TLDR: EnAcuity, a pioneering spinout from Imperial College London and UCL, has been awarded a prestigious Innovate UK Smart Grant. This funding will accelerate the development and validation of their groundbreaking software, designed to integrate AI-driven hyperspectral imaging capabilities into standard surgical cameras, thereby enhancing visibility and safety during minimally invasive procedures.
London, UK – EnAcuity, a cutting-edge spinout company born from the collaborative research of Imperial College London and University College London (UCL), has announced it has been awarded a significant Innovate UK Smart Grant. The £300,840 grant is earmarked to further develop and validate its innovative software solution, which promises to revolutionize surgical imaging within operating theatres.
Established in early 2024, EnAcuity’s core mission is to transform conventional surgical cameras into advanced hyperspectral imaging systems through the power of artificial intelligence. Unlike existing hyperspectral devices that are often bulky, costly, and can delay procedures, EnAcuity’s technology is a software-only solution. It leverages AI computer vision models to process video feeds from standard laparoscopic cameras, highlighting crucial functional information such as tissue perfusion, critical structures like vessels and nerves, and subtle pathologies that are otherwise undetectable to the human eye.
This enhanced visualization is expected to significantly reduce complications during minimally invasive surgeries, commonly known as keyhole surgeries or laparoscopies. For instance, in gallbladder removal procedures, where vessel and gallbladder injuries can occur in 2% and 37% of operations respectively, EnAcuity’s system aims to prevent such incidents by providing surgeons with unprecedented clarity. These injuries currently contribute to substantial healthcare costs, including re-admissions and re-operations.
Dr. Maria Leiloglou, CEO and co-founder of EnAcuity, expressed the significance of this award, stating, “This award comes at a pivotal moment, giving us the momentum we need to accelerate our product’s entry to the market. Receiving funding from Innovate UK is a strong public endorsement of the value of our technology and will help bring us a step closer to delivering a major technical boost that will help prevent surgical complications and improve practice, benefiting patients and surgeons alike.”
The grant will specifically enable EnAcuity to validate its software using a unique library of surgical video data from laparoscopic procedures performed at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. This builds upon a successful £1.28 million pre-seed funding round secured in 2024, which has already supported clinical validation in colorectal and gallbladder surgeries at the same trust.
The company’s development is guided by leading academic experts, including Professor Daniel Elson from Imperial’s Department of Surgery and Cancer, and Professor Danail Stoyanov from UCL’s Department of Computer Science. Dr. Tobias Czempiel, Chief Technology Officer and a PhD graduate from TU Munich, brings extensive experience in surgical data science to the founding team.
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Weng Sie Wong, Senior Business Manager at UCL Business, lauded the achievement, remarking, “We are thrilled to see EnAcuity receive this significant recognition and support from Innovate UK. Their innovative approach to enhancing surgical imaging has the potential to transform laparoscopic surgery techniques and have a substantial impact on healthcare.” This funding marks a crucial step towards making safer, more precise surgical procedures a reality for patients worldwide.
