MÉRIEUX-EQUITY
18.2.2021 08:02:12 CET | Business Wire | Press release
AcuSurgical, a Montpellier-based company focused on robotic microsurgery, today announces a €5.75 million Series A financing round led by Mérieux Equity Partners (via OMX Europe Venture Fund) and Supernova Invest (via Supernova 2 Fund), with Sofimac Innovation (via Pertinence Invest 2 Fund) and IRDI Capital Investissement (via Irdinov 2 and Inn’Vest PME Occitanie Est Funds) participating in the round.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210217005035/en/
Using advanced robotics, AcuSurgical is making ocular microsurgery safer and more accessible by dramatically improving the precision of surgical interventions. A proof of concept of the platform has already been completed with a first prototype validated in a preclinical setting.
The company will use the proceeds of the Series A financing to conduct clinical trials and reach regulatory approval with vitreo-retinal surgery as the first indication, paving the way for future applications that are not within the reach of surgeons today.
Retinal surgeries represent an annual global market of 1.6 million procedures, currently performed by a limited number of specialized surgeons. AcuSurgical’s robotic platform aims to increase the precision of current procedures, filtering tremor and augmenting visualization with the aid of a telemanipulated robot, while the surgeon remains in complete control.
Founded by Christoph Spuhler, serving as Chief Executive Officer, AcuSurgical has already attracted an experienced and highly skilled multidisciplinary team of executives, alongside the scientific co-founders, Prof. Yassine Haddab and Prof. Philippe Poignet, robotics experts at the joint research Unit LIRMM (Laboratory of Computer Science, Robotics and Microelectronics in Montpellier) and Prof. Philippe Gain and Prof. Gilles Thuret, retinal surgeons at the Saint-Etienne University Hospital.
“Our ambition is to enable new treatments for retinal disease that will open new perspectives for the numerous patients who are impacted by these debilitating retinal conditions. We are proud of the vote of confidence by this strong syndicate of investors. This financing will allow us to grow the team and reach key milestones towards certification and commercialisation of a truly innovative surgical solution”, s ays Christoph Spuhler, CEO and co-founder of AcuSurgical.
“We are delighted to partner with such an experienced team and look forward to supporting AcuSurgical in bringing to market a novel solution that will improve ocular surgeries and open new procedures in ophthalmology” , says Valérie Calenda, Managing Partner at Mérieux Equity Partners.
”The robotics platform developed by AcuSurgical aims to help retinal surgeons perform complex procedures more safely and reproducibly. We are very pleased to support this new venture and excellent team” says Celia Hart, General Partner at Supernova Invest.
About AcuSurgical - www.acusurgical.com
Founded in 2020, AcuSurgical is a surgical robotics company based in Montpellier (France). AcuSurgical's mission is to enable top-class treatment to the 300+ million patients suffering from retinal disease worldwide, a debilitating condition including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy and macular holes. Worldwide, currently 1.6 million retinal surgeries are performed each year, with a yearly growth rate of 7%. This currently represents only a small percentage of actual cases, with the majority of patients, especially in emerging economies, getting inadequate treatment or often no treatment at all. The cutting-edge robotics platform from AcuSurgical aims to change this, bringing a new surgical paradigm to vitreo-retinal surgery based on precision robotics.
About Mérieux Equity Partners - www.merieux-partners.com
Mérieux Equity Partners (“MxEP”) is an investment company dedicated to capital investment in health and nutrition and registered with the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF). MxEP actively supports entrepreneurs and companies with differentiated products and services, giving them privileged access to its sector expertise and international network. MxEP currently manages around €670 million of assets and launched their latest venture capital fund in 2020, OMX Venture Fund, to finance high potential companies in the life science space, in Europe and North America.
About Supernova Invest - www.supernovainvest.com
Supernova Invest is a cutting-edge venture capital firm with a leading position in the French deeptech investment market. It manages and advises five capital funds for a total of €260 million AUM. Supernova Invest specializes in breakthrough technologies, developing start-ups in Industry, Health, Energy & Environment and Digital Technology sectors. Supernova Invest has a strong partnership with both the CEA (the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) and Amundi (the European leader in asset management).
The FPCI Supernova 2 is an early-stage investment fund managed by Supernova Invest. Its main investors are the Crédit Agricole, the Fond National d’Amorçage managed by Bpi France, the CEA, Michelin, BioMérieux, Vinci, EDF, CGG, UDIMEC as well as entrepreneurs and family offices.
About Sofimac Innovation - www.sofimacinnovation.com
Sofimac Innovation is an independent management company certified by the financial markets regulator (AMF) and dedicated to technological and innovative investment. Based in Paris, Lyon, Rennes and Marseille, Sofimac Innovation supports innovative start-up in their growth projects with a wide range of investment vehicles. Working in a wide variety of technological sectors, particularly in Health and Digital sectors, Sofimac Innovation is currently managing 9 Funds comprising around 90 active companies.
Pertinence Invest 2 is an investment Fund managed by Sofimac Innovation, raised in partnership with prestigious Universities and Schools and renowned industrial corporates. Pertinence Invest 2 is investing in breakthrough technologies in the Engineering Sciences and Health & Nutrition sectors.
