Following key FDA approval, SentiAR raises $5.1M

St. Louis medical technology startup SentiAR, which develops visualization technologies for surgical use, has secured $5.1 million in Series A funding.

The oversubscribed financing round included investment from new backer TechWald Holding, which is based in Italy. Other investors in the round include St. Louis-based investors BioGenerator and Cultivation Capital as well as VCapital, Neue Fund, QRM Capital and Keiretsu Forum.

SentiAR’s new funding follows its receipt of 510 clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its CommandEP system, which provides physicians with a holographic guidance system for invasive cardiac procedures. The product allows surgeons to see 3D real-time holograms through a wearable headset while conducting procedures. The St. Louis startup said its new financing will allow it to “accelerate innovation” on its CommandEP.

“I had the privilege to focus on important and truly innovative technologies in the electrophysiology field for 25 years. SentiAR is leading the next breakthrough in this field as well as other interventional procedures,” said Shlomo Shpun, partner and chief scientific officer of TechWald Holding. “The TechWald Team looks forward to supporting SentiAR for CommandEP and the other products they have in the pipeline.”

As part of the financing, Shpun will join SentiAR’s board.

“Mr. Shpun is a reputable industry expert in electrophysiology and has been previously involved in the development of several major EP technologies. With several decades of industry expertise, Mr. Shpun will actively contribute to SentiAR’s board,” said SentiAR CEO Berk Tas.

Founded in 2017, SentiAR was spun out of Washington University by Jennifer Silva, associate professor of pediatric cardiology and Jonathan Silva, associate professor of biomedical engineering. Business Journal