Scanvio aims to enhance endometriosis diagnosis through non-invasive methods, as the current diagnostic gold standard - laparoscopic surgery - is invasive, costly, and typically only used after years of symptoms. The ETH spin-off has obtained CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to refine its AI-supported ultrasound solution and reduce diagnostic delays.
Endometriosis affects 10% of women worldwide, causing chronic pain, excessive bleeding, and unexplained infertility, with an estimated economic burden of USD 12,970 per patient in healthcare costs and workplace absences. Despite its prevalence, diagnosing endometriosis remains a significant challenge. The condition is often difficult to detect using standard ultrasound imaging, and the current diagnostic gold standard - laparoscopic surgery - is invasive, costly, and typically reached only after years of symptoms. As a result, patients face an average diagnostic delay of 8 to 12 years, prolonging their suffering and complicating treatment outcomes.
Scanvio, a Zurich based MedTech startup, enables gynecologists with its Scanvio Assist to diagnose endometriosis during routine transvaginal ultrasounds by integrating AI-driven, real-time guidance into existing equipment. The software greatly reduces the diagnostic timeline, empowering clinicians of all experience levels to confidently detect endometriosis without invasive surgery.
The global ultrasound equipment market is expected to reach USD 13.1 billion by 2030, with gynecology accounting for about 20%. The AI-driven ultrasound imaging segment is growing rapidly, and Scanvio aims to capture a substantial share by providing an AI-powered solution that allows gynecologists to perform expert-level diagnostics with minimal training. Target customers include gynecologists, sonographers, and ultrasound manufacturers seeking AI integration to improve diagnostics. Long-term, the startup plans to expand into obstetrics, urology, and cardiology, broadening its market reach.
Founded in 2024, Scanvio will use the fresh money from Venture Kick to advance product development, enhance AI models with additional ultrasound data, and support CE marking and FDA approval preparations. The funding will also enable the installation of the first five Scanvio Assist™ devices in Swiss clinics.
“Venture Kick has been a crucial partner in our journey. Its structured process and tight timeline pushed us to sharpen our strategy, refine our value proposition, and, most importantly, engage with customers early and boldly enter the market,” emphasized CEO Stefan Tuchschmid.
CTO Dr. Fabian Laumer developed ultrasound algorithms during his ETH Ph.D. research, making advanced diagnostics accessible to all clinicians, working with CMO Prof. Michael Bajka, whose obstetrics and gynaecology expertise shapes Scanvio's medical applications. The founding team, including CEO Dr. Stefan Tuchschmid, Julian Metzler, Gabriel Fringeli, and Prof. Dr. Joachim Buhmann, blends AI, medicine, and business to bring advanced technology to gynaecology practices worldwide.
(press release / FR)
picture: Scanvio’s team with Vaishnavi Shriram (Founder’s Associate), Sergio Tascon-Morales (Senior Machine Learning Engineer), Fabian Laumer (CTO), Gabriel Fringeli (Lead AI Engineer), Maria Narciso (Clinical Operations Manager), Lavinia Schlyter (AI Software Engineer), Carina Käser (Associate Product Manager), and Stefan Tuchschmid (CEO); ZVG
The new Swiss Venture Capital Report was published on 26 January. It analyses 304 financing rounds closed in 2020 and includes further article such as an interview with Michael Hengartner, President of the ETH Board, and a list of Swiss "soonicorns". 
Please login or sign up to comment.
Commenting guidelines