Shenzhen Xinjunte Intelligent Medical Completes Tens of Millions RMB Series A Funding Round with Horizon Capital as Exclusive Financial Advisor

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned that Futurtec, a leading domestic R&D and manufacturing enterprise for orthopedic surgical robots, has completed tens of millions of RMB in Series A financing. This round was led by Morningside Venture Capital, with follow-on investment from existing investor Honghui Capital. Haoyue Capital served as the exclusive financial advisor. Previously, Futurtec had secured investments from several well-known institutions, including Bloomage International, Honghui Capital, Maorong Investment, and Zhongguancun Collaborative Innovation Fund.

Shenzhen Futurtec Intelligent Medical Equipment Co., Ltd., established in 2015, is a national high-tech enterprise specializing in the manufacturing of high-end intelligent medical devices and the application of artificial intelligence in surgery. Since its inception three years ago, Futurtec has achieved rapid growth, completing prototype development, type testing, and clinical trials within two years. Its products have received consistent acclaim from experts at partner hospitals and are highly recognized by clinicians.

Futurtec is composed of an international team with extensive industry experience and strong innovation capabilities, boasting a solid technical foundation in the fields of surgical robotics, medical imaging, and medical artificial intelligence. The management team possesses rich experience in research and development as well as operations.

Mr. Jiang Liwei, Chairman of Futurtec, possesses nearly 30 years of management experience with global medical groups and domestically listed medical device companies. A former physician at Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, he left the hospital system to hold senior executive positions at orthopedic giants Zimmer and Smith & Nephew, served as General Manager of Chuangsheng Holdings, a leading domestic orthopedics company, and as General Manager of Biomet China. He also served as CEO and Executive Director of Puhua Heshun, a company listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Mr. Jiang brings profound industry expertise and extensive medical resources.

Jiang Liwei stated that after observing the development trends in the orthopedic industry, he became determined to embark on an entrepreneurial venture in the field of orthopedic surgical robots. He believes that, given the history of orthopedics developing from scratch, surgical robots will become the “killer app” for the new stage of orthopedic development.

He stated, “Following World War II, orthopedics underwent rapid development. From the 1950s to the 1970s, the field gradually expanded from a sole focus on trauma to include specialized subdisciplines such as joint surgery, spine surgery, and sports medicine. Since around 2005, advancements in surgical techniques, including minimally invasive procedures and navigation systems, have become the prevailing trend in orthopedic development, with the emergence of AI accelerating the integration and advancement of these technologies.”

On one hand, the growth rate of the orthopedics industry is gradually slowing down. After experiencing a boom period, sub-sectors such as spine, joint, and trauma have seen their growth begin to decline, with the global traditional orthopedics market registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of only 2%-3%. On the other hand, physicians are placing increasingly higher demands on the precision and safety of surgical procedures. Clearly, fragmented surgical tools and incremental procedural innovations can no longer meet the rapidly growing needs of both the supply and demand sides in orthopedics. With advances in artificial intelligence technology, integrated solutions embodied by surgical robots—which combine surgical planning, navigation, and execution—have become a focal point of interest.

Currently, orthopedic surgical robots are increasingly being applied in clinical settings, fundamentally transforming traditional diagnostic and treatment workflows as well as surgical techniques, thereby yielding superior surgical outcomes. Taking the widely practiced conventional spinal fusion with internal fixation surgery as an example, surgeons must manually insert screws into the vertebral bodies to stabilize the affected segments. Due to the complex anatomical structures involved in spinal surgery, the spinal cord and nerves within the spinal canal are susceptible to injury from screw misplacement, potentially leading to catastrophic consequences such as paraplegia. Therefore, precise screw placement has become a critical factor and a major technical challenge in these procedures.

At present, physicians face significant challenges in performing these procedures, including surgical planning, intraoperative radiation exposure, and the precision and stability of screw placement. Surgical robots that integrate intelligent preoperative planning with precise automated operation can effectively address these issues.

Futurtec’s flagship product is an automated, intelligent, multi-functional surgical system with fully independent intellectual property rights. Integrating preoperative planning, intraoperative navigation, and terminal execution, the system employs surgical planning software and dedicated surgical robotic arms to assist physicians in performing a large volume of complex, high-difficulty, and high-risk procedures, thereby ensuring precision, efficiency, and safety.

