StarrySea Medical Completes Tens of Millions RMB Angel Funding Round to Advance Development of Disposable Electronic Endoscopes

VCBeat (WeChat: vcbeat) has learned that Shenzhen MacroLux Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “MacroLux Medical”) recently completed a tens-of-millions-yuan angel financing round, exclusively invested by Zhifengzhizi. The funds from this round will be used for the research and development of products such as disposable endoscopes, the construction of GMP-compliant manufacturing facilities, and product registration and certification.

MacroLux was established in October 2020 as a medical technology company specializing in endoscopic interventional diagnosis and treatment. It aims to provide global, comprehensive solutions for endoscopic interventions across urology, respiratory, and gastroenterology departments, enabling earlier disease detection and improved patient care.

Endoscopic diagnosis and treatment constitute a critical component of non-vascular minimally invasive interventional procedures, with widespread applications across gastroenterology, urology, pulmonology, otolaryngology, general surgery, gynecology, and other specialties. Over the past decade, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued annual warnings to certain endoscope manufacturers regarding inadequate disinfection and sterilization, which have led to cross-contamination incidents. The FDA recommends the use of single-use endoscopes whenever feasible. Driven by increasingly stringent medical regulations, the single-use endoscope market has gained momentum in Europe and the United States since 2015. Following this trend in Western markets, single-use endoscopes produced in China have attracted growing attention over the past two years. The global market size for single-use endoscopes reached $528 million in 2020, and Frost & Sullivan projects that it may grow to approximately $9 billion by 2030.

The founding team of MacroLux Medical hails from leading domestic medical device companies, bringing extensive experience in the R&D, marketing, and manufacturing of minimally invasive surgical solutions. They previously led the minimally invasive surgical endoscopy business for over four years, guiding it from product planning to achieving hundreds of millions in sales. MacroLux Medical anticipates that single-use endoscopes will increasingly replace reusable ones, driven by the maturation of the industrial chain in recent years and heightened awareness of cross-infection prevention. Meanwhile, all key components of single-use electronic endoscopes have been fully localized in China, granting Chinese manufacturers a supply chain advantage. Consequently, the primary global competitors to Boston Scientific and Ambu in the single-use electronic endoscope market are likely to be Chinese companies. As domestic competitors in the single-use endoscope sector are just emerging, MacroLux Medical has identified a strategic window to enter and disrupt the market.

Regarding this financing round, Zhang Weiqiang, General Manager of MacroLux MedicalStatement: We extend our gratitude for the strategic investment from Zhifeng Zizhi. MacroLux will continue to expand its team and strengthen product R&D and technological innovation. Leveraging the founding team’s over a decade of industry experience, the company is committed to building capabilities in deeply understanding customer needs, accelerating R&D, and executing professional global marketing. We aim to develop and promote new medical technologies, ensuring better care for every life.

Zhifeng Zizhi FundThe Trend: Surgical procedures are gradually evolving towards minimally invasive techniques. Endoscopes, as foundational tools for minimally invasive procedures, hold significant strategic importance. The disposable endoscope market is in its early "blue ocean" introduction phase, with synchronized development in China and abroad; Chinese-made products are poised to achieve overtaking on the curve. The MacroLux Medical founding team has been deeply rooted in the industry for over a decade, boasting a well-structured organization and strong execution capabilities. We are optimistic about their potential to stand out in this sector and become a globally leading platform for disposable endoscopic diagnosis and treatment.

Zhi Feng Zhi Zi was established in 2021, focusing primarily on early-stage investment opportunities in the biopharmaceutical and enterprise services sectors. Its investment targets are mainly early-stage companies possessing foundational technologies and exceptional founding teams. The fund boasts a professional biopharmaceutical investment and research team composed of R&D specialists from the medical device sector and researchers in life sciences; an enterprise services investment and research team comprising former executives from the Big Four accounting firms, listed companies, and software development engineers; and a dedicated post-investment service team made up of experts in equity incentives, corporate governance, and related fields. Professionalism and focus are our hallmarks.