Every year, World Kidney Day reminds us of the importance of kidney health and the growing burden of kidney diseases worldwide.
With 1 in 10 people globally affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD), it’s a silent epidemic that demands urgent attention.
March 13th marks World Kidney Day 2025, and this year’s campaign theme is “Are Your Kidneys OK? Detect Early, Protect Kidney Health”
This day serves as a platform to spread awareness, advocate for early detection, and explore how innovative healthtech solutions are shaping the future of kidney care.
How big is the problem, and what role can technology play in addressing it?
The growing kidney health crisis and significance of World Kidney Day
Kidney disease is a silent epidemic. An estimated 850 million people worldwide suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD), and many don’t even know they have it until it reaches an advanced stage.
Left undetected and untreated, CKD can lead to kidney failure, requiring dialysis or transplantation. By 2040, CKD is projected to be the fifth leading cause of lost years of life globally.
One major factor fueling this crisis? The rising prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity—are three of the biggest risk factors for kidney disease. If you have diabetes, your risk of developing CKD is 1 in 3. For those with high blood pressure, the risk is 1 in 5.
The business of kidney health: Market scope and innovation
The sheer scale of the kidney health crisis has led to a booming renal health market. The global renal failure treatment market hit $112.5 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.3% until 2030. Similarly, the dialysis market is predicted to reach $170.4 billion by 2032 as demand for kidney replacement therapies continues to rise.
But dialysis alone isn’t the future. Wearable artificial kidneys are becoming a potential game-changer for patients. Its market is expected to grow at 6.9% CAGR from 2025 to 2030, offering more mobility and better quality of life than traditional hospital-based treatments.
The technological void: Where healthtech startups & researchers can step in
Despite advancements, there are significant technological gaps in kidney healthcare. Here’s where healthtech startups, researchers, and innovators can make an impact:
Early detection and diagnosis
Research indicates that around 90% of CKD patients don’t know they have it until it’s too late. The silent characteristics of kidney disease cause the condition to progress undetected until substantial damage accumulates.
Current diagnostic methods only detect issues at later stages. Therefore, there’s a pressing need for affordable and non-invasive diagnostic tools to detect kidney dysfunction right before it begins.
Personalized dialysis and treatments
Dialysis isn’t one-size-fits-all. It requires personalisation based on the patient’s condition. Individualized treatment plans based on AI-driven patient data could help doctors improve outcomes significantly.
Bridging the organ shortage
Demand for kidney transplants far exceeds the supply. There’s an urgent need for innovations in organ preservation, bioengineered kidneys, and better donor-matching algorithms. This could help bridge the gap.
Also, investing in the research and development of wearable and implantable artificial kidneys can offer alternatives to traditional dialysis, improving patient outcomes and quality of life.
Leveraging digital health solutions
Integrating telemedicine, mobile health apps, and remote patient monitoring can improve patient adherence to treatment plans and help detect complications early.
Innovation in kidney care: Healthtech companies leading the way
Several startups and healthtech companies are pioneering advancements in kidney health. They are tackling current challenges with innovative solutions:
ProKidney
Existing CKD treatment methods primarily control disease development toward End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) yet provide no definitive solution. ProKidney is a biotech firm developing cell-based therapies to slow CKD progression and delay dialysis for patients.
Walden Biosciences
Traditional pharma development fails to recognise severe and rare forms of CKD. Walden Biosciences addresses genetic and molecular aspects, focusing on creating precision medicine treatments that target specific CKD pathways to restore kidney function.
Somatus
Somatus helps patients manage kidney disease by creating a fluid patient-care team that allows them to actively manage their health. It uses real-time data insights and partnerships with nephrologists to deliver proactive, personalized kidney care.
Healthy.io
Healthy.io enables at-home urinalysis through smartphone-based diagnostic testing. It makes early CKD detection more accessible, alongside connecting patients with care teams to support swift interventions and individualized treatment.
Renalytix
Renalytix leverages predictive analytics to establish a proactive approach to kidney care to stop chronic kidney disease from evolving into end-stage renal disease. It has developed KidneyIntelX, an AI-powered risk assessment tool that helps doctors detect CKD early and personalize treatment strategies.
The road ahead: How we can transform kidney care
World Kidney Day isn’t just about raising awareness—it’s about action. The growing burden of CKD presents a massive opportunity for healthtech companies, researchers, and startups to step in and innovate.
By harnessing AI, wearable technology, telemedicine, and biotech advancements, we can create a future where kidney disease is detected earlier, treated better, and managed more effectively.
With the right investments in research and technology, we have the power to reshape kidney healthcare, improve patient outcomes, and reduce the strain on global health systems.
-By Alkama Sohail and the AHT Team
