F-INSTITUTE’s Post

Wait a second — is that a new batch of milestones from the hottest companies in Medtech? This week the #LSIAlumni raised over $100 million, received FDA clearances, added new members to their leadership teams, and much more on the road to #LSIEurope24 Your 60-second news recap: 4D Biomaterials — Phil Smith → Parent company, 4D Medicine Ltd, raised a £3.4m investment deal led by Oshen Holdings with participation from DSW Ventures, SFC Capital, Boundary Capital Partners LLP, and a number of private angel investors Activ Surgical — Manisha Shah-Bugaj → Announced a partnership with Medbionix, a leading medical technology distributor in Southern India Aspero Medical — Mark Rentschler, Trae Gordon → Announced that Eddie Gobran, Managing Partner of Leva Capital, has joined the Board of Directors Bone Health Technologies — Laura Yecies → Announced the company has acquired Wellen, a Brooklyn-based health technology company reinventing exercise-based osteoporosis care as a personalized and science-backed solution Brainomix — Michalis Papadakis → Announced new study data validating its AI technology across US stroke networks eCential Robotics → Received FDA 510(k) clearance, announced the Appointment of Clement Vidal as new CEO, and successfully completed the first spine surgery using eCential Robotics’ Open Spine Robot, with Spineart Compatible Implants FibriCheck — Lars Grieten, Bieke Van Gorp → Received FDA clearance for the entire FibriCheck ecosystem Flosonics Medical — Joe Eibl → Announced that Sutter Health is set to implement Flosonics' wireless, wearable Doppler ultrasound device, FloPatch, to enhance the safety of intensive care unit (ICU) patients ICHOR Vascular Inc. — Tim Blair → Received FDA 510(k) clearance for its 7-F peripheral reperfusion system Inspire Medical Systems — William Inglis → Received CE Mark certification of full-body MRI compatibility for its Inspire IV neurostimulator device IRegained Inc. — Vineet Johnson → Announced the commercial launch of the MyHand System, a post-stroke medical device system designed to aid hand function disability Magenta Medical Ltd. — David Israeli, MD → Closed a $105 million financing round led by Novo Holdings. New investors Viking Global Investors and RA Capital Management, and existing investors OrbiMed, New Enterprise Associates (NEA), JVC Investment Partners, and ALIVE - Israel HealthTech Fund, also participated in the round sentiar — Berk Tas → Announced the successful completion of the first holographic cardiac ablation guided by SentiAR's CommandEP system THINK Surgical — Stuart Simpson → Received FDA 510(k) clearance for its TMINI® Miniature Robotic System (TMINI 1.1) Valcare Medical — Steve Sandweg → Announced the expansion of the AMEND™ TS EU Pilot Study to Italy Volta Medical — Théophile Mohr Durdez → Entered into Joint Development Agreement with GE HealthCare to enhance arrhythmia procedures Congratulations to all the LSI Alumni who made major news this week!

