ZhiDe Medical Secures Tens of Millions in Series A Funding to Advance Its Proprietary Brain Learning Training Method for Scoliosis Correction

VCBeat has learned at the earliest opportunity that,Zhejiang Value Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Value Medical”) has completed a Series A financing round worth tens of millions of yuan. The round was led by Guangzhou Jiansu Private Equity Fund Management Co., Ltd., which made a follow-on investment, with participation from Hangzhou Xihu Kechuang Equity Investment Co., Ltd., Guangdong Jucheng Assets Management Co., Ltd., and others.The proceeds from this financing round will be primarily allocated to clinical research, product development, and regulatory approval for intelligent wearable medical devices targeting idiopathic scoliosis; the building of R&D and management talent pipelines; and the establishment of offline flagship medical service institutions in several key cities, closely aligned with urgent clinical needs.

Value Medical was established in October 2021, with a mission to further enhance spinal health for the entire population by providing non-invasive treatments for idiopathic scoliosis, a condition poised to become the third largest public health issue among adolescents globally. Currently, Value Medical focuses on idiopathic scoliosisPioneered an innovative therapy based on neuroscience and kinesiology—the “Brain Learning Training Method for Scoliosis Correction (BLTM)”。

This method is the world’s first innovative, non-invasive conservative treatment for patients with idiopathic scoliosis that targets the neural level of the brain rather than the musculoskeletal system. It is based on the central nervous system and aims to reintegrate the “sensory input–central integration–functional output” process in the brains of scoliosis patients. By correctly adjusting how the cerebral cortex processes sensory input information, it reduces or even eliminates the brain’s positional errors in spatial localization, thereby achieving precise and effective rehabilitation of spinal curvature in patients.

Value Medical has currently established offline clinics in multiple central cities, including Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Chongqing, with a cumulative patient volume exceeding 1,000.Strictly using a Cobb angle correction of greater than 6° as the criterion for effective treatment, the treatment efficacy rate exceeds 95%, and the non-relapse rate reaches 90%.Meanwhile, Value Medical has also developed innovative Class II and Class III digital intelligent wearable sensor-based medical devices through close collaborations with renowned domestic universities, hospitals, and institutions, providing scoliosis patients with safer, more effective, convenient, intelligent, and user-friendly corrective services.

Value Medical is dedicated to creating a one-stop screening and treatment model for scoliosis. At every stage, the company strives to build a safe, effective, and cost-efficient product and rehabilitation service system, aiming to improve and maintain spinal health and enhance people’s quality of life. To this end, Value Medical is gradually establishing a comprehensive spinal rehabilitation system through the following initiatives:

Challenging traditional treatment paradigms for scoliosis, we are vigorously conducting multicenter clinical validations to fill the gap in conservative management of idiopathic scoliosis and establish a globally renowned system for non-surgical scoliosis care.

Based on a scoliosis correction system grounded in brain-based learning training, we are developing intelligent wearable medical devices and digital therapeutic products specifically for idiopathic scoliosis. These devices and products enable patients of Zhejiang Value Medical Technology Co., Ltd. to consolidate therapeutic outcomes after treatment, while also breaking through temporal and spatial constraints to allow more patients to receive effective treatment and professional intervention at home without leaving their residences.

Zhejiang Value Medical Technology Co., Ltd. is actively developing digital intelligent corrective braces and intelligent screening devices to overcome the limitations of traditional brace therapy. By collaborating with patients and their families to jointly monitor brace compliance, the company continuously optimizes corrective treatment plans.

Long-term pursuit of an integrated diagnosis and treatment rehabilitation system for idiopathic scoliosis.

Gan Meng, Chairman of Value MedicalStated: We extend our sincere gratitude to the investors for their recognition of our innovative therapies, clinical efficacy results, and business philosophy in the field of idiopathic scoliosis, as well as for their full trust in our team. We also deeply appreciate the steadfast support of our existing shareholders.

