Zhike Lishang Completes Angel Funding Round to Advance Domestic Substitution with Ultra-High-Magnification Optical Endoscopy

VCBeat has learned that Zhejiang Zhike Lishang Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (“Zhike Lishang”) recently announced the completion of its angel financing round, achieving a valuation of RMB 120 million. The round was led by Zhejiang Youyi Medical, with the proceeds primarily designated for parallel development of multiple products, clinical study registration, and market commercialization.

Zhike Lishang was established in March 2021 as the first incubated technology innovation company of Zhejiang Lab. It is primarily engaged in the research and development, production, and sales of optical amplification electronic endoscopy equipment. Currently, the company actively conducts extensive exchanges and maintains close collaborations with renowned universities, research institutions, and leading medical institutions in China. It continuously strengthens its reserve of foundational product technologies and drives the development of its products toward intelligent diagnosis, precise treatment, and automated operation.

It is reported that,The cellular endoscope under development by Zhikeli Shang is an ultra-high-magnification endoscope capable of directly visualizing stained cell nuclei in vivo, which holds significant importance for the diagnosis of early-stage cancer.

Wang Liqiang, founder of Zhikeli Shang, holds a Ph.D. in Optical Engineering from Zhejiang University. He serves as a member of the Equipment R&D Collaboration Group under the Digestive Endoscopy Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and as a member of the National Technical Committee on Medical Optics and Instruments. As principal investigator, he has led multiple research initiatives, including projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National Key Technology R&D Program, the National Special Program for Basic Scientific Research, Major Science and Technology Projects of Zhejiang Province, and key military industry projects.

Dr. Wang Liqiang has achieved outstanding results in optical design, CMOS imaging, embedded systems, and digital image processing. He holds independent intellectual property rights for core technologies, including wide-angle objective lenses for high-definition endoscopes, dynamic multispectral image analysis, 3D dual-optical-path Hopkins systems, and assembly processes for miniaturized CMOS detectors.

The core members of Zhikeli Shang’s R&D team hail from renowned universities or top-tier research institutes,The professional background comprehensively covers disciplines relevant to the research and development of endoscopic equipment, including optics, mechanics, automation, electronics, and software.Core team members have accumulated profound expertise in fundamental and applied endoscopy technologies through over a decade of collaborative experience in industry, academia, research, and clinical practice. These technologies include micro optical zoom lens technology, wide-angle high-magnification optical amplification technology, high-definition electronic imaging technology, multispectral image enhancement technology, ultra-miniature CMOS imaging technology, and intelligent navigation technology, covering the primary technological spectrum of the high-end endoscopy field.

The high prevalence of digestive system diseases and population aging have driven robust global and domestic demand for endoscopic diagnosis and treatment, resulting in a substantial market size. Meanwhile, with the continuous advancement of minimally invasive surgery, the penetration rate of endoscopic diagnostic and therapeutic procedures is steadily increasing. According to data from Everbright Securities, the market size of domestic endoscopic equipment and diagnostic/therapeutic devices is projected to grow from approximately RMB 10 billion currently to around RMB 15 billion by 2024.

However,The domestic market for endoscopic equipment and diagnostic/therapeutic devices has long been monopolized by imported brands.According to data from China Industry Information Network, the brand landscape of China's endoscopy market is as follows: Olympus holds a market share of 87.4%, Fujifilm accounts for 9.2%, Hoya holds 3%, and others account for 0.4%.Imported brands hold an absolute monopoly.As can be seen from the above data,China's endoscope market has enormous potential for domestic substitution.

To better meet clinical needs and achieve domestic substitution of endoscopes, Dr. Wang Liqiang and his R&D team have joined forces with leading research institutions and top-tier clinical teams in ChinaDeveloped an ultra-high-magnification endoscope, filling the gap in this field in China.

An investor once stated, “The medical endoscopy industry boasts broad prospects, but barriers in core domestic technologies—optical imaging and scope manufacturing—have resulted in a scarcity of high-quality investable projects.”

Dr. Wang Liqiang, the founder, stated: “Internationally, Olympus is currently the only endoscope supplier that masters optical microscopic magnification for ultra-high-magnification endoscopy. Our R&D team has designed an ultra-high-magnification endoscopic imaging system and completed the assembly and performance testing of the complete unit. The final performance test results”Compared with Olympus products, the field of view is more than doubled at equivalent magnification.”

The ultra-high-magnification optical endoscope for gastrointestinal examination, developed by Zhikeli Shangyan, has undergone preclinical experimental studies at the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University.

Experiments have shown that,Ultra-high-magnification optical zoom gastrocolonoscopy enables both high-definition conventional endoscopic imaging with a 140° wide field of view and continuous zoom magnification for microscopic imaging at ultra-high magnification levels.Under microscopic imaging, uniformly distributed stained nuclei on the mucosal surface can be clearly observed with well-defined morphology. The images are real-time and high-resolution, which is expected to have significant clinical implications for the efficient and accurate diagnosis of early-stage esophageal cancer.

Meanwhile, Kelishang is currently developing an ultra-high-magnification optical endoscope for gastroenterology andIntelligent AI-Assisted Diagnostic DeviceBlessing,By leveraging AI-based preliminary and refined screening algorithms, the positive biopsy rate is improved, while the number of sampling procedures and the associated time and resource costs are reduced.

Artificial intelligence algorithms can enhance the quality of digestive endoscopy. By integrating device-assisted diagnostic results, physicians are expected to improve the detection rate of gastrointestinal tumors. This device benefits primary care hospitals, promotes the standardization of medical services, and clinically increases the detection rates of precancerous lesions and early-stage gastrointestinal cancers, thereby enabling patients to receive timely treatment and significantly improving the five-year survival rate for patients with gastrointestinal tumors.

The company’s head of R&D stated, “Domestic substitution is the overarching trend in the medical endoscope industry.”Driven by policy support, domestic brands will advance import substitution, demonstrating strong growth potential.“The introduction of numerous favorable policies has provided a platform for domestic endoscope manufacturers to shine. As industry players, we must dare to challenge foreign competitors and continuously invest in R&D and product optimization to achieve a breakthrough for Chinese-made endoscopes.”

Moving forward, Zhikeli Shangjiang will fully leverage its team’s technical advantages, continuously drive technological innovation, and expand its product portfolio for early screening of gastrointestinal tumors. Meanwhile, it will gradually extend its focus from gastrointestinal cancers to a broader range of diseases, effectively addressing clinical needs, accelerating the replacement of imported products with domestically produced alternatives, and establishing itself as a premium global brand in high-end endoscopy.

Zhejiang Ue Medical Instrument Co., Ltd. aims to become a provider of comprehensive solutions, supporting equipment, and services for visualized medicine. It is a high-tech enterprise integrating research and development (R&D), manufacturing, sales, and service. The company is primarily dedicated to the R&D, production, and sales of patented, complete sets of visualized medical devices and consumables. It has successfully developed video laryngoscopes and related product series with fully independent intellectual property rights, holding 14 invention patents, 73 utility model patents, and 46 design patents. The company’s products have obtained US FDA registration, EU CE certification, and South Korean KFDA certification, and have been successfully registered in Australia and other countries.