VB Salon #56: The Value and Potential of Vascular Interventional Surgical Robots

In the three major sub-sectors of surgical robotics, giants such as Stryker, Tinavi, Intuitive Surgical, and MicroPort have emerged in the fields of orthopedics and laparoscopy.Only in the field of vascular intervention is the competitive landscape still undefined, with a global market exceeding $4 billion awaiting exploration by domestic and international enterprises.

As the competitive landscape remains unsettled, there is still potential for new industry giants to emerge. Driven by the synergistic advancements in medical imaging, materials science, and robotics, numerous outstanding solutions for vascular interventional surgical robots have emerged in China in recent years, achieving a breakthrough from zero to one in this field. As their clinical value becomes increasingly validated, can intravascular interventional robotic surgical systems carve out a distinct market position by leveraging multiple advantages, including enhanced surgical precision, significant reduction in physician radiation exposure, shortened training cycles for doctors, lower patient costs, and more equitable distribution of medical resources?

To fully uncover the key value propositions of domestic vascular interventional surgical robots, while analyzing how to address profitability challenges and exploring the opportunities and potential within this sector,VCBeat, combining its previous sector coverage and thematic reviews,Executives from RainMed Medical, Weimai Medical, and Weiya Medical, experts from Union Shenzhen Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and partners from renowned institutions were invited to share their insights and jointly explore the value proposition and development potential of vascular interventional surgical robots.

From R&D to Clinical Practice: How Far Are We from Vascular Interventional Surgical Robots?

Liu Kangjian | Board Secretary & Vice President, Rainmed Medical

Former Partner at Qingzhou Capital, with extensive experience in investment, financing, and capital operations. During his tenure, he assisted multiple portfolio companies in completing financing rounds and initial public offerings (IPOs). Subsequently, Liu Kangjian served as the Technical Lead of the Network Department at China Mobile Group.

Yang He | Founder and CEO

With a 20-year background in the high-end medical imaging industry and extensive international operational experience. Previously worked at TCL Medical Group, serving as R&D Director and General Manager of the Interventional Business Unit. Previously worked at GE Healthcare, serving as Principal Engineer for Product Lines and R&D Manager, possessing rich experience in large-scale project management and corporate operations.

Qin Guanbo | Deputy General Manager of Weiya Medical

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Harbin Engineering University and a master’s degree from Harbin University of Science and Technology. After graduation, he worked in business and engineering project management at a state-owned enterprise. In 2021, he joined Microya Medical Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. as a partner and is currently responsible for business operations. The company is dedicated to the research and development of vascular interventional surgical robots and recently completed China’s first remote percutaneous coronary angiography and intervention animal trial conducted across different locations.

Guo Fei | Associate Chief Physician, Department of Neurology, Union Shenzhen Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology

With over 10 years of experience in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders, specializing in interventional therapy for ischemic cerebrovascular diseases, such as acute-phase intravenous thrombolysis, endovascular thrombectomy, and intracranial and extracranial stenting. Published more than 10 articles in SCI-indexed and core journals, and holds 2 personal patents.

Yu Fang | Partner, Northern Light Venture Capital

She graduated from Beihang University with a Bachelor of Engineering degree and later earned an MBA from Duke University. With many years of experience in the Cardiovascular Division of Johnson & Johnson, she has a profound understanding of China’s healthcare industry. Additionally, she previously worked at Deloitte Monitor, providing strategic planning and consulting services to Chinese enterprises and multinational corporations. Since joining Northern Light Venture Capital in 2014, Yu Fang has invested in and overseen post-investment management for projects including Cytek, Taimei Medical Technology, Guoke Hengtai, Medbanks, and Immune-Onc.

Founded in 2014, RainMed Medical Group is committed to becoming a global leader in vascular interventional surgical robotics. Currently, it focuses on the design, research and development, and commercialization of its coronary angiography-based fractional flow reserve (caFFR) system and coronary angiography-based index of microcirculatory resistance (caIMR) system. Through independent innovation and proactive advancement, RainMed Medical has gradually established a global network encompassing R&D, manufacturing, sales, and services.

RainMed Medical actively collaborates with top-tier medical centers and experts both domestically and internationally, establishing a comprehensive patent portfolio. Multiple research findings have been continuously published in authoritative journals such as *Cardiovascular Research* and *JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions*. Furthermore, the company has entered into strategic cooperation agreements with several leading medical device distribution service platforms in China, implemented stringent quality control systems and robust supply chain processes, and successfully obtained certification for its medical device quality management system.

