AIATELLA Attracts Funding for its Cardiovascular Imaging Tech

AIATELLA has secured €2 million in funding to accelerate the development and scaling of its AI-powered cardiovascular imaging technology. The funding will help the company conduct clinical trials and develop its ultrasound-based preventative screening, which detects and quantifies carotid artery narrowing in minutes. 

The funding round was led by Helsinki-based Nordic Science Investments, with Specialist VC, Harjavalta Ventures, Business Finland, and a syndicate of angel investors.

AIATELLA’s multi-modal Automated Image Measurement (AIM) technology uses images from prevalent technologies like magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and ultrasound to analyze vascular imaging for detecting and quantifying abnormalities and changes in at-risk patients. With this technology, specialists no longer need to spend up to an hour manually measuring images and documenting changes. With automated analysis, these tasks take minutes, allowing clinicians to focus more on patient care. The company is currently in medical approval processes in several countries across Europe and North America, including the United Kingdom, France, and the United States.

“When I was in medical education in the U.K., my mentor told me you can save thousands of lives in the operating room, but if you want to save millions, that happens in society. I saw that the current imaging workflows take a lot of time and resources, with ever-increasing scan volumes and a global shortage of radiologists leading to large backlogs,” AIATELLA Co-Founder/CEO Jack Parker said. “Radiologists were, and are, burning out. Our technology helps medical professionals analyse imaging much more efficiently, and at an earlier stage, so patients can get help before it’s too late.”

AIATELLA’s technology has initially been applied to the aorta, the body’s largest artery, but the company is aiming to expand coverage to all blood vessels. 

“AIATELLA’s solutions have the potential to streamline our workflow by automating measurements in cardiovascular imaging, saving clinicians significant time per scan, and allowing us to focus our attention on interpretation. The scalability of this technology means we can provide standardised expert-level measurements regardless of the degree of expertise of the reporter. I am excited about the impact this could have for the NHS in terms of workflow optimization and equitable patient care,” stated Anna Beattie, consultant cardiothoracic radiologist, Radiology Research and AI Lead at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Nordic Science Investments, which supports university research teams turning their inventions into commercial success stories, was particularly drawn to AIATELLA’s combination of technology, clinical insight, and a clear path to impact.

“AIATELLA is tackling one of the most significant opportunities in medicine—using AI to transform radiology. The company is perfectly positioned to lead the shift from reactive to preventative cardiovascular care and to replace outdated, manual workflows with intelligent, automated diagnostics,” Nordic Science Investments Partner Alexandra Gylfe commented.

In addition to AIM for medical professionals, the company is also developing an ultrasound-based portable screening technology, enabling mass screening of people before symptoms appear. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally, but up to 80% of these deaths are preventable through early detection and treatment. Patients, however, often enter the healthcare system after experiencing severe symptoms, such as a stroke or a heart attack.

With its portable screening technology, AIATELLA aims to make early cardiovascular disease detection a routine part of regular health checkups, whether for occupational health, insurance assessments, or integrated with other healthcare initiatives like mobile blood banks, vaccination drives, or disease prevention programs. By enabling screening in diverse settings, the technology helps remove barriers to early diagnosis and supports broader access to preventative cardiovascular care. 

“AIATELLA’s preventative screening services have a clear and powerful mission: to bring early detection of cardiovascular problems to millions of people in a cost-effective way. We are confident in the potential of accessible preventative technology, especially in today’s world of overburdened healthcare systems,” Specialist VC Partner Kaspar Hanni said.

The portable screening technology has already been used in partnership with medical professionals at screening events in Finland and the United Kingdom, and helped identify tens of individuals potentially at risk, who were then referred to healthcare professionals for further evaluation. With screening at scale, the company also aims to gain essential insights into differences in the way cardiovascular diseases present and progress between different ethnicities and sexes, as symptoms often present differently between people. Acknowledging and working to close the gender and ethnicity health gap is a key priority for AIATELLA.

AIATELLA is striving to revolutionize radiology by automating the slow, manual processes involved in medical imaging. Founded in Helsinki, Finland, in 2022, the company’s technology makes image analysis 100 times faster, enhancing accuracy and consistency.