Idiopathic scoliosis has become a major disease threatening adolescents and even adults worldwide. However, its pathogenesis remains insufficiently understood, and significant challenges persist across prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. There is an urgent need for safer, more effective, and more durable correction of idiopathic scoliosis. This is not only a critical imperative but also a tough and protracted battle that requires the concerted and sustained efforts of the government, society, patients, families, and healthcare professionals. We adhere to a people-centric and long-term business philosophy, prioritizing therapeutic efficacy and safety as our fundamental principles, following the concept of value-based healthcare, and eliminating short-sighted practices. This approach has been highly recognized by newly entered investment institutions.

Second, through our clinical practice of traditional conservative treatments, we have gained a profound understanding that past correction methods, which were primarily based on biomechanics, may suffer from cognitive biases or incomplete understanding. As researchers and clinicians in neuroscience, our chief scientist was thus compelled to rethink the potential pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis and pioneered the “Brain Learning Training Method” based on neuroscience—a first globally. Through years of animal experiments and clinical empirical studies, the validity and efficacy of this theory and method have been increasingly and robustly demonstrated. Our innovation, as well as the safety and effectiveness of our treatment, has received high recognition from both patients and investment institutions.

Third, we aim to collaborate with renowned domestic medical universities and research institutes to integrate basic research, clinical studies, artificial intelligence, and clinical practice. Our goal is to further explore the pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis and identify optimal treatment protocols. We intend to establish a foothold in several major central cities across China, extend our reach nationwide, and ultimately expand overseas to provide services and assistance to scoliosis patients in more regions and countries. Although this journey will take time, our investors firmly support this vision and initiative with a long-term strategic perspective. Furthermore, Value Medical’s corporate culture, work environment, and the team’s execution capability, cohesion, efficiency, learning agility, and overall competitiveness have been highly praised by our partners. I am truly fortunate to have such an exceptional team.

Moving forward, we will fully integrate basic research with clinical studies, focusing on the in-depth development and iterative improvement of digital and intelligent wearable medical devices. We are committed to continuously refining our foundational theories, optimizing product performance, and enhancing therapeutic outcomes. Simultaneously, we will steadily expand and elevate the caliber of our talent pool. This constitutes a fundamental requirement we have long upheld and serves as the core driving force behind our sustained development.

Cai Heng, CEO of Jiansu CapitalIt indicates that idiopathic scoliosis is trending toward becoming the third-largest public health issue threatening the health of adolescents worldwide, following myopia and obesity as the top two. According to epidemiological survey data from the literature, the prevalence rate among Chinese adolescents is approximately 2–3%, with an existing patient population reaching 5 million. Hundreds of thousands of new cases are added annually, and national regulatory authorities have attached great importance to this issue.

Secondly, through our on-site research, literature review, and analysis, we have found that the innovative therapies of Value Medical are indeed significantly more effective than traditional mainstream conservative treatments, and furthermoreIt demonstrates corrective efficacy in patients with a Cobb angle of 45 degrees as well as in adult patients, featuring significant breakthrough characteristics.Third, although the core management team of Value Medical is young, it possesses clear long-term planning and execution capabilities. The team remains grounded and forward-looking, adopting an agile approach of “small steps, fast running,” while ensuring strong stability and high safety standards. Fourth, despite being an early-stage startup, Value Medical’s management team has deeply impressed us with its value-driven philosophy. We endorse their commitment to long-term value logic and recognize their dedicated expertise in deeply cultivating spinal health. We are willing to partner with them for the long haul and grow together.

Yang Hongxing, Investment Partner at Jucheng AssetsIt is well recognized that idiopathic scoliosis has a high prevalence, poses significant health risks, and entails substantial treatment costs, while the efficacy of traditional conservative therapies remains limited. Value Medical’s proprietary rehabilitation system adheres to clinical standards, demonstrates remarkable therapeutic outcomes, and exhibits strong innovation capabilities. Moreover, it has gained recognition from department heads at numerous prestigious universities and hospitals. The team’s steady and pragmatic operational approach further strengthens our investment confidence. We are highly optimistic about Value Medical’s future development and firmly believe it will grow into a leading digital therapeutics enterprise in the field of spinal health.

