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Agetech World finance & investment round-up
Vision-restoration company Science Corp has closed a US$230m Series C financing round which will allow it to complete the commercialisation of its brain-computer interface, retinal implant, known as PRIMA.
The deal, which was oversubscribed, secured participation from pre-existing investors Khosla Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Y Combinator, IQT, and Quiet Capital amongst others.
It raised the total capital invested into the company to approximately $490m since it was founded in 2021.
The company says the new investment will enable it to fully see through the commercialisation of PRIMA, as well as ‘advancing its other core pipeline programs into the clinic’.
In clinical trials, PRIMA has successfully restored vision to patients blinded by late-stage macular degeneration.
Results from this European clinical trial demonstrated that the implant could restore functional central vision, effectively working as artificial photoreceptors in the retina.
Following the successful trial the California-based company has submitted a CE mark application to the European Union, as well as applying to the US Food and Drug Administration for regulatory approval.
Max Hodak, co-founder and CEO of Science Corp, said: “There is a profound sense in which the brain is the ultimate central object of medicine: it is the only organ which is not, even in principle, transplantable, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that engaging with it directly as an information processing system facilitates extraordinary effect sizes.”
Darius Shahida, Science Corp’s Chief Strategy Officer, added: “The strength and calibre of this syndicate reflects both the urgency of the problems we are addressing and the credibility of our execution so far.”
Alzheimer’s in focus
The company is now expanding its PRIMA clinical trial program to include other retinal diseases, such as Stargardt disease and retinitis pigmentosa.
Alzheimer-treatment focused US company Cognito Therapeutics has successfully completed a US $105M Series C round led by Morningside Ventures, IAG Capital Partners, and Starbloom Capital, with further investment from New Vintage, Apollo Health Ventures, Benvolio Group and others.
The new financing will allow the Massachusetts company to advance toward a regulatory submission, and commercial launch, while supporting continued clinical development of its Spectris platform, ahead of its anticipated market entry in 2027.
Christian Howell, Chief Executive Officer, Cognito Therapeutics, said: “With this financing, we are entering a pivotal moment for our company, and for the patients and families waiting for new options in Alzheimer’s disease.
“Spectris has the potential to become the world’s first physician-prescribed, at-home neuro-protective therapy for patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, designed to preserve cognition and daily function. This funding allows us to make this therapy accessible to those who need it most.”
Spectris is an investigational physician-prescribed, at-home therapeutic platform designed to evoke coordinated neural activity, across interconnected networks, through non-invasive visual and auditory stimulation.
By engaging neural network function through the brain’s natural sensory pathways, Spectris is being studied for its potential to preserve cognition, daily function, and brain structure in patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
US$50m sleep boost
US business Eight Sleep has secured an additional US $50m just a few months after raising US$100in in August last year.
Founded in 2014, Eight Sleep brands itself as a ‘sleep technology’ company that combines technology, physiology and data ‘to unlock deeper sleep and better health’.
In 2025 the business achieved free cash-flow positivity and launched three new products: Pod 5, Pod Pillow Cover and Thermal Blanket.
The new capital will fund its expansion from sleep optimisation into ‘predictive, AI-driven health’, it says.
“Sleep was just the beginning,” said Matteo Franceschetti, co-founder and CEO of Eight Sleep, in a release. “We’ve built the most advanced AI-powered health sensing system in the world – one that learns your body better every night and acts on that knowledge.
“This investment gives us the resources to take that intelligence beyond the bedroom and into every dimension of personal health. … Our goal is to build the defining health technology company of this generation.”
The company started out selling a smart mattress, or Pod, that uses embedded sensors to collect data to study trends about how people sleep.
At the time of last year’s raise the company was valued at US$1bn.
Swiss wearable boost
Xsensio SA, a Swiss tech company pioneering continuous biochemical monitoring, has successfully closed a US$7m, oversubscribed, Series A financing round.
The round was led by San Francisco-based venture capital firm WI Harper, with participation from Privilège Ventures, the European Innovation Council, and private investors across the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Its Lab-on-Skin wearable biosensing platform aims to ‘deliver continuous, real-time biochemical information for personalised and preventive healthcare’.
The new funding will enable Xsensio to accelerate the development and clinical validation of its Lab-on-Skin wearable biosensing platform, designed to provide dynamic, multi-modal, biochemical information to support clinical decision-making in the hospital and beyond.
“This Series A marks a pivotal step in translating continuous biochemical monitoring into real clinical environments,” said Esmeralda Megally, CEO of Xsensio.
