedics xVision system for guiding surgeons, Lenovo’s ThinkReality A6 released in 2019 as well as MediThinQ’s ScopeEye and. MetaScope.

Lumus makes the optical engine for the glasses, and you can expect consumer devices based on such tech coming out within a couple of years. The corporation has tech with fields of view spread between 30 degrees to 50 degrees to 70 degrees, which enables it to cover everything from an emphasis on appearance to an emphasis on performance.

It uses a functional optical engine with the organization’s geometric or reflective wave guide. Coupled together with a micro projector. It has a carbon-based frame for consumer glasses. Goldman showed me that it is quite easy to read text on a white background when you look at the AR screen on the glasses. Skin color showed up accurately in the images.

“Now we’re showing the 30 degrees field of view,” Goldman expressed. “Now we’re going to have samples. We’re showing the 30-degree solution because end-consumers are asking for a more near-term solution. This isn’t as power hungry as 50 degrees, but it’s still useful for some consumer applications. And it gives more options when it comes to the aesthetic.”.

With this variety of technologies. Glasses makers can come to Lumus with different requests for custom designs. The organization can also add prescriptions to its lenses, directly bonding the prescription to the glasses. The leakage on the waveguide is less than 1%.

Regular glasses range in weight from 10 grams to 40 grams. Goldman introduced 10 grams for AR glasses isn’t doable now. But 40 grams might be doable with more advances and a focus on AR in just one eye. As for adding AI, it will make the glasses heavier, but it might work with thinner waveguides in the future.

Colin Schmucker, a biz dev guy at Schott, in an interview at CES 2025.

Quanta Computer and Schott are providing the glass in the mass production of the wave guides.

Colin Schmucker. Business development manager at Schott, expressed in an interview that his firm is looking at AR/VR products as a new avenue for its high-quality glass. The firm specializes in making glass with a one millimeter bending radius — enabling a really thin piece of glass. It uses these in semiconductors for foldable displays. It uses them to make holographic lens applications. And it also makes waveguide lenses for AR glasses.

At a newly built factory in Malaysia, Schott produces its lenses with reflective waveguide technology. It’s moving into high-volume manufacturing and has a partnership with Lumus to make the Z lens framework of reflective waveguides.

Schott is crafting the glass for AR glasses.

“We supply the base substrate that can receive the grading, basically the high refractive index. Allowing for a higher field of view,” Schmucker introduced. “It enables you to have a much more interactive display with more information. At the same time, if you look at the value proposition of your diffractive gradings versus reflective versus holographic, we’re addressing the other technologies with the high refractive index wafers.”.

To get to super-thin glasses with high-quality AR lenses. Schmucker stated it requires excellent waveguide technology with an optical quality level that doesn’t detract from reality. You get high transparency and the appropriate field of view along with superior size and weight. And you need superior and superior batteries to power the projection system.

However, if the outcome of the meeting, scheduled to be held in the coming weeks, is negative. They will have to wait until 2030 as the process will s...

As per NDTV Profit research, brokerages have cut their price targets (PT) on the stock taking a bearish stance despite strong results.

How VitusCare Is Battling The Dialysis Crisis In India’s Tier II And III Cities

It has developed proprietary playbooks to find the right hospital partners, fast-track centre-launches and use streamlined processes for consistently high-quality dialysis across Bharat.

VitusCare runs more than 50 dialysis centres across 8 states in North India and is on path to triple its footprint by March 2025(YoY basis).

India is often already mentioned as the diabetes capital of the world, and. In addition, hypertension (high blood pressure) is the other major medical hazard in a country of Bn. Together, these medical conditions can lead to another silent killer known as Chronic Kidney Disease, or CKD. CKD may eventually result in kidney failure, technically also referred to as end-stage renal disease (ESRD). At that point, patients are advised to either start dialysis (a therapy that helps such patients get rid of wastes, salts and extra fluids from blood in the absence of healthy kidneys) or go for a kidney transplant.

. About Lakh new ESRD patients are added annually, resulting in additional demand for Cr dialysis sessions every year. Of course, the lack of a pan-India renal registry means the absence of reliable statistics in this space. However, several population-based studies reported a 4–20% prevalence of CKD in India. As and when it reaches the final stage, the infrastructural and financial burden of dialysis (few opt for transplants, given the cost and. The long wait for donors) tends to impact critical renal care.

