$440,000 Grant For Israeli Startup Behind Tiny Surgical Robot

An Israeli startup developing a tiny robot to navigate a patient’s blood vessels during operations has received a grant of approximately $440,000 from a government agency that promotes industrial research and development in the country. 

The Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) awarded the grant to Microbot Medical so it could further develop its robotic surgical system, the LIBERTY.

Microbot Medical says that its system is the world’s first fully disposable endovascular robot, capable of traversing the blood vessels of the brain, heart and other organs during surgical procedures. It is directed by a device similar to a gaming controller, with which the physician guides the catheter within the patient’s body. 

The company says its device differs from current endovascular treatments, which involve the use of large, expensive and cumbersome technology that requires a dedicated team to operate. 

“This non-dilutive grant will facilitate our efforts to establish the manufacturing infrastructure capability for the LIBERTY system,” said Harel Gadot, CEO of Microbot Medical.

“We consider this grant as a vote of confidence in the company, our technology and the LIBERTY system as we progress toward regulatory and commercial milestones,”  he said.

Microbot Medical was founded in 2010, and is based in the northern city of Yokneam Illit. It also has an office in Massachusetts, USA.