Activ Surgical

Activ Surgical is a Boston-based company founded in 2017, dedicated to enhancing surgical precision and patient outcomes through advanced digital technologies. The company's flagship product, the ActivSight™ Imaging Platform, addresses the critical need for real-time visualisation in the operating room. Surgeons often rely on their experience and limited visual and tactile information, which can lead to preventable medical errors—surgical errors account for one in four of these mistakes, contributing to over 400,000 deaths annually in the U.S. alone.

ActivSight offers a solution by augmenting surgeons' senses with two key modes. The ActivPerfusion™ Mode allows surgeons to visualise blood flow through subtle, otherwise imperceptible movements, enhancing their ability to make informed decisions during procedures. The ActivICG™ Mode enables the visualisation of critical structures, such as bile ducts, at the push of a button, reducing the risk of accidental damage to these vital areas.

One of the most significant advantages of the ActivSight platform is its compatibility with existing laparoscopic systems. It integrates seamlessly into the surgical tools already in use, upgrading them with advanced visualisation capabilities through two simple components. This approach makes state-of-the-art technology more accessible and eliminates common barriers to its adoption, setting a new standard for patient care.

In addition to ActivSight, Activ Surgical has developed the ActivEdge platform, which integrates AI and machine learning to provide real-time surgical insights. With FDA clearance and CE mark approval, Activ Surgical’s technology is gaining traction in both the U.S. and international markets, aiming to reduce surgical errors, improve outcomes, and make world-class surgery accessible to all.

Activ Surgical was founded in 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts, with a vision to revolutionise the field of surgery through the integration of advanced digital technologies. The company’s inception was rooted in the recognition that traditional surgical methods, while effective, could be significantly enhanced by leveraging emerging technologies like augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML). This vision was driven by the desire to reduce surgical complications and improve patient outcomes on a global scale.

One of the company's earliest milestones came in 2018 when it successfully completed the world’s first autonomous robotic surgery of soft tissue. This achievement marked a turning point in the field of digital surgery, demonstrating the potential of AI and robotics to assist in complex surgical procedures. The success of this autonomous surgery underscored Activ Surgical's commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the operating room.

In the following years, Activ Surgical focused on developing its core technology platform, known as ActivEdge. This platform was designed to provide real-time intelligence and visualisation to surgeons, enabling them to make more informed decisions during procedures. ActivEdge integrates AI and ML to deliver critical insights, such as visualising blood flow and identifying critical anatomical structures that are not visible to the naked eye.

The company’s flagship product, ActivSight, emerged as a key component of this platform. ActivSight is an intraoperative imaging module that connects to existing endoscopes and camera systems, providing enhanced visualisation capabilities during surgery. It was designed to be hardware-agnostic, allowing it to integrate seamlessly with various surgical systems. The device received FDA clearance in April 2021, followed by CE mark approval in December 2022, paving the way for its adoption in both the U.S. and international markets.

In 2021, Activ Surgical announced its plans for global commercialisation, beginning with the U.S. market. The company’s focus was on addressing the high rate of preventable surgical errors, which are a leading cause of death worldwide. By providing surgeons with real-time data through augmented reality overlays, Activ Surgical aimed to reduce these errors and improve overall surgical outcomes.

The company's technological advancements did not go unnoticed, and it quickly attracted significant investment. In 2021, Activ Surgical raised $15 million in a Series B funding round, bringing its total funding to $32 million. This financial backing enabled the company to accelerate its research and development efforts, further refining its technology and expanding its product offerings.

In addition to ActivSight, the company is developing ActivInsights, a software platform that uses AI and ML to provide surgeons with even deeper insights during procedures. Activ Surgical’s products are designed to be adaptable, allowing them to upgrade existing surgical equipment rather than requiring costly new investments. This approach has made the company’s technology accessible to a wide range of healthcare providers, furthering its mission to make world-class surgery available to all.

As of 2024, Activ Surgical continues to innovate in the field of digital surgery, with its technologies being adopted in leading medical institutions worldwide. The company remains committed to enhancing surgical precision, reducing complications, and ultimately improving patient care through the power of digital technology.

Activ Surgical's mission is to revolutionise surgical procedures by providing every surgical imaging system with intelligent information that reduces complication rates. The company aims to usher in a new standard of patient care and safety by enhancing real-time visualisation capabilities for surgeons. Through the integration of advanced augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) technology, Activ Surgical strives to make world-class surgery accessible to all.

Activ Surgical envisions transforming the collective surgical experience by leveraging emerging technologies and data into actionable insights. The company aims to create a future where surgical systems and surgeons collaborate seamlessly, enabling unparalleled accuracy and efficiency in the operating room. By pioneering digital surgery innovations, Activ Surgical seeks to make top-tier surgical care universally available, ensuring that every patient benefits from the best possible outcomes.

Activ Surgical offers groundbreaking products designed to enhance surgical visualisation and intelligence. The flagship product, ActivSight, is an intelligent light module that attaches to laparoscopic and robotic systems, providing surgeons with real-time, on-demand insights. This device integrates with standard operating room monitors, enabling the visualisation of critical physiological structures and functions, such as blood flow, which are not visible to the naked eye. ActivSight received CE mark approval in December 2022 and FDA clearance in April 2021.

Additionally, Activ Surgical's ActivEdge platform leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to deliver crucial real-time intelligence during surgeries. This platform aims to improve patient outcomes, prevent surgical errors, and generate significant savings for healthcare systems. ActivEdge is initially available in the U.S. market, with plans for global commercialisation. By focusing on the most common laparoscopic procedures, Activ Surgical seeks to enhance situational awareness and real-time imaging, ensuring optimal surgical results and patient safety.