Scopia Surgical Raises C$2.65 Million to Build AI 'GPS' for Robotic Surgery
核心洞察
Scopia Surgical (搜索), a Montréal-based medtech startup, closed an oversubscribed C$2.65 million pre-seed round co-led by Linearis Ventures (搜索) and Anges Québec (搜索).
The company is developing AI-powered navigation software that acts like a GPS to help surgeons visualize anatomy in real time during minimally invasive robotic surgery.
Funding will accelerate product development, expand the seven-person team, and support first clinical validation and feasibility studies at hospitals in Montréal and South Carolina.
Montréal-based medical technology startup Scopia Surgical (搜索) has closed C$2.65 million in pre-seed funding to advance its AI-powered navigation software for robotic surgery. The oversubscribed round was co-led by Anges Québec (搜索) and Québec City-based, life sciences-focused Linearis Ventures (搜索), with additional support from Investissement Québec (搜索)'s Fonds Impulsion, Toronto-based physician angel group HaloHealth (搜索), Intelerad co-founder Richard Rubin, and MyHealth Centre co-founder Suresh Madan. The convertible note round closed last month and brings the startup's total funding to over $3 million.
Scopia is building a platform designed to help surgeons better navigate minimally invasive soft-tissue robotic surgeries in real time. The company plans to use the new capital to accelerate product development and grow its seven-person team with hires in clinical and engineering roles. It will also pursue the first clinical validation of its software, executing initial feasibility studies and pilots at the CHUM and the Jewish General Hospital in Montréal, as well as Charleston's Medical University of South Carolina.
Addressing a Core Surgical Challenge
While surgeons typically plan procedures using detailed CT and MRI scans, that anatomical insight is no longer visible once surgery begins, Scopia states. According to co-founder and CEO Gabriel Rivest, misidentification and localization of patient anatomy is "one of the leading causes of complications in minimally invasive soft-tissue surgery."
The startup's patented software aims to bridge this gap for gynecological, urologic, and colorectal procedures. Founded in 2024 by Rivest and CTO Sébastien Delorme, Scopia uses spatial intelligence and digital twins to help clinicians visualize patient anatomy both pre-operatively and alongside the live surgical view, "acting like a GPS."
"We strongly believe we're transitioning to a world where autonomous robotic surgery will be a game-changer to deliver and democratize standardized high-quality surgery," Rivest told BetaKit. "The industry has built the body and the arms (the robot); now it's time to build the brain."
A Proprietary Physical AI Platform
Scopia's proprietary physical AI platform integrates real-time spatial intelligence with patient-specific digital twins, alongside advanced computer vision techniques. This combination is designed to enhance the functionality and effectiveness of existing robotic surgery systems, offering surgeons improved tools for precision and decision-making during operations. The company's investors were attracted to its potential to improve operating outcomes while remaining compatible with existing systems.
"This round, backed by investors who have built and scaled life sciences companies, gives us the resources and expert advisory needed to bring our vision into the first clinical evaluations," said Rivest.
Regulatory and Commercial Milestones
Scopia is strategically preparing for future milestones related to regulatory approval and commercialization. The company hopes to obtain 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration as a Class 2 medical product within the next 24 months.
While robotic surgeries have been around for decades, recent advances in AI and computer vision are transforming the process and accelerating the possibilities. Having worked in surgical robotics for a decade and secured support from investors who have previously built and scaled life sciences companies, Rivest believes Scopia is well-positioned to help surgeons take advantage of these advancements.