The medical start-up Vesica AI has been awarded the inaugural Olympus Asia Pacific Innovation Program (OAIP) crown. Vesica AI’s innovative AI-based clinical support system, which elevates the early detection of bladder cancer through cystoscopy procedure, set it apart from a competitive field of four finalists.
This inventive system is a result of a collaborative effort between the University of Tsukuba Hospital in Japan’s Ibaraki-prefecture, and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), a public agency in Japan committed to facilitating scientific development.
Olympus Corporation, a global MedTech company dedicated to improving people’s health and safety, in conjunction with MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific, one of the healthcare sector’s most extensive accelerators, initiated and managed the OAIP, which continued through 2023.
They welcomed visionary start-ups from the Asia Pacific region to engage in the OAIP by presenting technologies that significantly contribute to the progression of minimally invasive care and novel methods of surveillance and treatment of conditions and diseases.
As the victor of the competition, Vesica AI is set to receive $75,000 in grant funding and an exclusive mentorship programme with key thought leaders from Olympus. The mentorship scheme aims at meaningful interactions with Olympus experts to nurture the future of Vesica AI.
"All four of our finalists demonstrated tech that could revolutionise their respective fields in healthcare and enhance patient outcomes. We are thrilled to select Vesica AI as the inaugural winner of the Olympus Asia Pacific Innovation programme."
"We eagerly anticipate aiding the Vesica AI team and the UroAI platform in their mission to raise the standard of care in bladder cancer diagnosis," stated Felicia Chung, the Business Development Head at Olympus Corporation Asia Pacific.
"This accolade is a testament to our team's dedication and hard work. We are confident that this mentorship programme will be transformative for us, allowing us to refine our business model, concentrate our commercialisation and R&D endeavours, and hasten our fundraising and strategic collaboration plans," expressed Albert Liu, CEO of Vesica AI, and Charles Zahl, COO of Vesica AI, in a joint statement.
Marc Radatt, CEO of Olympus Corporation Asia Pacific, further expressed his approval, saying, "We were considerably impressed with Vesica AI's innovative technology and its potential to transform the early detection of bladder cancer through cystoscopy."
"It promises to make a significant difference in the lives of patients not only in the Asia Pacific region but globally. We are keen to work with their talented team as the inaugural winners."