“Dialysis care in India is severely inadequate. We have around 6K centres against a requirement of at least 15K and a 2-3x gap in the number of dialysis machines. The market currently serves around 15 Lakh ESRD patients who require lifelong dialysis or transplants,” stated Prabhat Shrivastava, founder and CEO of VitusCare.

Set up in 2017 by a team of three, this healthcare startup provides dialysis services (through single specialty-clinics as a format) to underserved patients, especially in Tier II, III and. Even IV locations across North India, making high quality renal care more accessible and affordable to the masses. In a country where critical healthcare is often a matter of geographic and economic privilege, VitusCare aims to disrupt the sector by tapping into largely neglected non-metro markets and. Setting up best clinical practices for improved outcomes at par with advanced markets with access to timely procedures. For context, dialysis patients in India live only 2 to 3 years after diagnosis compared to 10 to 12 years in Western countries.

The startup launched its first dialysis centre in Aligarh. Uttar Pradesh. It runs more than 50 dialysis centres across eight states (around 2x growth in the past 7 months alone), including Delhi NCR, Punjab and Haryana, Uttar Pradesh. Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and J&K. It is on track to tripling its footprint by March 2025 (YoY basis) by deepening its presence in existing states and also venturing into new regions such as Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh. Chhattisgarh and Bihar.

VitusCare has adopted a hub-and-spoke model to meet the rising demand. It sets up large dialysis centres in key locations in partnership with hospitals and. Smaller satellite units within a 100 km radius to serve high-demand pockets. These satellite centres, completely operated by the startup, reduce travel time and costs for patients.

, patients living in rural or semi-urban areas, where dialysis centres are few and. Far between, often travel 50–100 km three times a week. The economic burden is also staggering. Dialysis treatment costs around INR Lakh per annum, excluding additional expenses for tests, medication and travel. In fact, without government assistance, such as the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP) and the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, which provide subsidised treatment to low-income families. Most patients in underserved regions cannot afford the care they need.

VitusCare has already raised more than INR 40 Cr from VC firms Tomorrow Capital and others. Although the founding team declined to comment, the renal care startup could be looking to raise $10 Mn to fund its domestic and global expansion plans. Per media reports. The startup claimed an EBITDA breakeven in FY23 and a revenue of INR 25 Cr in the following financial year. It eyes a 2x monthly revenue run-rate (MRR) YoY in Mar-25 vs Mar-24 – from INR Cr to INR 5 Cr – and aims to reach INR 100 Cr in annual revenue run-rate (ARR) by FY26.

How Coping With Kidney Ailment Helped Build A Dialysis Lifeline.

Additionally, the concept of VitusCare would have never seen the light but for the personal crisis faced by Prabhat. A senior legal professional, when his father was diagnosed with ESRD. The family hailed from Jabalpur, a tier II city but the high-quality dialysis care that his father needed was not available there, and. He was compelled to move him to Gurugram, where he stayed. The medical crisis led him to meet Dr Saurabh Pokhariyal, a leading nephrologist handling his father’s case (originally from Dehradun). Soon, they teamed up with Pankaj Tandon, an eminent finance professional (who hails from Agra) and Prabhat’s former colleague. And decided to launch VitusCare to address the dialysis crisis in India’s underserved regions. The common connection between the three founders was their tier II & III roots helping them resonate with the magnitude of dialysis unavailability in the hinterlands.

The business has been built on three core pillars – awareness, access and affordability – that are required to cater to a market in dire need of robust infrastructure and. Quality care at low costs.

The awareness drill: As we live in a healthcare system that focuses more on curative solutions than preventive measures, creating mass awareness about CKD and ESRD seems daunting. However, extensive information is now available, driven by government initiatives and private-sector healthcare players.

VitusCare, too, is developing a module to support people suffering from early-stage CKD. As well as diabetes and hypertension, two major precursors to kidney diseases in India. The startup is raising awareness, connecting patients with expert care and promoting healthier lifestyles, ultimately aiming to prevent/slow the progression of ESRD.

Fast access at lower costs: Building a dialysis care network in underserved areas comes with its share of difficulties. From infrastructural issues to workforce challenges. Shrivastava observed that rapid expansion and quick profitability are critical to sustainable operations, which ensure potential to expand further and build wider access in a supply-constrained market.

