What's going on here?
Augmedics, Proprio Vision and Think Surgical have all struggled. Augmedics proved its tech with 13,000 cases but no viable business model, so VB Spine bought the assets. Proprio is said to be on its last leg of funding, Even Think Surgical cannot seem to get the finish line even with a great tech and a strong leadership team. More explanation on these three deeper in the article.
Its not the technology thats the problem. It all works.
Enabling tech is struggling because our industry is selling hospitals a better real time image of the anatomy while the hospital was trying to buy a faster Tuesday. Hospitals need throughput.
Wrong focus
I asked this more than a year ago - Is ‘Enabling Technology’ a Real Category or a Marketing Scam? and the answer has not improved.
Companies fell in love with light fields, headsets, and 510(k)s. Hospitals and ASCs pay for room turns, predictable case time, and fewer bodies in the room. Technical superiority that adds twenty minutes to the schedule is not enabling anything except a dusty robot in the back hallway.
Lack of adoption and acquisition partners
Companies prioritize cameras, light fields, headsets, and algorithm...
