Scalpel AI has successfully closed a £3.8m funding round, leveraging AI and computer vision in healthcare.
- Founded in 2017, the Essex startup aims to enhance surgical safety by tracking and identifying surgical tool performance.
- The firm’s technology creates digital twins of medical equipment, verified through computer vision to avoid errors.
- The recent funding was led by Mercia Ventures, with notable support from Tensor Ventures.
- Scalpel AI plans to use the investment to expand internationally, aiming for recognition as an industry standard.
Scalpel AI, based in Essex, has raised £3.8m to support its innovative approach in managing surgical tools and implants. The company, established by two doctors in 2017, uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to address the critical errors that can occur due to surgical tool mismanagement. The founders, having witnessed these errors firsthand, are committed to improving surgical safety and efficiency.
Dr Yeshwanth Pulijala, co-founder and CEO of Scalpel AI, highlights the importance of operational efficiency both inside and outside the operating theatre. According to him, ensuring a smooth-running operation is key to successful surgeries, and Scalpel AI’s technology plays a crucial role in achieving this. The company’s ultimate goal is to pave the way for personalised surgery, which it views as the future of healthcare.
Scalpel AI’s technology involves creating digital replicas of medical equipment, referred to as digital twins. These are then evaluated using computer vision to ensure surgical trays contain the correct instruments, thus eliminating potential supply chain errors and reducing handling time, as explained by Dr Shahnawaz Ahmed, the co-founder and chief technology officer.
The startup’s recent funding round was led by Mercia Ventures, with participation from Tensor Ventures. This investment reflects confidence in Scalpel AI’s platform to significantly transform surgical tray management. Lee Lindley from Mercia Ventures notes the limited capacity of existing solutions, which rely on basic technologies like barcodes and RFID tags, to adequately address these needs.
Further underscoring its potential, Scalpel AI has previously acquired grant funding from Innovate UK, a government-backed entity, supporting its growth and development. The company now looks to scale its operations internationally, aspiring to become recognised as the industry standard in surgical tool management.
Scalpel AI’s innovative use of technology is setting new standards in surgical safety and efficiency.