“For the first time, clinicians can access key continuous biochemical data in real time, information that has historically been unavailable at the point of care. This capability has the potential to fundamentally improve how patients are monitored and treated.”
Xsensio has also signed a long-term collaboration with Texas Instruments, a global leader in semiconductor technology. Xsensio was recognised by TIME as one of the World’s Top HealthTech Companies in 2025.
Paris-based Gleamer, one of Europe’s fastest-growing AI radiology platforms, has been acquired by US imaging giant RadNet in a deal valued at €230m.
The French medtech, which was founded in 2017 by Christian Allouche, Dr Alexis Ducarouge, and Dr Nor-eddine Regnard, uses AI to reduce radiology misdiagnoses.
By the end of 2025, Gleamer had reached around €30m in annual recurring revenue and built a customer base of roughly 700 clients across 44 countries.
Since its inception it has raised around €50m across three funding rounds: €27M in 2023, €7.5M in 2020, and €1.1M in 2018.
Gut-friendly foods such as kimchi and kombucha may carry hidden risks for heart health when eaten in excess, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) has warned.
The charity said foods marketed as prebiotic, probiotic or otherwise good for the gut can support the microbiome, but some may also be high in salt or sugar, which can raise the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Products highlighted by the British Heart Foundation included kimchi, kombucha, fruit yoghurts, smoothies and sauerkraut. It said there is no harm in including them as part of a healthy diet, but advised people to check labels for added salt and sugar and eat them in moderation.
Tracy Parker, the charity’s nutrition lead, said: “We encourage everyone to choose foods that can keep their gut microbiome healthy. The benefits are clear, and we are continuing to improve our understanding of how a gut-friendly diet may help our hearts.
“A lot of these products can contain high levels of salt or sugar though, so it is important to be aware of the potential drawbacks.
“By ensuring you check package labels for added salt and sugars, and eat each in moderation, you can make sure the risks do not outweigh the benefits for your heart health.”
Fermented foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut are rich in probiotics, the healthy bacteria produced during fermentation that can help support a diverse and healthy gut microbiome.
However, both are traditionally made using a lot of salt, which can raise blood pressure if eaten frequently or in large quantities. High blood pressure is known to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Kombucha, a fermented tea, also contains probiotics and can be a healthier alternative to fizzy drinks, but many commercial and shop-bought versions contain added sugar.
Eating too much sugar can lead to weight gain, which can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular disease.
Fruit yoghurts can contain probiotic live bacteria cultures, but may also be high in sugar and have fewer live cultures than plain versions.
The charity said plain yoghurt with live and active cultures on the label can be a lower-sugar option, with whole fruit added at home for sweetness.
Smoothies made with whole fruits provide prebiotic fibre, which feeds beneficial gut bacteria and supports digestive health.
They can also provide vitamins and antioxidants, especially when made with a variety of plant-based ingredients.
But blending breaks down the structure of fruit, releasing free sugars that behave like added sugars in the body and can cause faster rises in blood sugar levels.
Regularly consuming too much sugar can lead to weight gain, which can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease.
The charity said only one 150ml serving of any smoothie counts towards five-a-day, and suggested adding nuts or seeds for extra protein and fibre to help keep blood sugar levels more stable.
The BHF also noted that some shop-bought sauerkraut is pasteurised, which removes most of the live bacteria.
It advised checking the label, eating small portions and choosing unpasteurised products for those seeking the probiotic benefits.
The charity said beneficial gut bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids during digestion, which are linked to reduced inflammation, better metabolism and better heart and circulatory health.
These good bacteria also help digest polyphenols, natural plant chemicals thought to have antioxidant properties and which may help lower blood pressure.
By contrast, harmful gut bacteria, which thrive on diets high in fat and red meat, produce chemicals that can cause problems in the heart and blood vessels by increasing inflammation and altering how cholesterol is processed in the body.
Beneficial bacteria thrive on varied diets high in prebiotics, non-digestible fibres found in foods such as wholegrains, oats, beans, lentils, bananas and onions.
People with diabetes may have undiagnosed heart failure that could be detected by a simple screening blood test, research suggests.
The TARTAN-HF trial found that one in four patients with diabetes who had at least one other risk factor for heart failure had undiagnosed heart failure detected through screening with a blood test and ultrasound scanning of the heart.
Experts said the findings show the extent of unrecognised heart failure in people with diabetes, and how the condition can be detected using a widely available blood test called NT-proBNP, which measures how much strain the heart is under.
