SeedsMed Completes RMB 30 Million Pre-A Financing Round, Driving Rapid Growth with Three Core Advantages
VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned that Xishi Yigou completed its RMB 30 million Pre-A financing round on December 25, 2017, with the transaction now closed.This round of financing was led by Starry Sky Capital and Miracle Light (BGI Venture Capital Fund)Joint Investment.
Sichuan Xishi Yigou Medical Technology Co., Ltd.’s founding team began developing medical AI technology in 2015, and relocated to Chengdu, Sichuan in 2017.Currently recognized as a technological leader in the field of AI for medical digestive endoscopy, Xishi Yigou is also poised to release its research findings across multiple specialized areas in healthcare. The participation of Miracle Light has further promoted collaboration between BGI and Xishi Yigou, facilitating exploration in the fields of genomics plus imaging and AI plus genomics, and helping to establish a shared technology platform.。
Song Jie, Founder of Xishi Yigou
Three Major Advantages Make His Bundle Heterogeneous Pacing Stand Out
1、 Extensive Operational Experience in the Healthcare Sector: The founding team boasts over 20 years of experience in management and operations within the healthcare sector, demonstrating a profound understanding of the field.
Song Jie, the company’s founder, is a licensed physician who holds an EMBA from CEIBS (China Europe International Business School) and possesses extensive experience in managing listed companies. He has previously served as a senior executive at multiple pharmaceutical-related enterprises, led the research and development of early domestic Hospital Information Systems (HIS), and accumulated substantial expertise in drug R&D and marketing. He spearheaded the R&D and production of China’s first domestically launched medical devices and participated in M&A projects involving numerous tertiary hospitals. His profound insight into the healthcare industry is complemented by rich professional resources.
2、Possesses Proprietary World-Class AI Technology: Dr. Wu Ren, Chief Scientist at Xishi Yigou, is a world-class artificial intelligence scientist and formerly served as the former Chief Architect of Chip Systems at AMD and Chief Scientist of the CUDA Center at HP Labs.Dr. Wu Ren’s Team—Heterogeneous Intelligence Serves as the Technical Partner, Providing Proprietary Technology to the Company.
Unlike most companies that rely on third-party open-source platforms for AI model training, Xizhi Yigou boasts first-class AI training technology and robust supercomputing capabilities. Furthermore, the highly anticipated AI chip recently launched by Heterogeneous Intelligence provides the company with strong localization and productization capabilities for its AI technology.。
3、High-End, Reliable Medical ResourcesWest China Hospital, Sichuan University (ranked first in academic research and second in overall comprehensive strength among general hospitals nationwide for consecutive years), has established the “West China-Cisi Medical AI R&D Center” through in-depth collaboration. Together, they conduct AI technology and product development across multiple medical fields, including gastroenterology, pathology, medical imaging, and ultrasound, providing the enterprise with continuous, lawful, high-quality medical big data, as well as comprehensive support in clinical technologies and application domains.
Solid Foundation, Highly Favored by the Investment Community
Leading AI Application Technology: The founding team of Xishi Yigou has been deeply engaged in the field of medical AI for nearly three years. In July 2017, the gastrointestinal endoscopy AI technology, jointly developed with West China Hospital, was reported for the first time by national-level media outlets such as CCTV-1’s Evening News, Xinhua News Agency, and China News Service. Hailed as being at an internationally advanced level, this technology is capable of simultaneously identifying multiple types of diseases during gastrointestinal endoscopy, achieving a high positive detection accuracy rate of 92%–96% (according to data released by West China Hospital).
Outstanding AI Productization Capabilities: In November 2017, media outlets including Xinhua News Agency, China News Service, and Sichuan Satellite TV reported on the research achievements of Hisi Yigou and West China Hospital in the equipment integration of AI technology for digestive endoscopy. This AI technology has achieved localization, miniaturization, and device integration. The first AI-powered digestive endoscope based on this technology enables real-time recognition and assessment of high-definition continuous video streams during clinical digestive endoscopic examinations.
It is reported that AI for digestive endoscopy represents only the “tip of the iceberg” of the company’s technological capabilities. Leveraging its proprietary AI development capabilities and strong collaborative resources with West China Hospital, Xishi Yigou will sequentially launch medical AI technologies and device-integrated products beyond the field of digestive endoscopy. These launches will occur on a monthly basis and will also include B2C (business-to-consumer) technologies and products.
Song Jie, founder of Xishi Yigou, believes thatIn the medical field, the greater significance of artificial intelligence lies not merely in the application of technologies and products, but in their potential to serve as powerful tools for transforming the existing healthcare landscape and models. AI will break down the formidable barriers within the healthcare sector, enabling greater resource inflow, driving leapfrog development, and unlocking substantial opportunities. While XiShi Heterogeneous leverages AI as a tool and builds upon applied technologies and products, it does not regard these as its ultimate mission or goal.. Such insights may only be fully comprehended by those with a profound understanding and practical experience in the healthcare sector.
Dr. Wu Ren, the “AI Brain” of Xishi Yigou Company, has stated on many occasions that supercomputing power is the core capability of this round of AI, while AI chips determine the hardware implementation capability of AI application technologies.
Hisi Heterogeneous Computing relies on such supercomputing capabilities and advanced AI chips as the foundation for its success.
The Road Is Long, Yet Recognition Has Been Achieved
Song Jie stated that AI-based recognition and application of image data is merely the first step in implementing AI in healthcare. AI is not intended to replicate human capabilities, but rather to help humans discover more of the unknown. In the context of healthcare, this means assisting us in identifying previously unrecognized disease associations and therapeutic pathways.
Song Jie recounted that his views and the company’s advantages have been recognized by many investment institutions, and several top-tier international firms have already “reserved” spots for the new round of financing in 2018.
“In 2018, in addition to witnessing further advancements by Hisense Heterogeneous Computing in the field of gastroenterology, you will also see the launch and iteration of our technologies and products across multiple other sectors.”