KARL STORZ Spins Off Robotics Company

Tuttlingen / Singapore, February 17, 2023 – KARL STORZ, a leading family-owned medical technology company, has established KARL STORZ VentureONE, a new subsidiary for robotic solutions, with the ambitious goal of building an innovative ecosystem for robotic surgery.

“I am deeply convinced that robotic solutions along with artificial intelligence will refurnish the medical technology and healthcare sector around the globe in the years to come. As one of the market leaders in our industry, we need to be part of that development. To be more precise, we need to be bold enough to even shape this market,” highlights CEO Karl-Christian Storz. The Robotic Solutions business unit is therefore anchored in KARL STORZ's corporate strategy. To advance this project, the company is using the development of its own products, leveraging the strengths of existing technologies, and is open to fruitful partnerships. 

Combining the best of two worlds 
KARL STORZ VentureONE is headquartered in Singapore and runs another location in Munich. The focus is on robotic solutions, artificial intelligence (AI), and virtual reality. In order to bring together the best of both worlds, the young company is breaking away from the parent company's core business and striving for a new perspective, leveraging the expertise and technologies of KARL STORZ. In doing so, KARL STORZ VentureONE is pursuing the vision of developing a complete robotic ecosystem that is geared to the needs and requirements of customers. The teams are committed to serve the next generation of surgeons who have grown up in the digital age.

Sites in Singapore and Munich 
KS VentureONE is a rapidly growing entity with a talented team of currently 35 people. Stephan Abele is leading the company as an experienced manager from the Tuttlingen-based parent company, he brings a broad amount of experience and expertise to the job. The team is working in an agile environment in order to achieve the ambitious goals. The customer-centric teams around marketing, product management and software R&D are located in Singapore and the hardware engineers, mechatronics and clinical application teams have their base in the so called Techhub in Munich.

Innovation through cooperation 
As a savvy player in the market, KARL STORZ VentureONE recognizes the importance of collaboration and is actively engaged in discussions with various potential partners. As a first step, Asensus Surgical, Inc. and KARL STORZ VentureONE have now concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Asensus is digitizing the interface between the surgeons and patients to pioneer a new era of performance-guided surgery by unlocking clinical intelligence. In addition, KARL STORZ intends to market the Asensus Intelligent Surgical Unit (ISU) as a standalone device together with the Image1 S^™ imaging system and OR1^™ integration solution. Moreover, both parties plan to jointly collaborate on developing next-generation robotic instrumentation to be used with surgical platforms. The detailed terms of the definitive agreement are currently being negotiated and will be finalized within 90 days. At KARL STORZ, the focus has always been advancing the way minimally invasive procedures are performed. Both companies share the vision for what digital surgery, and especially laparoscopy, could be in the future. 

Innovative ecosystem for robotic surgery
KARL STORZ VentureONE will develop an innovative eco system in robotic surgery. Our comprehensive approach includes support for pre-planning of surgeries through 3D modelling and AI solutions, process optimization utilizing new digital platforms, and improved post-operative care.

CONTACT FOR THE MEDIA:

Anja Ebert
Senior Director Corporate Communications
KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG
Phone: +49 162 2800649
E-Mail: press@karlstorz.com