They suggest a heart failure screening programme for diabetics could improve diagnosis rates, lead to earlier treatment and potentially reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death.
The study, involving 700 patients, was led by the University of Glasgow in collaboration with AstraZeneca, Roche Diagnostics, Us2.ai, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lanarkshire.
Dr Kieran Docherty, clinical senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow’s School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health, said: “Our results from the landmark TARTAN-HF trial identified heart failure in a large proportion of people living with diabetes, emphasising the need for a heart failure screening strategy in this group of patients.
“We know that many of the symptoms and signs of heart failure are non-specific, and may go unrecognised as potentially being due to heart failure for a long time.
“The strategy used in our trial is simple and easy to implement in clinical practice, and will aid in the early identification of heart failure in people with diabetes, and facilitate the initiation of medications that we know improve outcomes in patients with heart failure.”
The study, which began more than three years ago, involved more than 700 people with diabetes from the two health board areas who had at least one other risk factor for heart failure.
They were randomly assigned either to receive heart failure screening or to continue with their usual care.
Researchers found screening uncovered a large number of previously unrecognised cases of heart failure. Around one in four, or 24.9 per cent, of those screened were found to have the condition within six months, compared with 1 per cent in the group continuing their usual care.
The study, involving patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, found almost all of the participants found to have heart failure had preserved ejection fraction, which can be difficult to detect without dedicated testing.
The findings of the TARTAN-HF trial were presented at the American College of Cardiology conference taking place from 28 to 30 March in New Orleans in the US.
Dr Edward Piper, medical director at AstraZeneca UK, said: “Delayed diagnosis and treatment of heart failure in people with type 2 diabetes contributes to poor long-term outcomes. TARTAN-HF demonstrates that targeted, risk-based screening can identify previously undiagnosed heart failure in approximately one in four high-risk patients with diabetes, enabling earlier intervention with guideline-directed therapy.”
Dr Christian Simon, head of global medical affairs at Roche Diagnostics, said: “We are proud to have supported the landmark TARTAN-HF trial. These findings demonstrate the transformative power of early, accessible diagnostics like the NT-proBNP blood test.
“By identifying unrecognised heart failure in people with diabetes, we enable clinicians to initiate appropriate treatments sooner, ultimately improving patient outcomes and lives.”
The UK has launched a £6.3m men’s health fund to back local projects aimed at helping men and boys live longer, healthier lives.
The Men’s Health Community Fund is a partnership between the Department of Health and Social Care, Movember and People’s Health Trust.
The government is contributing £3m, while the two charities are more than doubling that to take the total to £6.3m.
Grants will support community projects reaching underserved men and boys aged 16 and over, particularly in the most disadvantaged areas and at key points in their lives such as becoming a father, losing a job or retiring.
Projects could include support for new fathers, activities for men facing loneliness and social isolation, services to help young men engage with the health system, and support for men in work, out of work and moving into retirement.
The programme will bring together voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to test new ways of reaching men who are least likely to use traditional health services.
An evaluation funded through the National Institute for Health and Care Research will assess what works and help inform future policy and delivery.
Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting said: “Too many men across the country are living shorter, less healthy lives, particularly those in our most disadvantaged communities.
“This new partnership will help men get the support they need in the places they feel most comfortable, their communities, among people they trust.
“By working with expert charities and local organisations, we can reach the men who are too often missed by traditional services and help them take better care of their mental and physical health.”
“It is a key step in delivering our first ever Men’s Health Strategy and driving forward our ambition to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest areas.”
The Men’s Health Strategy sets out plans to tackle the physical and mental health challenges men and boys face.
Men can be less likely to seek help and more likely to suffer in silence, while higher rates of smoking, drinking, gambling and drug use are damaging men’s health and affecting families, workplaces and communities.
The government is also investing £3.6m over the next three years in suicide prevention projects for middle-aged men in local communities across areas of England where men are most at risk, many of which are also among the most deprived. Suicide is one of the biggest killers of men under 50, and three-quarters of all suicides are men.
The projects will aim to break down barriers middle-aged men face in seeking support, including stigma around asking for help and a lack of awareness of what is available and how to access it.
They will be co-designed with experts and men with lived experience of mental health crises and suicidal thoughts.
Gut-friendly foods may damage heart, charity warns
Diabetes patients face increased risk of undiagnosed heart failure
UK government announces £6.3m fund to boost men’s health
Brain health collaboratory launches in Gulf South