Notably, the company’s independently owned navigation system and its self-developed dedicated surgical robotic arm have broken the monopoly held by foreign companies, laying a solid foundation for the project’s long-term development.

In recent years, investment and financing activities in the field of orthopedic surgical robots have been highly active. International orthopedic giants such as Johnson & Johnson, Stryker, Zimmer Biomet, Medtronic, and Smith & Nephew have strategically entered the orthopedic surgical robot sector through acquisitions. China performs over one million spinal and joint replacement surgeries annually, with double-digit growth potential remaining each year. Orthopedic surgical robots from companies like Mazor, MAKO, and Medtech have begun to enter the Chinese market. Faced with this vast market for orthopedic surgical robots, domestic orthopedic robot enterprises with leading technologies possess significant potential for market development.

As is well known, the research and development of domestically produced surgical robots in China faces complex challenges, including weak environmental engineering capabilities, insufficient precision machining capacity, and a scarcity of talent. However, as the saying goes, “The road is long and arduous, but you will get there if you keep going.” Jiang Liwei believes that orthopedic surgical robots are on the rise and hold broad prospects for development.

He recalled to VCBeat that 30 years ago, when he graduated from medical school and joined Ruijin Hospital, the hospital performed its first laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This procedure sent shockwaves through Shanghai’s surgical community at the time. Although there were doubts about the applicability of laparoscopic surgery back then, today we can see that it is widely adopted across all general surgery departments, and even led to the development of the da Vinci Surgical System within the field of laparoscopy.

“Viewed through a developmental lens, today’s cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies may well become the infrastructure of future medical applications,” stated Jiang Liwei. “In China, the surgical robotics industry is entering a phase of rapid growth. As a pioneer in intelligent orthopedic surgical robots, Futurtec will continue to focus on the development of orthopedic surgical robots and surgical planning software, enhancing the core competitiveness of Chinese enterprises in this field. This financing round will accelerate the R&D and commercialization of our intelligent surgical robot products, with the aim of benefiting patients at the earliest possible time. We sincerely thank Morningside Venture Capital, Honghui Capital, and all existing shareholders for their strong support, as well as our exclusive financial advisor, JoyCap, and the AllBright Law Offices team for their professional and efficient work, which enabled the company to successfully complete this round of financing.”

Standing at the forefront of the next wave in orthopedic development, Futurtec, an industry leader, is poised to accelerate its momentum by launching orthopedic surgical robots with expanded indications to more rapidly meet market demand. Leveraging advanced technology, the company is committed to creating precise, efficient, and minimally invasive products that benefit both patients and healthcare providers.

Yang Zhenjun, Managing Director at Haoyue Capital, stated, “Surgical robots involve multiple disciplines, including medicine, image-guided navigation, mechanical engineering, automatic control, and artificial intelligence, making R&D highly challenging. Futurtec boasts a core team with extensive experience and solid expertise in these fields. The company is at the forefront among domestic enterprises in both R&D capabilities and regulatory approval progress. Futurtec’s products effectively integrate intelligent planning with precise operation, closely aligning with clinical needs and demonstrating unique technological innovations. Surgical robotics is a key sector we focus on, and Haoyue Capital is pleased to grow alongside outstanding companies like Futurtec. We have great confidence in Mr. Jiang’s seasoned management and operational experience and his integration capabilities in the orthopedic field. We believe that under Mr. Jiang’s leadership, Futurtec will continue to maintain its leading advantage and become a dominant player in the orthopedic surgical robot market following this round of financing.”

Morningside Ventures, a member of the Morningside Group, conducts high-tech venture capital investments globally. Since its establishment in 1986, Morningside Ventures has been dedicated to supporting healthcare and biotechnology companies worldwide at their startup and growth stages. Its investment portfolio spans numerous fields, including new drug development, clinical diagnostics, medical devices, healthcare services, and digital health. Morningside Ventures boasts an excellent investment management team, most of whose members have experience in corporate operations and entrepreneurship. The team possesses in-depth understanding of the frontiers of life sciences, the healthcare industry, and the entrepreneurial and investment environments across different regions.