Funding

Dognosis raises undisclosed sum from Accel, Caffeinated

By Startup Enthusiast · 14 August 2026

What they do

Dognosis uses trained dogs and AI to detect cancer from human breath samples

It raised an undisclosed amount from Accel India and Caffeinated Capital, after a $1.5M pre-seed in 2024

Phase 3 trial with 10,000 people is underway; the company plans to launch a home test in India next year

Dognosis uses dogs (beagles, labradors, Dutch shepherds) to sniff cancer from human breath.
Patients breathe into masks sent to the company's facility; dogs are exposed to samples in a game-like setting.
Sensors and AI interpret dog signals (movement, respiration, brain activity) to detect cancer without imaging or blood tests.
The company raised an undisclosed sum recently from Accel India and Caffeinated Capital.
It had previously raised a $1.5M pre-seed round in 2024.
A Phase 2 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology reported ~90% sensitivity for early-stage cancers across 7 groups.
Phase 3 trial started in April 2026 with 10 hospitals across India, planning to recruit ~10,000 people over 12 months.
Dogs trained on 10 cancer types identified an 11th type not encountered before.

India has the third-highest prevalence of new cancer cases globally, with IARC estimating 1.5M new cases in 2024.
Only 1.9% of Indian women surveyed had ever screened for cervical cancer; rates for breast and oral cancer are below 1.2%.
Roughly 1 in 10 Indians is at risk of developing cancer before age 75.
New Jersey startup SpotitEarly reported similar canine cancer-detection trial results but has not commercialised yet.

Dognosis is a 2-year-old startup operating on a 2-acre farm outside Bengaluru.
It uses dogs to detect cancer from human breath; patients send breath masks to the facility.
Dogs work 30 minutes to 1 hour per day on a detection platform and are rewarded with treats.
The company's technology includes DogSense BCI (brain-computer interface), DogOS ML suite, and SniffSpace olfactory workstation.
It plans to launch an at-home multi-cancer prescreening test in India next year for a few thousand rupees.
The test does not need Indian regulatory approval as it is a prescreening tool, not a diagnostic device.

Launch at-home multi-cancer prescreening test in India in 2027 for a few thousand rupees.
Aim to process 1 million tests per year, double canine workforce to 30, and halve turnaround time to 1 week.
Eyeing a US facility by late 2027 or early 2028.
If Phase 3 results hold, launch in Bengaluru next year, then expand across India via diagnostic chains and healthcare providers.

Accel India (participated) — Venture capital firm investing in Indian startups.
Caffeinated Capital (participated) — San Francisco-based venture capital firm.