Key Investor Signals
CTO helped build two surgical-navigation companies later acquired
Abed Hammoud was a founding engineer at , acquired by in 1996, and , acquired by in 1999. He contributed to the navigation system and patient-specific brain-mapping technology.
Neuro Access used in 11 neurosurgical procedures in its first year
The imaging system entered the operating room alongside neurosurgeons on 11 live cases during Clee Medical's first year.
Seed round led by High-Tech Gründerfonds
is a German deep-tech seed investor that has financed around 800 startups. Four other backers joined the round: , , and . , the neurotechnology research center Clee Medical was spun out of, invested again.
Other Positive Signals
- Published peer-reviewed in vivo results showing the probe could distinguish brain tissue and detect blood flow in a live rabbit cohort.
- Partnered with the on clinical validation and surgical training.
- Won CHF 270K across the and Venture Kick in 2025.
- Secured an grant with to develop the software behind its imaging platform.
- Spun out of Wyss Geneva's research project.
Team
Matthew Lapinski
Co-founder and CEO
- Led the Minimally Invasive IntraCranial Access project at Wyss Geneva, the research program from which Clee Medical was spun out.
- Led engineering work on Class III implantable brain electrodes and neurostimulation systems at Wyss Geneva.
- Worked as a senior engineer at on an implanted port and catheter for delivering therapies into the central nervous system.
- Led research and development at on the Elipse swallowable gastric balloon and supported its US regulatory submission.
Abed Hammoud
Co-founder and CTO
- Founding engineer at Surgical Navigation Technologies, where he helped develop the StealthStation system before the company was acquired by Sofamor Danek in 1996.
- Founding engineer at IntellX Brain Mapping Technologies, which commercialized patient-specific brain-mapping research and was acquired by Medtronic in 1999.
- CEO of Renishaw Mayfield from 2007 to 2018, where he turned around and grew the surgical robotics business.
- Led the development of Medtronic's software for planning electrode placement in the brain during a 13-year tenure at the company.
Product
Clee Medical is developing Neuro Access for and , where electrodes or biopsy needles travel through narrow tracks to deep targets. Initial applications include , epilepsy procedures and deep-tumor biopsies.
Live imaging along the surgical track
The probe travels along the planned path and shows tissue and blood flow directly ahead as the surgeon advances. It is designed to complement the navigation systems already used to guide instruments against preoperative scans.
Micrometer-resolution imaging without radiation
Optical coherence tomography provides resolution down to 15 micrometers, compared with roughly one to two millimeters for preoperative imaging. Software classifies tissue and detects blood flow without radiation or injected contrast agents.
Designed for existing stereotactic instruments
The forward-viewing endoscope measures 1.27 millimeters across, making it narrow enough for existing stereotactic cannulas. Its single-use format creates a recurring consumable alongside the imaging console without requiring surgeons to adopt a new access technique.
Market Overview
guides electrodes or biopsy needles through narrow tracks to deep targets. The approach is used for deep-brain stimulation in movement disorders, electrode placement in epilepsy and biopsies of deep tumors. Hospitals already invest heavily in navigation systems for these procedures, with neurology representing the largest application segment.
Existing navigation systems position an instrument against a scan captured before surgery. Once the skull is opened, brain shift can reduce the accuracy of that map, while blood vessels remain a major source of procedural risk. Live imaging along the track could add a new safety layer to an established workflow without replacing the navigation equipment already in the operating room.
Estimated global spending on surgical-navigation systems in 2025.
Neurology was the largest application segment, ahead of orthopedics and spine.
Patients treated using Medtronic deep-brain stimulation systems over more than 30 years.
Projected global surgical-navigation market, representing 13.7% annual growth from 2026.
Comparable Outcomes
Novadaq Technologies
developed SPY, a real-time fluorescence imaging system that allowed surgeons to assess blood flow and tissue perfusion during an operation. completed the acquisition of Novadaq in September 2017 at a total equity value of US$701M.
Visualase
developed an MRI-guided laser system that treated small areas of brain tissue through minimally invasive access tracks. Medtronic completed the acquisition in July 2014 through an all-cash transaction valued at up to US$105M.
Volcano Corporation
paired imaging consoles with single-use catheters used inside blood vessels. completed the acquisition in February 2015 at a total equity purchase price of US$1B.
Have a question about Clee Medical?
Ask DealBio. We may research the answer or share selected questions with the company.
Sources
This profile was built from public company materials, ecosystem sources, market references, and professional profiles.