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 Intuitive   From a research project in the late 1980s, at Stanford Research Institute (SRI), that eventually led to its founding in 1995 and the development of the da Vinci surgical robotic system in 1997 and its IPO in 2000, to today where it is one of the world’s most valued medical device company, with over 13,000 employees and 7,000 installed bases worldwide, here is a look at CEOs of Intuitive from its inception to the present day:   1. Frederic Moll (1995-1997)   In 1994, Frederic Moll became interested in the SRI project while working at Guidant as a Medical Director — a company that was later acquired by Boston Scientific in 2006. He tried to interest Guidant in the project but was unsuccessful. A setback that turned out to be a blessing in disguise. He remained interested in the project.   In 1995, he was introduced to John Freund and Robert Younge, who had both recently departed from Acuson — a company that was later acquired by Siemens Healthineers in 2000. John negotiated an option to acquire SRI's IP and incorporated Intuitive. The three wrote the business plan that aimed to revolutionize minimally invasive robotic surgery and raised the initial funds from multiple VCs. From 1995 to 1997, Frederic acted as CEO of Intuitive. He was instrumental in the early development of the company's flagship product, the da Vinci Surgical System. Under his leadership, the company laid the groundwork for future innovations and growth.   2. Lonnie Smith (1997-2010)   Lonnie Smith joined Intuitive as CEO in 1997. Before joining he was an EVP at Hillenbrand. Lonnie played a crucial role in transforming Intuitive from a startup into a market leader in robotic-assisted surgery. He led the company through its initial public offering (IPO) in 2000 and oversaw the rapid adoption of the da Vinci system in hospitals worldwide. Lonnie's tenure was marked by significant revenue growth and market expansion. During his time Intuitive reached a valuation of $13B. He retired as CEO in 2010 but remained on the board till 2020. His philosophy continues to live in Intuitive’s mission and culture.   3. Gary Guthart (2010-present)   Gary Guthart who was a researcher at SRI joined Intuitive in 1996, taking on various leadership roles including VP Engineering in 2002 and COO in 2008, before becoming CEO in 2010. Gary was instrumental in advancing the capabilities of Intuitive’s products, enhancing its global market presence, and increasing the moat around it. Using a data-driven and research-based approach, he grew Intuitive from a single-product company into a large global organization with multiple product offerings. Gary solidified Intuitive's dominance in the surgical robotics market, despite facing strong competitors like Medtronic and Johnson & Johnson. During his tenure, he added over $140B to Intuitive’s market cap, making it one of the most valued medical device companies, surpassing both Medtronic and Boston Scientific.

LaNua Medical Lands €6 Million to Accelerate Development of Groundbreaking Blood Flow Tech LaNua Medical, an Irish medtech device startup, today announced it has raised $6.3 million in seed funding. The company is developing a groundbreaking technology that makes it easy, safe, and cheaper for doctors to treat internal bleeding, vascular malformations and many benign and malignant tumours. The funding round was co-led by Elkstone and Atlantic Bridge, […]

$110M in Series C funding isn’t just another milestone for Capstan Medical —it’s hope, precision, and courage, all rolled into one. For anyone who’s watched someone they love struggle with heart disease, this moment hits differently. It’s not just about the tech; it’s about changing the trajectory for millions of families who live with the uncertainty of a condition that’s often left untreated, undiagnosed, or poorly managed. Maggie Nixon, Dan Wallace, and their team at Capstan Medical aren’t just innovators—they’re advocates for a better way. They know the stakes: 13 million Americans live with heart valve disease, many of them deemed inoperable because open-heart surgery is too risky. It’s a brutal reality, one that leaves too many patients without options. Capstan’s robotic-enabled platform isn’t just a leap forward in medtech; it’s a lifeline. Advanced catheter technology, precise robotics, and novel implants work together to deliver minimally invasive care to people who were told “there’s nothing more we can do.” That’s not just innovation—it’s humanity. This isn’t just personal for patients—it’s personal for the Capstan team. They’ve built something extraordinary: a system designed to treat the people traditional surgery overlooks, and to do it in a way that scales to healthcare systems everywhere. Investors like Eclipse, Yu Galaxy, and Intuitive Ventures see the vision, and their $110M backing ensures Capstan can move fast. Early 2025 will bring first-in-human procedures for #mitralvalve patients, with #tricuspidvalve solutions close behind. These aren’t just technical milestones; they’re steps toward saving lives. For anyone who’s sat in a waiting room, hoping for news, or seen a loved one recover from open-heart surgery and thought, “there has to be a better way,” this feels like a breakthrough. Because it is. Capstan’s work is about creating options where there were none. It’s about reducing the risks, the pain, and the recovery time—not just for some, but for everyone. Their robotic platform isn’t just a technical achievement; it’s a promise to change what’s possible. Capstan’s team, headquartered in the iconic Wrigley Building in Santa Cruz, is driven by more than innovation—they’re fueled by purpose. This isn’t just a business—it’s a mission. And when you hear about first-in-human trials, FDA submissions, and pivotal studies, know that behind every milestone is a patient, a family, and a future that looks just a little brighter. Heart disease takes a life every 33 seconds. It’s a stark, sobering statistic. But what Capstan Medical is building? It’s hope. #Startups #StartupFunding #MedTech #MedicalTech #Robotics #MedicalRobotics #HeartHealth #HealthCare #HealthTech #HeartDesease #PatientCare #SurgicalRobotics #AdvancedMedicine #Technology #Innovation #TechEcosystem #StartupEcosystem

