Swiss MedTech startup Rhovica raises €2.5 million for emergency neurosurgical device

Rhovica Neuroimaging, a Bern-based MedTech startup, has raised €2.5 million in a financing round to accelerate the development of SoNav, Rhovica’s bedside navigation system for extraventricular drainage (EVD) catheters used in emergency neurosurgery.

The round was led by M2care, with participation from Kickfund, Valuemaker and several other business angels.

Martin Hlavica, CEO and Co-founder of Rhovica, stated: “This fundraising marks an important milestone for Rhovica. The trust of our investors strengthens our ability to advance the development of SoNav and move closer to making this solution available to patients in need.”

Rhovica Neuroimaging, founded in 2023 by neurosurgeons Martin Hlavica and Thomas Rhomberg, is innovating solutions to improve emergency treatment for patients with life- threatening increased brain pressure.

According to the company, one of the most common procedures in such cases is the placement of an EVD to relieve dangerous elevated brain pressure. Today, this is often performed freehand at the bedside – fast but imprecise – or with navigation systems in the operating room, which delays urgent care. This trade-off between speed and accuracy can apperently worsen patient outcomes.

Rhovica’s SoNav system aims to address this challenge with integrated sensors that provide real-time visualisation for guided catheter insertion directly at the bedside. The technology will also reportedly enable continuous monitoring of brain ventricles, reducing repeated CT scans, improving safety and outcomes, and lowering costs.

Florence Thueux, President of M2care, commented: “M2care combines investment capacity with hands-on expertise to de-risk early HealthTech ventures to Series A readiness. Rhovica reflects this approach: addressing a clear clinical need with a strong team and a technology that can transform emergency neurosurgery. We are proud to actively support the company in this next phase of development.”

Rhovica addresses a critical challenge in emergency neurosurgery: the safe and fast placement of life-saving EVD catheters to relieve increased intracranial pressure, for example after severe trauma or intracranial bleeding.

With this approach, the company positions itself in the growing neurosurgical device market environment, which is expected to grow between 4.5% and 14.2% in the coming years – as per figures provided by Rhovica.

To further strengthen its development, Rhovica has appointed Carsten Laue, Managing Director at M2care, to its Board of Directors. His expertise in medtech strategy and company building will support the company in advancing SoNavTM toward clinical adoption.

Laue added: “By joining Rhovica’s board, I look forward to actively supporting the team in translating a strong clinical need into a viable MedTech solution. The project’s origin in emergency neurosurgical care, combined with the founders’ complementary expertise, reflects precisely the type of innovation that M2care is set up to accelerate.”

The post Swiss MedTech startup Rhovica raises €2.5 million for emergency neurosurgical device appeared first on EU-Startups.