Finnish medtech startup AIATELLA has secured €2 million in funding to accelerate the development and scaling of its AI-powered cardiovascular imaging technology. The funding will help the company conduct clinical trials and develop its ultrasound-based preventative screening, which detects and quantifies carotid artery narrowing in minutes. The round was led by Helsinki-based Nordic Science Investments, with Specialist VC, Harjavalta Ventures, Business Finland, and a syndicate of angel investors also joining the round.
AIATELLA’s multi-modal Automated Image Measurement (AIM) technology uses images from prevalent technologies like MRI, CT, and ultrasound to analyse vascular imaging, not only detecting, but quantifying abnormalities and changes over time in at-risk patients. With this technology, specialists no longer need to spend up to an hour manually measuring images and documenting changes. Automated analysis makes these tasks take minutes, allowing clinicians to focus more on patient care. The company is currently in medical approval processes in several countries across Europe and North America, including the UK, France, and the United States.
“When I was in medical education in the UK, my mentor told me that you can save thousands of lives in the operating room, but if you want to save millions, that happens in society. I saw that the current imaging workflows take a lot of time and resources, with ever-increasing scan volumes and a global shortage of radiologists leading to large backlogs; Radiologists were, and are, burning out. Our technology helps medical professionals analyse imaging much more efficiently, and at an earlier stage, so patients can get help before it’s too late,” says Jack Parker, Co-Founder and CEO at AIATELLA.
AIATELLA’s technology has firstly been applied to the aorta, the largest artery in the body, but the company’s vision is to expand their coverage to every blood vessel in the body.
“AIATELLA’s solutions have the potential to streamline our workflow by automating measurements in cardiovascular imaging, saving clinicians significant time per scan, and allowing us to focus our attention on interpretation. The scalability of this technology means we can provide standardised expert-level measurements regardless of the degree of expertise of the reporter. I am excited about the impact this could have for the NHS in terms of workflow optimisation and equitable patient care,” says Anna Beattie, Consultant Cardiothoracic Radiologist, Radiology Research and AI Lead at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The lead investor, Nordic Science Investments, which supports university research teams turning their groundbreaking inventions into commercial success stories, was particularly drawn to AIATELLA’s unique combination of cutting-edge technology, clinical insight, and a clear path to impact.
“AIATELLA is tackling one of the most significant opportunities in medicine: using AI to transform radiology. The company is perfectly positioned to lead the shift from reactive to preventative cardiovascular care and to replace outdated, manual workflows with intelligent, automated diagnostics.,” says Alexandra Gylfe, Partner at Nordic Science Investments.