Moving to another aspect, accordingly, VitusCare has developed a playbook that helps prioritise the next set of locations and to find the right hospital partners within these areas (those willing to integrate dialysis services). Fast-track installations and then have a layer of streamlined processes to ensure consistent quality. A dedicated module is also there to accelerate the fill rate of new centres. These measures result in reduced overheads and faster breakeven, and the savings are passed on to patients to lower treatment costs. Moreover, the VitusCare team recommends only essential dialysis-related services and supplements across centres to limit the financial burden on patients.

Access to care has significantly improved, as the startup’s deep insights into demand-supply gaps allow it to prioritise the next 100 locations and. Ensure rapid implementation. “Initially, creating consumer awareness and building a supply chain in remote regions looked like significant hurdles. But we refined our strategies over time. Today, we can launch a dialysis centre from scratch, even in the most remote location. Within 21 days,” presented Prabhat.

VitusCare also partners with several training institutions to create a pipeline of skilled technicians for remote regions. They are placed closer to their hometowns, and talented members are promoted to senior roles to ensure a good retention rate.

Quality care via three service models: All dialysis units under VitusCare adhere to best-in-class clinical protocols and standard operating procedures (SOP) while employing highly skilled professionals to deliver high-quality care consistently.

To meet different requirements. The startup has developed three service models. The first is a box-in-box model or in-centre dialysis care integrated within hospitals so that patients can access hospital amenities and specialised care. VitusCare operates 95% of its centres within partner hospitals, where it converts unutilised space into dedicated dialysis units but owns all assets, directly manages operations and employs an entire team of nephrologists. Nurses, biomedical engineers and operational staff. This overall control allows consistency across centres and ensures that care meets rigorous standards at minimal capital expenditure and maximum outreach.

Standalone/satellite centres are set up in communities lacking hospital-based care equipped with advanced facilities and. Skilled professionals. Finally, home dialysis enables home treatments with professional guidance and personalised care.

VitusCare, in association with its hospital partners. Offers cash-less dialysis to patients covered under numerous government and privately run insurance schemes. In addition, private TPAs such as ICICI, HDFC and Star Health, VitusCare centres, enable cash-less dialysis under empanelment such as Ayushmaan Bharat, ESI. CGHS and other state level health insurance schemes. VitusCare’s hospital partners share revenue for the dialysis services offered by it. In addition to above, VitusCare also offers dialysis services at affordable rates to patients, who are not covered under any of the above schemes.

Nearly 10% of its revenue comes from supplements, lab tests, consumables, and. Diet and psychological consultations.

In relation to this, the Path Forward for VitusCare: Scaling and Innovation.

Will dialysis (and overall renal care) emerge as the next big healthcare crisis now that one in five adult Indians is estimated to suffer from CKD? Add to that the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension, which account for 40-60% of cases of chronic kidney diseases. Besides, nephrology is a relatively new speciality in India, and preventive care is not as widespread in semi-urban and rural areas. Hence, the dependence on dialysis care is growing rapidly, not only in India but also in countries like the US and China. This is hence one of the fastest growing domains within the ambit of single-specialty clinics considering the unmet demand and faster scalability of a single-specialty model.

In India, the dialysis care market is projected to rise from $ Bn in 2022 to $ Bn by 2030 at a CAGR of . Further accelerating the growth of VitusCare and its ilk. Globally, this market is estimated to reach $ Bn by 2032 from an estimated $ Bn in 2024, opening new growth avenues for Indian startups.

To meet these requirements. VitusCare plans to expand its network to 500+ centres in the next five years to become a leading renal care provider. It will also replicate its India model across underserved global markets. It is also investing in technology to improve operational efficiency and patient care. The startup is developing an internal app and using comprehensive CRM solutions to streamline centre management, optimise resource allocation and. Enhance patient outcomes.

“We are not just filling a gap; we are changing lives. We want every dialysis patient to live a normal, active life, and we are ensuring this by blending access, affordability and uncompromising quality,” says Prabhat. “Our scale-up strategy focuses on deepening our presence and establishing ourselves as a branded chain while solving access challenges for patients,” he adds.

In a country where millions of people are affected by chronic kidney disease. The work of companies like VitusCare is more critical than ever. For the founders, the mission is far from over. They are determined to expand, bring dialysis care closer to the people and bridge the gaps across India’s healthcare system.

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