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Mendaera is growing a handheld, robotic surgical system. Credit score: Adobe Inventory
Mendaera Inc. yesterday introduced that it has closed a $73 million Collection B funding spherical. The corporate mentioned the financing will additional its efforts to scale robotics and synthetic intelligence “throughout mainstream medical procedures” with its handheld robotic interventional platform.
Rising prices and supplier shortages are making it tough for the healthcare business to keep up the standard of care, famous the San Mateo, Calif.-based firm. It cited widespread however vital procedures resembling biopsies, organ and vascular entry, and ache administration interventions. It described these because the “messy center” the place demand is excessive however expertise are laborious to accumulate, leading to excessive prices and bottlenecks in care.
Whereas different industries have addressed comparable expertise shortages by deploying automation to enhance high quality and productiveness, robots in healthcare have largely been restricted to high-end, singularly targeted surgical procedures, mentioned Mendaera. The corporate mentioned it’s taking a distinct method by creating applied sciences which can be available for these foundational on a regular basis procedures.
“Conventional surgical robots have established footing within the working room,” said Josh DeFonzo, founder and CEO. “However robotics and AI have advanced to a degree the place we will ship broader advantages throughout all elements of the healthcare system and allow greater requirements of look after extra sufferers.”
By higher distributing look after such procedures, Mendaera mentioned it goals to enhance a whole bunch of hundreds of thousands of affected person encounters per yr and drive system-wide efficiencies.
Mendaera provides capabilities by way of acquisitions
Mendaera mentioned its system consists of robotics, AI, real-time imaging, and digital connectivity. It’s designed to be accessible throughout specialties and websites of service to assist healthcare suppliers meet the rising demand for needle-based interventions.
The corporate mentioned it should use its newest funding to finish the event of its robotic know-how, speed up work on its AI and connectivity, and start the medical introduction of its platform. Though it isn’t but clear what capabilities the hand-held interventional platform can have, Mendaera’s current acquisitions present some clues.
Earlier this yr, Mendaera introduced that it had acquired the telepresence know-how of Avail Medsystems so as to add digital connectivity to its portfolio. In 2023, the corporate signed a industrial settlement with the point-of-care ultrasound firm Butterfly Community.
Funding to assist tackle healthcare labor shortages
Threshold Ventures led the funding spherical. Lux Capital, PFM Well being Sciences, and Fred Moll, the founding father of Intuitive Surgical and Auris Well being, additionally participated within the spherical.
“Mendaera has the distinctive potential to enhance the affected person expertise and make high-quality care broadly accessible,” mentioned Emily Melton, founder and managing associate at Threshold Ventures.
“Amidst rising healthcare prices and labor shortages impacting high quality and affordability, it’s crucial to harness superior know-how to revolutionize healthcare supply,” she mentioned. “We’re thrilled to affix forces with the dynamic Mendaera staff, comprising probably the most modern and achieved leaders in medical robotics and software program.”
“We imagine that our know-how will permit healthcare methods and suppliers to provision medical procedures at scale – enhancing affected person expertise, growing entry to high-quality care, decreasing total price, and bettering healthcare supplier satisfaction,” DeFonzo mentioned.
