UCLB News
UCLB spinout Innersight Labs acquired by KARL STORZ
11 January 2024
Family-owned medical technology company KARL STORZ has acquired software manufacturer Innersight Labs.
KARL STORZ is expanding its portfolio in endoscopes, high-end medical devices, and solutions for the operating room. The know-how gained with the acquisition in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) will enhance KARL STORZ’s offerings. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.
ISL is a British company founded in 2015 by Oxford graduates Lorenz Berger and Eoin Hyde, joined shortly thereafter by Matt Gibb, another former Oxford PhD student. ISL developed Innersight3D, a software-only product that allows surgeons to create a patient-specific 3D model from a medical CT or MRI scan.
ISL labels received scans according to the different tissue types and creates an interactive 3D model. The three-dimensional representation can then be accessed and interacted with via a web link sent to the physician.
Because of the more accurate preoperative assessment, benefits include for example reducing operation time and the risk of surgical complications. Compared to competing products, ISL’s AI-based algorithm can significantly reduce manual effort, reducing cost per model and time to deployment.
The company currently employs eight people and also operates an office in India. As part of the globally active KARL STORZ Group, the next steps are to focus on commercial scaling and joint technology development.
KARL STORZ began in 1945 with innovations in the ENT (ear, nose and throat) sector. The founder Karl Storz aimed to promote minimally invasive surgery and revolutionise the treatment of patients worldwide. Its 8,800 employees work across its products in the healthcare sector.
“We want to continue pioneering MedTech, particularly in the areas of software and robotics. The research background that ISL brings to the table therefore fits ideally with our vision, mission, and strategic goals. We warmly welcome them to the KARL STORZ family,” said Thorsten Molitor, Executive Vice President at KARL STORZ. The ISL team also has in-depth knowledge of soft tissue deformation and mechanics, computational physics, image processing and machine learning, as well as experience in cloud software development.”
UCLB Senior Business Manager, Physical Sciences and Engineering, Dr Weng Sie Wong, added: “I’m delighted to see the progress that ISL has made since it was founded. Many congratulations to the team and looking forward to seeing the next stage of the company’s journey.”