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
REPLY: The Board of Directors Approved the Draft Financial Statements for the Year 202512.3.2026 15:38:00 CET | Press release
All economic indicators are positive.Consolidated turnover of €2,483.6 million (€2,300.5 million in 2024);EBITDA at €467.6 million (€410.6 million in 2024);EBIT at €391.7 million (€330.4 million in 2024)Group net profit at €250.9 million (€211.1 million in 2024)Approval of the proposed dividend distribution of €1.35 per share. Today the Board of Directors of Reply S.p.A. [MTA, STAR: REY] approved the draft financial statement for the year 2025, which will be submitted for approval to the Shareholders’ Meeting to be held in first call in Turin on 23 April 2026. The Reply Group closed 2025 with a consolidated turnover of €2,483.6 million, an increase of 8.0% compared to €2,300.5 million in 2024. All indicators are positive for the period. Consolidated EBITDA was €467.6 million, an increase of 13.9% compared to €410.6 million at December 2024. EBIT, from January to December, was at €391.7 million, which is an increase of 18.5% compared to €330.4 million at December 2024. The Group net pro
LZE GmbH Introduces Fraunhofer’s RFicient® Technology to the Market12.3.2026 14:51:00 CET | Press release
LZE GmbH is expanding its technology transfer portfolio and making the RFicient® ultra-low-power wake-up receiver technology from the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS available for the first time as a standard chip for close-to-production industrial applications. The solution enables energy-efficient IoT designs that remain continuously reachable while consuming only microamps – a key step for long-lasting, low-maintenance IoT products. LZE GmbH drives technology transfer to market: standard chip availability for close-to-production applications As a bridge between research and industry, LZE GmbH is making it easier for companies to access innovative technologies and helping them to quickly and reliably transform new developments into market-ready solutions. With RFicient®-IC (FH101RF), LZE is providing another high-tech product that comes directly from Fraunhofer research and can now be ordered in volume and integrated into close-to-production product development for t
Owkin Creates New Spin out Waiv, Formerly Owkin Dx, With $33M Financing12.3.2026 14:30:00 CET | Press release
Investment lead by OTB Ventures and Alpha Intelligence CapitalWaiv develops AI-powered precision testing to better identify and stratify patients in the clinic and in clinical trials, transforming patient careWaiv extends Owkin’s strategy of real-world validation for its AI Owkin, the AI company on a mission to solve the complexity of biology, today announced the spin out of Waiv, formerly known as Owkin Dx. The move follows significant investor interest and positions Waiv to bring AI-powered precision testing for better identification of patients in the clinic and in clinical trials, to transform patient care. This follows on from the successful launch of Bioptimus, an Owkin incubated company, in February 2024. Waiv translates AI innovation into real-world clinical impact, developing tests that predict biomarkers and patient outcomes, including RlapsRisk BC for prognostic risk profiling. With multiple tests already in use in clinical settings, its deployment platform Destra, and colla
RQM+ Launches SMART Solutions Life Cycle Partnership Model12.3.2026 14:30:00 CET | Press release
Helps MedTech Companies Navigate MDR, IVDR, and AI-Enabled Device Development RQM+, a leading MedTech CRO offering regulatory consulting, clinical trial, laboratory, and reimbursement services, today announced the launch of SMART Solutions, a life cycle partnership model designed to help medical device and diagnostics companies manage growing regulatory and development complexity. SMART Solutions introduces a strategy-led operating framework that unifies regulatory, quality, clinical, reimbursement, and laboratory expertise to support MedTech companies across the entire product life cycle to help reduce risk from early development through post-market. “MedTech companies are navigating unprecedented complexity as regulatory expectations evolve, product innovation accelerates, and post-market expectations are expanding,” said John Potthoff, Ph.D., chief executive officer of RQM+. “SMART Solutions moves beyond traditional consulting by providing an integrated life cycle partnership that h
Cryptio Raises $45m Series B as Digital Assets Move Into Regulated Financial Markets12.3.2026 14:06:00 CET | Press release
The system of record for tokenized finance – ERP infrastructure for institutions operating in digital assets Cryptio, a leader in financial data transformation and enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications for regulated digital assets, announced today a $45 million Series B funding round co-led by BlackFin Capital Partners and Sentinel Global, with participation from 1kx, Alven, BlueYard Capital and Ledger Cathay Capital. Banks, exchanges, asset managers, including Société Générale’s SG Forge, Circle, Gemini, and Securitize rely on Cryptio to ensure financial integrity across their digital assets businesses. Existing ERP systems fall short for digital assets Traditional ERP and accounting systems were not designed for blockchain-native assets, real-time reporting, or modern custody frameworks. As regulated financial institutions expand into stablecoins, tokenized securities and other on-chain instruments, these limitations create material operational and reporting challenges. Cry
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