Thirona Closes Financing Round With HERAN Partners and Borski Fund

Thirona has received an infusion of cash that will help the company increase its market share in medical imaging.

Thirona did not disclose the amount of monetary support it received, but identified its financing partners as HERAN Partners (Belgium) and Borski Fund (the Netherlands). 

“We believe that science should be used for the benefit of all people. Our vision is to speed up scientific progress in healthcare by bringing together the best of science and technology. This to enable breakthroughs in treatment development and clinical care,” said Eva van Rikxoort, founder and CEO of Thirona. 

Founded in 2014 by van Rikxoort, Thirona has rapidly transformed from a startup to a category leader in AI-powered medical image analysis. With 60 employees, the company develops artificial intelligence solutions for both lung and retinal image analysis. Currently, the company is focusing on the most common diseases such as asthma, COPD, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, but it plans to tackle rare and complex conditions, such as cystic fibrosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in the future.

Thirona focuses on translating AI-based technology into value-adding solutions and services in the entire spectrum of the clinical user—from clinical trials to clinics—through partnerships and integrations. It is closing in on 10 million images analysed and its solutions have been validated in more than 180 scientific publications.  As a company, we have always placed a high emphasis on research and development which has enabled us to establish strong academic, clinical and industrial partnerships,’ said Guido Geerts co-CEO of Thirona. “Now, we find ourselves at a tipping point in our journey, expediting our international expansion and development goals. We are pleased to have found the right partners in HERAN Partners and Borski Fund to help accelerate our growth trajectory.” 

“By tapping into the large market of non-oncologic lung diseases and through unparalleled innovation and high scalability of the platform, Thirona is poised to further strengthen its position as category leader in the market of image analysis. We at HERAN Partners are committed to supporting Thirona’s growth plans and provide them with capital, network, and expertise in global commercialisation,” said Katleen Vandersmissen, managing partner at HERAN Partners.

“The combination of profound inhouse medical knowledge and deep learning expertise provides a unique technology platform in the field of medical image analysis. The robust scientific approach and focus on genuinely value adding propositions underpins the leadership of Eva and Guido, positioning Thirona to accelerate growth in a fast-expanding market. We are pleased to add Thirona to our portfolio as the third medical company. We look very much forward to supporting Eva and the management team in their personal and organisational growth,” said Bertrand van Leersum, investment director at Borski Fund.

Thirona is a Dutch company specializing in artificial intelligence for medical image analysis. By providing highly reliable and user-friendly products and services, it bridges the gap between academic ideas and clinical use. Thirona partners with medical companies in their innovation trajectories and supports medical professionals in their daily tasks working with thoracic CT-scans (LungQ), chest X-rays (CAD4TB) and retinal scans (RetCAD). Since inception in 2014, Thirona’s AI-solutions have been used in more than 40 countries worldwide.