2022 / Italy
2022 / Italy
Reshaping biopsy and needle-based therapy through AI-powered robotics. AI, machine learning, and robotics to help radiologists and urologists minimizing the diagnostic error and achieve a speedy and effective therapy.
HEALTH
SECTOR
Problem.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men.
In Europe, around 1 million prostate biopsies are carried out each year. Biopsy is still affected by diagnostic errors between 30% and 50%. The main sources of error are target detection and needle insertion: both operator dependent!
Solution.
A safe, accurate and repeatable robot-assisted procedure.
Improve the clinical outcome in needle based prostate biopsy procedures by using AI and robotics through target identification and planning, needle position and biopsy execution.
The company is developing an AI-robotic system for prostate biopsy. Initially we were doing research on how to improve the outcome of this procedure, which is still affected by 30% diagnostic error. When we reached a solid idea and good results in laboratory and cadaver tests, we realized that our research could have an impact on the life of millions of people. We took the plunge into the business world and we were fortunate that the EU appreciated our ideas and gave us a grant to start the industrialization process.
Day One has been a partner of Needleye since our first POC project on prostate biopsy in 2019. This partnership has been very productive, since it lead to the acquisition of three ERC-Proof of Concept grants and one European Innovation Grant. The first meeting was in 2014 for a previous start-up project. In 2019 Paolo de Stefanis was introduces to me and, also with the help of a common friend, we started the proposal path that brought us to the creation of Needleye Robotics.
Every situation is different and it is difficult to have an advice that can be applied to all companies. Based on my past experience, the main difficulties have been, and are, on the acquisition of funds, personnel, and company structure. There might be external factors influencing the selection of the company shareholders, but it is critical to be very careful in forming the company core. This is especially true for companies that are academic spin-offs, because the time of academic partners is always less than promised. Money is the other big issue, since it is never enough. The search of new finances is very time consuming and it requires much luck and good connections. Finally a good technical team is essential. People must be motivated and eager to achieve the planned results. It is necessary to forge a strong team spirit because at the beginning, the ties to the company are weak and must be continuously strengthened.
