Metropolis Healthcare

Metropolis Healthcare

Company type	Public
Industry	Healthcare, Diagnostic laboratory
Founded	1980
Founder	Dr. Sushil Kanubhai Shah
Headquarters	Mumbai , India
Area served	India, Sri Lanka, UAE, Kenya, Mauritius, Ghana, Zambia, Uganda
Key people	Ameera Shah (CEO)
Products	Diagnostic laboratory services, Clinical Research, Hospital Laboratory Management, Wellness Solutions

Metropolis Healthcare, commonly referred to as Metropolis Labs, is a multinational diagnostic laboratory network based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The company manages 124 clinical laboratories and operates 2,400 sample collection centers spanning seven countries, including India. Established in 1980, Metropolis went public in April 2019.

History

Dr. Sushil Kanubhai Shah established Metropolis in 1980, starting with a single diagnostic lab in Mumbai. Leadership transitioned to his daughter, Ameera Shah, in 2001, who propelled growth by forming alliances with regional and local diagnostic providers throughout India. Over the last ten years, the company expanded its services into Clinical Research, Hospital Laboratory Management, and Wellness Solutions. Its international footprint began in 2005 with entry into Sri Lanka, followed by expansions into the UAE (2006), Kenya (2013), Mauritius and Ghana (2014), along with other African regions.

In February 2018, Metropolis collaborated with the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) on a three-year initiative to improve HIV testing across 560 sites in India. By that year, the firm operated 124 clinical labs and 2,400 blood collection points across India as well as Ghana, Kenya, Zambia, Uganda, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka.

In October 2019, Metropolis enhanced its subsidiary Desai Laboratories by acquiring four Surat-based labs—Doctor's Clinical Laboratory, Iyer Pathology Laboratory, Nagar Pathology Laboratory, and Yash Clinical Laboratory (a Dr Lal PathLabs subsidiary)—for INR 18 crore.

The acquisition of Hitech Diagnostic Centre and its subsidiary Centralab Healthcare Services in October 2021 for INR 636 crore further strengthened Metropolis’s presence in Tamil Nadu, with plans underway to establish an additional 40 centers.

Funding

In 2006, ICICI Venture injected ₹35 crore into Metropolis through its India Advantage Fund. Four years later, Warburg Pincus invested approximately $85 million, facilitating ICICI’s exit from the company. Subsequently, the Shah family bought back Warburg Pincus’s shares, realizing substantial returns. Other prominent investors include Carlyle Group, CA Lotus Investments, and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR). In 2015, KKR extended ₹5.6 billion in promoter debt financing to Ameera Shah.

During its April 2019 public offering, Metropolis secured ₹530 crore from 26 anchor investors such as Small Cap World Fund, Neuberger Berman Emerging Market Equity Fund, Fundsmith Emerging Equities Trust PLC, and First State Indian Sub Continent Fund.

Awards and recognition

In 2010, Frost & Sullivan honored Metropolis as the Diagnostic Services Company of the Year. The World Consulting and Research Corporation awarded it India's Most Promising Brand in 2014 after an evaluation conducted by Ernst & Young. Ameera Shah was ranked 36th and 46th among "India's Most Powerful Women in Business" by Fortune India Magazine for the years 2018 and 2017 respectively. Forbes included her among Asia’s Power Business Women in 2015.

Philanthropy

Metropolis introduced Medengage in April 2017—a scholarship and mentorship initiative aimed at undergraduate and postgraduate medical students across India. That July, it collaborated with the PCOS Society of India to launch the "Conquer PCOS" awareness campaign. In August 2018, Metropolis spearheaded the "Umbrella Handshake" campaign to promote health education while contributing ₹2 million to this effort alongside other social welfare programs. The company worked alongside We Foundation and Red FM to amplify public engagement and increase campaign reach.

See also

• Dr Lal PathLabs
• SRL Diagnostics
• Thyrocare