In the future, Rainmed Medical will leverage its technological expertise in control algorithms, image navigation, intelligent imaging, and evidence-based medicine to launch interventional surgical robots and gradually develop unmanned operating rooms, thereby enhancing the clinical value of its products.

Beijing Vmai Medical Equipment Co., Ltd. shoulders the responsibility of fostering the rise of high-end national medical brands and is recognized as a Beijing “Little Giant” enterprise specializing in refinement, innovation, and distinctiveness.

Vimai Medical specializes in providing interventional diagnosis and treatment equipment and comprehensive end-to-end solutions, with years of experience in the research, design, and industrialization of digital vascular imaging products. Its product portfolio covers multiple interventional lines, including large-scale Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) systems, mobile X-ray C-arms, all-in-one mobile X-ray C-arm units, and interventional robots. Vimai Medical is committed to stringent quality control, addressing critical clinical pain points, and continuously optimizing its offerings for the local market, while adhering to the highest international standards to ensure excellence in product quality.

The company has partnered with an interventional physician group to introduce the distinctive “comprehensive service” concept, actively expanding into departmental operations and physician training within the interventional field. It has obtained ISO 13485 certification, while its various interventional product lines have secured CE and NMPA approvals. Adhering to innovation-driven development, the company completes a product innovation cycle on average every two years. It stands at the forefront of global research and development in interventional surgical robotics, ranking among only five companies worldwide engaged in both the production and R&D of such systems. Furthermore, it holds the second-highest number of pioneering invention patents in the international robotics sector.

Weimai Medical closely follows the national “Belt and Road” strategic policy, completing the acquisition of Italy’s EC Company through various means such as overseas mergers and acquisitions, establishing a global dual-center structure, and achieving an international strategic layout for product R&D, manufacturing, and marketing across “Belt and Road” countries in Asia, Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia, and East Asia.

Weiya Medical specializes in the research and development of vascular interventional surgical robots. The company has launched a new generation of vascular interventional surgical robot capable of performing both angiography and interventional therapy for coronary, neurovascular, and peripheral procedures simultaneously. Compared with other products in overseas markets, Weiya Medical’s robotic system enables the entire surgical procedure—from angiography to intervention—to be performed robotically, significantly expanding its clinical application scenarios.

Meanwhile, in terms of core technologies, Weiya Medical possesses a novel, proprietary delivery technology that has achieved breakthrough upgrades in key areas such as delivery precision, stability, and safety. This technology fully meets the requirements for physicians’ interventional procedures, and its products have gained recognition from numerous top experts in China.

For over a decade, the founding team of Weiya Medical has remained steadfastly committed to addressing clinical needs as its core mission, leveraging foundational technology R&D as its cornerstone, and dedicating itself to creating disruptive products. The company continues to intensify efforts in product iteration and technological innovation, persistently exploring technical breakthroughs for vascular interventional surgical robots in more complex procedures and diversified applications in telemedicine, thereby meeting the widespread demand among physicians and patients for improved outcomes in interventional surgeries.

Northern Light Venture Capital was founded by Mr. Deng Feng in 2005. It is a venture capital firm dedicated to “empowering world-class Chinese entrepreneurs and cultivating world-class Chinese enterprises.” The firm currently manages six U.S. dollar funds and four RMB funds, with assets under management exceeding RMB 30 billion. It has long focused on investing in high-potential, early-stage, technology-driven companies. To date, Northern Light has invested in more than 400 outstanding companies across the B2B, healthcare, and B2C consumer sectors, including Meituan, ThunderSoft, ChineseAll, BGI Genomics, Blueport Interactive, Spreadtrum Communications, Tencent Music, Hanting Hotel, GigaDevice, Burning Rock Biotech, CITIC Pharmaceutical, Anji Microelectronics, Hillstone Networks, Worldia, Zeltus Therapeutics, iRay Technology, Taimei Medical Technology, and others.

VCBeat, founded in 2014, is a novel industrial service provider that leverages data as its foundation, research as its core, and brand media as its connector to facilitate the precise aggregation of industry resources and accelerate the growth of industry innovators. It offers services such as brand communication, research consulting, data monitoring, and resource/project matchmaking to enterprises, government industrial parks, investment institutions, and other stakeholders across the industry chain.

“VB ThinkShare” is one of VCBeat’s flagship events, serving as a face-to-face platform centered on exploring solutions in the healthcare and medical sectors, with the mission to “focus on practical challenges and discuss industry trends.” The event conducts in-depth discussions, analyses, and idea exchanges around the current development status of core themes, addressing encountered difficulties, pain points, and barriers. Meanwhile, it delves into the resource endowments of participating enterprises, fostering practical collaborations through intellectual exchange.