Jingfeng Medical Secures Over RMB 100 Million in Pre-B Funding Led by 3H Health, Files for Hong Kong IPO

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned that Shenzhen Edge Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (“Edge Medical”), a developer of intelligent surgical robot systems, has recently completed a Pre-B financing round exceeding RMB 100 million. The round was led by Sanzheng Health, with participation from Guoce Investment, Legend Star, and Poly Capital.

Dr. Wang Jianchen, founder of Edge Medical, stated that the company focuses on the development and promotion of minimally invasive surgical platform products, striving to serve a broader range of surgical departments. By empowering surgeons with robotics, Edge Medical aims to benefit patients and enhance public health. This financing round will propel Edge Medical’s minimally invasive surgical robot products into a new phase of development.

Edge Medical, founded in 2017, is a leading domestic R&D and manufacturing enterprise for intelligent surgical systems. Committed to introducing next-generation AI-powered minimally invasive surgical robots with fully independent intellectual property rights into every surgical department, the company aims to redefine surgery through robotic technology, making procedures simpler and easier to perform, thereby advancing surgical progress and enhancing the medical experience. The company’s core team possesses multidisciplinary expertise spanning mechanics, electronics, artificial intelligence, medical imaging, and manufacturing, with extensive experience in both research and development and industrialization.

Edge Medical has laid out three pipeline products—the single-port laparoscopic surgical robot system, the multi-port laparoscopic surgical robot system, and ultra-high-definition 3D endoscope products—all of which have entered the registration phase. The company has established extensive collaborations with numerous top-tier domestic and international hospitals, including Harvard Medical School, the Chinese PLA General Hospital, and Affiliated Hospitals of Sun Yat-sen University. Edge Medical possesses a comprehensive intellectual property system, having filed more than 200 patents domestically and internationally, and has been recognized as one of the “Top 20 Leading Biotech Enterprises in Shenzhen” and one of the “Top 50 Biotech Enterprises in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.”

Edge Single-Port Surgical Robotic System

Single-port surgical robots are at the forefront of global medical technology, effectively minimizing surgical trauma, reducing operative risks, and enhancing both procedural safety and surgeon ergonomics, thereby offering significant clinical advantages. They not only represent the future direction of next-generation robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery but will also propel minimally invasive surgical techniques into a new phase of development. The da Vinci Single-Port Robotic System received FDA clearance in 2018; by 2019, more than 40 units had been installed, and over 3,100 procedures had been performed.

Edge Medical’s single-port surgical robot conducted the first domestic animal trial in 2018. After multiple product iterations, this system has achieved breakthroughs in core technologies related to motion control, imaging, and operation. Its key technical indicators—including mechanical performance, precision, image resolution, and system latency—have reached internationally advanced levels. It is reported that Edge Medical’s single-port surgical robot has initiated registration with the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and is poised to become the first such product successfully launched in China. Upon market entry, it will be utilized for typical surgical procedures in urology, thoracic surgery, gynecology, and other specialties.

Edge Medical’s multi-port surgical robot has also simultaneously initiated NMPA registration. Equipped with flexible surgical instruments and a 3D stereoscopic vision system, the robot achieves domestic leading performance in key parameters such as stability, operational precision, and system latency, providing surgeons with a comfortable and stable operating experience.

Since its introduction, minimally invasive surgical robots have been widely applied in urology, cardiothoracic surgery, gynecology, and general surgery. Characterized by ease of operation, high surgical precision, and favorable postoperative outcomes, they have gained widespread acceptance among surgeons and patients alike. With promising prospects, they have become a key trend in the future development of surgical procedures.

However, for a long time, this technology has been monopolized by Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci surgical robot system. Its high price has hindered widespread adoption in China. By the end of 2019, the cumulative global installations of the da Vinci system had reached 5,800 units, and the company’s market capitalization had exceeded $80 billion. According to Intuitive Surgical’s report, among countries where the system has received regulatory approval, approximately 4 million surgeries worldwide are performed annually using the da Vinci surgical robot, indicating substantial market potential.

The da Vinci Surgical Robot Has Iterated to the Fifth Generation—the da Vinci SP System

However, in recent years, Intuitive Surgical’s dominant position has been challenged. Minimally invasive surgical robotics companies such as Auris and CMR Surgical have gradually come into the spotlight. In February 2019, Johnson & Johnson acquired Auris Health for $3.4 billion (approximately RMB 39 billion). In September of the same year, CMR Surgical secured $243 million in financing, setting a record for private equity fundraising in the European healthcare sector.

In September 2020, Shanghai MicroPort MedBot secured RMB 3 billion in strategic investment, reaching a valuation of RMB 22.5 billion. The Chinese medical device market is also on the verge of an explosive growth.

Edge Medical has remained steadfastly focused on the in-depth development of minimally invasive surgical robotic systems, providing surgical departments with a broader range of solutions. The company has gradually emerged as a low-profile yet rising force in the surgical robotics sector, becoming a standout new star.

Sheng Li, Partner at Sanzheng Health Investment, stated: “The team at Edge Medical is focused and professional. Driven by a dynamic and enterprising spirit, the team has made rapid progress in just a few years and is now poised for significant growth. As an early investor in Edge Medical, we not only have strong confidence in the import substitution opportunities within China’s laparoscopic robot industry but also highly value the professional expertise and enterprising spirit of the Edge Medical team. We are delighted to participate in this round of financing, supporting the company as it continues to expand its frontiers and achieve continuous advancement in the field of surgical robotics, with the aim of becoming a leading platform enterprise in China’s surgical robotics sector.”

Liu Tong, Partner at Guoce Investment Management, stated: “As a leading enterprise in China’s surgical robotics sector, Edge Medical boasts a founding team with visionary strategic thinking and a broad perspective, as well as profound insights into industry dynamics and market demands, allowing it to stand out in the field. We are honored that Guoce Investment has participated in this round of financing for Edge Medical. We remain firmly optimistic about the structural industrial opportunities in China’s surgical robotics sector and believe that the company will continue to grow and strengthen its position in this domain.”

San Zheng Health Investment is a private equity fund focused on the healthcare industry. With a global perspective, it deeply cultivates and invests in innovative technologies within the medical field, promoting their clinical translation and industrialization to save more lives while improving patients' quality of life. Leveraging extensive resources in clinical practice, industry, and policy, San Zheng Health Investment collaborates with partners to build great health technology enterprises.

Guoce Investment is an equity investment platform that has long focused on China’s structural growth opportunities, with a particular emphasis on core investment opportunities in the technology and manufacturing sectors driven by import substitution and technological innovation. Adhering to the investment philosophy of “broad observation and selective adoption,” Guoce Investment creates long-term, sustainable value for its partners through in-depth industry research and value-added services.