The AO Foundation based in Davos played an important role for the development of the modern medtech industry and is today a surgeon-led, not-for-profit organization with a global network of more than 16,000 healthcare professionals and scientists. The Foundation has launched an investment fund for digital health start-ups.
AO Invest is a new investment fund for start-ups run by a board of medical and business experts. The scope of investment is start-ups developing innovative technology which provides new solutions for orthopedic and trauma patients and surgeons. AO Invest focuses on emerging areas such as visualization, simulation, robotics, data management, and digital health. The management of the fund is based in Switzerland. The board of AO Invest includes well-known medtech professionals such as Michel Orsinger, former CEO & President Synthes, medtech investor Beat Merz and Ulf Claesson who created and rapidly built sustainable businesses for large corporations, industrial investors and VCs in the Americas, Europe and Asia over the last 25 years.
AO Invest's sole investor is the AO Foundation, a surgeon-led, not-for-profit organization. AO’s history goes back to a study group which was founded in 1958 with the aim to conduct research in bone healing, with particular reference to the influence of the mechanical environment of the fracture upon its healing pattern. Today, the AO Foundation has a global network of more than 16,000 healthcare professionals and scientists in over 100 countries specialized in the treatment of trauma and disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Michel Orsinger highlights that «innovation has always driven patient care, and we believe that if the AO Foundation's expertise, standards of excellence, and global network is combined with the disruptive capacity of new companies, surgeons and patients will both profit tremendously.»
The new fund invests globally in the range of USD 500k to USD 3m with the possibility of providing additional capital in later rounds. The first investment was made in UK based Touch Surgery, an interactive, mobile-first simulation platform that allows surgeons to safely practice surgical procedures. Touch Surgery's vision to improve surgical educational standards is closely aligned with AO Invest's goal to significantly impact the advancement of patient care.
(SK)
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