Positrigo raises over CHF 6 million to support the development of its next-generation head Positron Emission Tomography system.

10.07.2020 09:00, Guillaume Tinsel

Positrigo, a Medtech Zurich-based startup, has closed a series A investment round over CHF 3.9 million, led by 4FO Ventures, accompanied by substantial contributions from Great Filter Ventures, Zurich Cantonal Bank, and ETH Zurich Foundation. At the same time, Positrigo was awarded a European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator grant over up to EUR 2.2 million, plus an additional equity financing offer. Venturelab asked Positrigo's CEO Jannis Fischer and COO Max Ahnen about Positrigo's origin and future milestones.

Today almost 50 million people worldwide are suffering from dementia which costs almost a trillion US dollars per year. These numbers are likely to increase in our aging society. Treatments are on the horizon, but an affordable and early diagnosis is still needed. Positrigo is an emerging start-up developing ultra-compact Positron Emission Tomography (PET) system for the brain. The company's aim is to deliver versatile head PET scanners with applications for an accessible early detection of causes of dementia and beyond.
Positrigo just raises more than CHF 6 million in blended financing, series A led by 4FO Ventures, to support the development of its next-generation head Positron Emission Tomography system. This financial bonanza comes at a time of rapid development for Positrigo, as the BPET clinical prototype was completed this year, together with ETH Zurich. The financial boost will kickstart the development of the first product NeuroLF. Previously, Positrigo hasreceived financial support and coaching by Venture Kick in 2018, participated in 2019 in the Venture Leaders Life Sciences, and has recently been selected for the Venture Leaders China 2020 program. 
Jean-Pierre Rosat, PhD; 4FO Ventures Founder and General Partners says: “We have been fascinated by Positrigo’s technology and its market potential. Their approach allows the spread of a technology normally reserved to large, well-funded hospitals and can allow a point-of-care approach to brain-scanning. We were especially impressed by the team and its enthusiasm”.

Jannis Fischer, Max Ahnen, the Positrigo team just raised over CHF 6 million. Congratulations! How will these funds help Positrigo to achieve your vision?
The financing will kickstart the development of our first product NeuroLF. NeuroLF is the next step in Positrigo’s aim is to deliver the most versatile ultra-compact brain PET scanner with applications for an accessible early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and beyond.

You won Venture Kick in 2018. How did Venture Kick help you lay the foundation for your growth and today's achievement?
Venture Kick helped us grow, from the smallest unit to now a well-financed startup with trips around the world along the way. The support by Venture Lab is incredible and we profit from the network and from the advice every day. 

You also participated in Venture Leaders Life Sciences in 2019. How did it leverage your fundraising strategy?
Venture Leaders Life Sciences honed our pitch and made us aware of the intricacies of the life-science businesses. We used this opportunity to start many new relationships in the US with clinics, researchers, and companies, which we plan to deepen in the immediate future.

When, and what, was your inspiration to found Positrigo?
In 2015 our dear co-founder Dr. Alfred Buck, a nuclear medicine physician from University Hospital Zurich, foresaw a growing need for brain imaging with positron emission tomography. Brain PET can detect a high risk of Alzheimer's disease 10 to 20 years before the first cognitive symptoms. He asked us if we could build a new PET system for this. Now, we want to help Dr. Buck and hundreds of other doctors like him to detect Alzheimer’s disease earlier and eventually help to prevent it.

What is your advice for the potential MedTech entrepreneurs launching companies in Switzerland today?
Talk to your future customers and talk to investors. Focus on your goal, everything else follows from that. Pitch, adapt, overcome!