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Paradromics’ BCI: The Race to Restore Speech

The first human implantation of Paradromics ’ BCI marks more than another milestone in brain-computer interface development. It highlights a different vision for the field, one centered on restoring communication rather than controlling a cursor or robotic arms. On June 17th, surgeons at the University of Michigan Health implanted Paradromics’ Connexus device into the cortex of a woman living with motor neuron disease as part of the company’s Connect-One early feasibility study. The patient will be followed for six years under an FDA investigational device exemption that Paradromics says was the first IDE for speech restoration with a fully implantable BCI. While many companies have focused on motor control, Paradromics is pursuing one of neurology’s most significant unmet needs: helping patients regain their ability to communicate. Why Paradromics’ BCI Is Targeting Speech The potential patient population extends well beyond a single neurological condition. According to the World Healt...
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Surgical Robotics and Breaking Limitations: Letter from the Editors of The Lens, June 2026

There are few corners of medtech that capture the imagination quite like surgical robotics. It is one of the rare areas in medicine where technology visibly bends our perception of what is possible. It combines hardware, software, imaging, artificial intelligence, and human expertise into systems that would have sounded like science fiction only a generation ago. In a world where surgeons sit at a robotic console, navigate a catheter through the beating heart, or perform a procedure from hundreds of miles away, we are reminded that medicine is ultimately limited only by our ability to imagine a better way. That is why all of us at LSI, from Scott and me to the broader team, have always loved this market. A decade ago, I walked into Intuitive Surgical and truly fell in love with medtech. Over the years that followed, I had the privilege of working alongside many of the pioneers who helped create this category. I saw robotics from multiple vantage points: in research environments explori...
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Q2 2026 LSI Alumni Funding Report

In Q2 2026, LSI Alumni companies raised $1.9 billion, up from $1.2 billion in Q1 , reflecting another active quarter for medtech funding. The quarter included 47 funding events and strategic transactions, ranging from early-stage venture financings to late-stage growth rounds, acquisitions, IPOs, and strategic partnerships. Highlights included six acquisitions, two IPOs, and three $100 million financing rounds, reflecting continued investor interest in companies reaching key clinical, regulatory, and commercial milestones. Investment activity spanned a wide range of sectors, including cardiovascular, neurotechnology, robotics, diagnostics, women’s health, and surgical innovation, offering a snapshot of where capital flowed across the medtech ecosystem during Q2. What’s Inside the Report The complete Q2 2026 LSI Alumni Funding Report includes every funding event and strategic transaction involving LSI Alumni companies during the quarter, including: 47 funding events and strategic transa...
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The Memo: Avertto Medical’s Vision for Continuous Stroke Monitoring

Under the direction of Founder and CEO Dr. Hilla Ben-Pazi, Avertto Medical is developing what it describes as the world’s first continuous stroke monitoring and alert system. Inspired by Ben-Pazi’s experience addressing stroke patients as a neurologist, the company is working to identify cerebrovascular changes before irreversible neurological damage occurs. By continuously monitoring carotid artery pulse waveforms and applying algorithm-driven analysis, Avertto aims to give clinicians an earlier opportunity to recognize and respond to evolving stroke events, potentially transforming how one of medicine’s most time-sensitive conditions is managed. Origin Story For Ben-Pazi, Avertto’s origins began at the bedside. “The inspiration came directly from my work as a neurologist seeing individuals with irreversible disabilities,” Ben-Pazi explained. “It was frustrating to see the devastating consequences of delayed stroke recognition.” While stroke treatments have improved dramatically, she ...
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The Memo: NeoCor Advancing a New Approach to Mitral Valve Repair

Under the direction of Founder and CEO Dr. George Kramer, NeoCor is developing a novel transcatheter solution for mitral and tricuspid valve disease. Guided by the philosophy of “One Medicine, One Health, One World,” the company’s CoApt Valve™ is being designed for both human and canine patients, combining a leaflet augmentation approach with an ultra-low profile delivery system intended to expand access to minimally invasive treatment. As NeoCor advances toward first-in-human studies, the company is positioning its technology to address one of structural heart’s largest remaining unmet needs. Origin Story NeoCor was founded by Dr. George Kramer, who serves as the company’s Founder and CEO. From the beginning, the company’s vision has extended beyond a single patient population. “Adhering to the philosophy of ‘One Medicine, One Health, One World,’ the CoApt Valve is being developed for both canine and human mitral valve disease,” Kramer explained. “It is designed to provide a minimally...
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Intracardiac Echocardiography: Why Medtronic Made Two Bets on the Same Technology

On June 3rd, Medtronic revealed a pair of investments that caught the attention of the electrophysiology market. The companies are located on opposite sides of the world, but they share a common focus: intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) catheters. One investment went to California-based Beluga Medical. The other went to Shenzhen-based CardioACC. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the significance of the deals extends well beyond the size of the checks. Together, the investments offer insight into where Medtronic believes cardiac ablation is heading and how it plans to strengthen the Affera platform as competition intensifies across electrophysiology. Why Intracardiac Echocardiography Has Become a Strategic Priority Medtronic has been clear about its intentions. The company plans to integrate ICE capabilities into its Affera mapping and ablation ecosystem. Rebecca Seidel, president of Medtronic’s Cardiac Ablation Solutions business, described ICE catheters as a core component of m...
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Male Contraceptives: Why Contraline’s $92.5M Raise Could Reshape the Category

On June 2nd, Contraline announced a $92.5 million Series B financing. While the size of the round is notable, the more meaningful signal comes from who participated. The financing was co-led by BVF Partners and RA Capital Management, two crossover funds that almost exclusively back therapeutics. Their participation suggests they see more than an interesting technology. They see the potential for an entirely new market with a drug-sized outcome. Here’s what the numbers reveal. The Investment Case for Male Contraceptives The biggest opportunity starts with what is missing. For decades, men have effectively had only two contraceptive choices: condoms and vasectomy. No new male method has reached the market in a generation. That helps explain why today’s global male contraceptives market is valued at only about $1.12 billion. The category remains small largely because there are so few products available, not necessarily because demand is limited. Research suggests the market could look ver...
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