Human Plus Fund invests in Spatium Medical. Since the 1990’s, the number of laparoscopic surgeries has been ever growing, drastically reducing patient recovery time. However, the use of pressurized CO2 gas to create workspace for the surgeon, is not without consequences. Spatium Medical provides a solution by bringing smart, personalized insufflation to the world of laparoscopy. @rotterdam-based company Spatium Medical introduces the next standard of care for medical insufflation in laparoscopic surgery worldwide. The unique features of Spatium Medical’s product enable the surgeon to choose the right pressure for each individual patient, lowering the burden and reducing recovery time. It ensures stability of the surgical workspace, improving safety during the procedure. On top of that, it adjusts to mechanical ventilation. In other words, the technology is “breathing with the patient”, reducing patient burden and lowering the risk of complications. With funding from Human Plus, and with their expertise and network, Spatium Medical can develop its technology and build the business towards Series A investment. “Together with Human Plus, we have been able to tap into a broad European network of experts and gather essential feedback on the technology, the unmet needs and how our product can address these challenges.” says Willem Mees van der Bijl, CEO of Spatium Medical. About Human Plus Fund Human+ impact investment Fund accelerates high potential discoveries for the benefit of patients. Human+ Fund supports innovative product development in biomedical technology, diagnostics and pharma products. The fund brings outcomes of biomedical research to market faster, increasing impact for patients and generating a return on investment for funders. Rotterdam Square, Erasmus MC #Medicaldevice #innovation #smartinsufflation

Strong week in #MedTech for #funding, #clinicaltrials, and empowering partnerships, see the most important news, as presented by Guided Solutions.  ⬇️ ONWARD Medical raised $54m to support clinical studies and regulatory tasks on the ARC-EX and ARC-IM neuromodulation systems. Good luck to CEO Dave Marver and the team. INNOVENTRIC completed a $28.5m Series B financing round. CEO Amir Danino emphasised his belief in the company’s mission to revolutionise the transcatheter tricuspid regurgitation treatment field. INBRAIN Neuroelectronics raised $50m in Series B funding to advance its graphene-based neural platform. CEO and co-founder Carolina Aguilar shared the company is shaping the future of #BCItherapeutics. InterVene, Inc. closed a $13m Series A round to advance its venous thrombosis Recana catheter system. CEO Jeff Elkins expressed excitement at the "significant opportunity to help physicians and their patients.” London-based startup Scalpel AI raised £3.8m in a funding round to transform the management of surgical tools and implants using computer vision. Best of luck to CEO and co-founder Yeshwanth Pulijala. Biomendex entered partnered with Mayo Clinic to further advance the applications of its Adaptos bone graft. Good luck to CEO Pasi Kankaanpää. In clinical trials, BlueWind Medical presented data from its study on the Revi iTNM system. Chief medical officer Dr. Roger Dmochowski highlighted the potential of the device as a powerful urgency urinary incontinence treatment. Adagio Medical Inc. Medical completed the first procedure in an #FDA IDE study of its VT cryoablation system. Good luck to COO Hakon Bergheim in the planned European launch. Corvia Medical, Inc. shared positive results from the trial of its Corvia Atrial Shunt, which led to fewer heart failure events in patients. Encouraging results from CEO George Fazio and CMO jan komtebedde! Vivasure Medical Ltd. saw positive results from the US IDE pivotal trial of its PerQseal System, which cuts post-procedure complications in procedures such as TAVR. CEO Andrew Glass praised the device’s safety and effectiveness. Led by CEO Richard Yang, Sonablate Corp. enroled the first patient in its IDE U.S. clinical trial, testing high-intensity focused ultrasound for the non-invasive treatment of incompetent veins. Vantis Vascular received FDA 510(k) clearance for its CrossFast integrated microcatheter guide extension system, which helps physicians perform faster, easier and safer procedures. Well done to CEO Jason Turner and the team! After more than 1,3K patients treated in Europe, Distalmotion can bring its Dexter surgical robot to the US after receiving FDA approval. Good luck to CEO Greg Roche and the team. Led by CEO Olivier Pierron, Cardiawave reported positive results from the clinical study of its investigational Valvosoft non-invasive ultrasound therapy device which restores leaflet mobility in the stenotic aortic valve.

Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram FRCS (Plast), BEM is the Founder and CEO of Proximie, a global healthtech platform digital connecting surgical operating rooms (ORs). Alongside her entrepreneurial venture, she is also a practising NHS surgeon, specialising in plastic surgery at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in London. In a Q&A with Startups Magazine, Nadine discussed Proximie, how emerging technologies will revolutionise the medical industry, and what’s next for the company. 👇 Read more below 👇 #StartupsMagazine #Startups #Entrepreneur #HealthTech

🚀 Munich-based Medtech Symphera Secures €2.4M to Revolutionise Surgeries! Symphera, a promising Munich-based startup, has successfully closed a €2.4 million seed financing round. This fresh capital, led by High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) and supported by Bayern Kapital, CARMA FUND, and other notable investors, will bolster Symphera's mission to transform laparoscopic surgeries. Symphera has developed advanced surgical systems that automate tool-switching, eliminating the need for manual instrument changes. Imagine surgeons seamlessly switching instruments with just a button press during procedures! This innovative technology streamlines the surgical workflow, reduces operating time, and improves post-operative outcomes, embodying the current trends in healthcare to enhance operating room efficiency. With this funding, Symphera will advance its product development, conduct pre-clinical tests, and gear up for certification. Their ultimate goal? To modernise laparoscopic surgery and significantly improve patient care. I'm excited to see how Symphera's journey unfolds and the impact their innovative approach will have on the medical field. #MedTech #LifeSciences #Innovation

A reality or science fiction? Investing in emerging technology in health Congratulations to the medical team at the Vall de Hebron Hospital in Barcelona, and to the developers of the daVinci Surgical System, which is about to celebrate its first year since the world's first robotic lung transplant performance.  And it is not science fiction, it could even become a reality in other hospitals in the short term, if investment in digital technologies and advanced robotics are combined and sped up, so that they are adopted in the market. And although companies have captured the interest of investors in recent decades, the flow of capital is important to continue advancing in increasingly less invasive solutions that restore and improve the capabilities of our body. Let's look at the explanation at the last link: https://lnkd.in/ev29Mn4r daVinci (registered trademark) robotic-assisted surgery enables surgeons to perform complex, minimally invasive surgical procedures with precision and accuracy. The daVinci robot was developed by California company Intuitive Surgical Inc. in 1999. The robot performs a wide range of conditions in specialties including: hysterectomies, gallbladder removal, heart surgeries, organ transplants and kidney repairs. hernias, fibroid removal, colorectal procedures and other less invasive surgeries. And today, it's used in over 5,000 hospitals around the world, reducing the time spent on surgeries and reducing postoperative pain for patients. Briefly, in the early 1980s, the non-profit institute SRI International carried out research and development of this robot. In the late 90s, it received funding from the National Institute of Health. The robot was considered of great interest because it would allow wounded soldiers to be operated on remotely. In 2010, with 1,400 units of this robot sold, at a cost of over 1 million dollars per unit. In 2000, in its first public offering, the company raised $46 million. Today quoted Nasdaq ISRG, Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500, in the medical device components and equipment industry. According to data, da Vinci Surgical System products represent $6.22 billion and 12,120 employees (2022). Intuitive: Surgical: https://lnkd.in/eVdEiNmc https://lnkd.in/eGvbuMys