Zhao Chenyan, Head of Biopharmaceutical Investment at Hangzhou Xihu Kechuang Equity Investment Co., Ltd.Indication: There is a large prevalent population of patients with idiopathic scoliosis, with hundreds of thousands of new cases annually in China, representing a substantial treatment market. Current non-surgical therapeutic options mainly include bracing and muscular rehabilitation exercises; however, these interventions can only slow disease progression. To date, there is no clinical trial evidence demonstrating an improvement in the Cobb angle by more than 6° (the established criterion for effective scoliosis treatment).

Value Medical’s pioneering neuroscience-based therapeutic solutions are currently undergoing multi-center investigator-initiated trials (IITs). Several centers have already reported short-term clinical endpoint data, demonstrating significant improvement. We are optimistic about Value Medical’s strategy of steadily expanding into first- and second-tier cities, as well as its efficient collaboration model with renowned universities and hospitals. In the future, Value Medical will develop innovative digital intelligent wearable Class II and Class III medical devices for scoliosis management. We hope that Value Medical will soon become a leading and well-known institution in the field of scoliosis treatment in China.

Guangzhou Jiansu Private Equity Fund Management Co., Ltd. is a professional investment institution specializing in direct investment funds and fund-of-funds, with a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship sectors such as healthcare, new energy, new materials, and emerging technologies. The company’s shareholders and management team comprise executives from renowned investment institutions and listed companies, as well as experts and professors from prestigious national research institutes, offering multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral composite advantages. Team members possess many years of professional investment experience, having historically managed assets exceeding RMB 10 billion, thereby accumulating extensive investment expertise and industrial resources. They have led or participated in the investment of numerous high-quality projects, including Lingou Chuangxin, Bodun Optoelectronics, Zhongke Fuhai, Woken New Materials, and Mofang Precision.

Jiansu Capital focuses on uncovering non-consensus insights, delving into the essence of industries, and continuously building and accumulating ecosystem-wide resources. By combining rational judgments on the fundamentals of business and technology with investment decisions, we create long-term value for entrepreneurs and investors.

Guangdong Jucheng Assets Management Co., Ltd. is a market-oriented private equity fund manager specializing in securities and equity investments. Established in Guangzhou in April 2014, the company managed nearly RMB 1 billion in assets as of February 2024, with a cumulative total of 25 investment projects. Funds under Jucheng Assets actively participate in financing and investment activities for high-quality targets in industries such as semiconductors, carbon neutrality, the automotive industry chain, the new energy industry chain, healthcare and wellness, among others. By leveraging equity investment as a link, the company adheres to a dual strategy of investment and value-added services, providing comprehensive capital increase services to enterprises as needed, thereby enhancing investment value and achieving win-win cooperation.

All 25 portfolio companies of the fund are leaders in their respective niche sectors. Currently, two are in the IPO application stage, one has achieved an exit with valuation growth between financing rounds, and the remaining 22 are growing in line with investment expectations. The core management team of Jucheng Assets comprises senior professionals with extensive experience in capital markets and renowned industry experts from both China and abroad. With rich experience and a proven track record in investment management, the team has not only generated solid returns for fund investors but also successfully assisted and guided numerous outstanding enterprises in listing on domestic and international stock exchanges.

Established in October 2020, Hangzhou Xihu Kechuang Equity Investment Co., Ltd. is a state-owned enterprise directly under the People’s Government of Xihu District, Hangzhou. It serves as the management and operating entity for three major fund clusters—namely, the Xihu District Direct Investment Fund, the Venture Capital Guidance Fund, and the Industrial Fund—as well as two guarantee platforms: financing guarantees and the technology risk pool. The company manages assets totaling nearly RMB 10 billion. Its investment focus centers on five key sectors: life and health, digital economy, intelligent manufacturing, aerospace information, and cultural consumption. Among its portfolio companies, it has cultivated a total of 23 unicorns (or potential unicorns), including nine added in the past year, accounting for 17.3% of all new additions in Hangzhou. This makes it the venture capital firm with the highest number of newly cultivated potential unicorns in Hangzhou on an annual basis. Additionally, it has nurtured 20 enterprises recognized as “Specialized, Refined, Differential, and Innovative” (SRDI) at the provincial level or above, including six at the national level.