About IRDI Capital Investissement - www.irdi.fr
Based in Toulouse, Montpellier, and Bordeaux, IRDI Capital Investissement has been a key player in private equity for more than 35 years, with an investment track record in companies located in the South-West of France and at all development stages. It manages more than €350 million spread across several funds, including IRDINOV 2 and INN’VEST PME OCCITANIE EST which were both leveraged to invest in AcuSurgical.
IRDINOV 2 - supported by the Fonds National d’Amorçage (FNA) - is a capital seed fund specialized in financing technological companies.
INN’VEST PME OCCITANIE EST is a co-investment fund supported by the European Investment Fund (EIF) and the Région Occitanie under the FOSTER TPE PME fund of funds.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210217005035/en/
Link:
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Dubai Launches Global Create AI Agents Championship with Prize Pool Exceeding AED 2.5 Million8.10.2026 19:05:00 CEST | Press release
Dubai has launched the Create AI Agents Championship, a global competition inviting innovators to develop practical and scalable AI-agent solutions that address real-world challenges, with a total prize pool exceeding AED 2.5 million. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261008883373/en/ Dubai has launched the Create AI Agents Championship as part of its efforts to accelerate the adoption and development of Agentic AI (Photo: AETOSWire) The launch of the championship was announced by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, who encouraged innovators from around the world to participate. Led by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, the championship aims to accelerate the adoption of Agentic AI and support the development of innovative AI-agent solutions with strong potential for
Seiden Law LLP issues statement: Prosecuted by Press Conference: Declared Guilty Without a Charge, Yim Leak Family Asks UN Human Rights Experts to Hold Thailand to Its Own Treaty Commitments8.10.2026 18:26:00 CEST | Press release
Urgent appeal to UN Special Rapporteurs cites the presumption of innocence, due process and protection of a child. The key facts are the Thai government's own words and files. Seiden Law LLP, chief global counsel to Cambodian businessman Yim Leak, announced today that Jared Genser, international counsel to Mr. Yim and his wife, has asked two UN Special Rapporteurs to send an urgent appeal to the Thai government. The request is made on behalf of the couple and their seven-year-old son. It says Thailand violated its international human rights commitments by announcing the family’s guilt before any court had tried them, and by freezing their assets, including their minor son’s savings, without a hearing. Six Official Statements in Nine Months. No Charge Filed in Any Court. Between December 2025 and September 2026, Thai officials described Mr. Yim as the center of a criminal network on six occasions: at two press conferences chaired by the head of the Thai government, in the House of Repre
Sam Altman-Backed Meanwhile Raises $37.5M as Families Across Asia, Europe and the Middle East Turn to Bitcoin Life Insurance8.10.2026 18:12:00 CEST | Press release
Existing investors, led by Bain Capital Crypto, back the first licensed Bitcoin life insurer after its single-premium policy for international clients drives a record year Meanwhile, the first life insurer licensed to operate entirely in Bitcoin, today announced $37.5 million in new funding from its existing investors. Bain Capital Crypto led the round, alongside Haun Ventures, Framework Ventures, Pantera Capital, Apollo, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, and Morgan Creek Digital. Meanwhile, whose backers also include Sam Altman, has now raised more than $180 million. The round follows a surge in international demand for Meanwhile’s Bitcoin life insurance policies, particularly in Asia, Europe and the Middle East amid broader macro instability. In early 2026, Meanwhile launched BTC Life 1-Pay, a single-premium whole life policy built for high-net-worth clients outside the United States. It is the company's second product line after BTC 10-Pay, which is purposely designed for US taxp
Toluna Announces Planned CEO Transition After 25 Years; Founder Frédéric Charles Petit to remain as Board Member, Senior Advisor and Shareholder8.10.2026 16:20:00 CEST | Press release
Toluna, a global leader in consumer insights and market research technology, today announces a planned leadership transition. After 25 years leading the company he founded, Frédéric Charles Petit, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, intends to transition from his role as CEO following the appointment of his successor as part of a carefully planned succession process designed to ensure continuity for clients, employees and partners. Following the transition, Mr. Petit will continue to serve on Toluna's Board of Directors, will remain a significant shareholder of the company, and will take on an ongoing strategic advisory role for areas central to Toluna's next phase of growth. The Board, in close consultation with Mr. Petit, has initiated a structured succession process. A comprehensive transition plan is in place, including a defined handover with Mr. Petit, to ensure continuity for the company’s clients, employees, and partners. The Board expects to confirm the appointment of the com
CSC Wins for Threat Intelligence Innovation in 2026 CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards8.10.2026 16:00:00 CEST | Press release
3D Domain Security and Global Enforcement recognized for excellence in an information security product CSC, an enterprise-class domain registrar and world leader in detecting and mitigating brand, fraud, domain, and Domain Name System (DNS) threat vectors, today announced that its 3D Domain Security and Global Enforcement solution won for Threat Intelligence Innovation in the 10th annual CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards. The awards recognize the most innovative companies, products, and technologies driving progress in the global information security industry. CSC’s 3D Domain Security and Global Enforcement solution for the enterprise domain ecosystem combines advanced AI machine learning technology, proprietary domain threat intelligence, expert analysis, and integrated global enforcement. With this technology, organizations can detect, understand, and act on external cyber threats targeting their brand online across social media, search engines, email, and e-commerce websites. By unc
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom