Eckuity Capital has reached the first close of its second healthcare growth equity fund and made its inaugural investment by leading Automata Technologies’ Series C financing alongside Danaher. The fund will target commercial-stage companies across medical technology, diagnostics and tech-enabled healthcare services in North America and Western Europe, building on Eckuity’s first fund, which was fully deployed across 14 life sciences businesses. Automata, which develops AI-driven systems to automate laboratory operations, will use the backing to expand its platform as laboratories seek to reduce manual processes, increase throughput and improve scalability.
Fund II Strategy
Eckuity Capital Fund II extends the firm’s strategy of investing in life sciences companies that have progressed beyond early development and require support to scale commercially. The firm combines growth capital with commercial guidance, drawing on its experience across healthcare technologies, diagnostics and medical devices. With its first close completed, the fund has begun deploying capital and plans to continue building its portfolio during the year.
The new fund arrives as healthcare organisations and laboratory operators increasingly look for technologies that can improve efficiency without compromising reliability. Scientific workflows often involve time-intensive, repetitive and manual processes, particularly in research, diagnostics and testing environments. Investors are therefore placing greater emphasis on automation platforms that can help laboratories operate at a larger scale while improving consistency across workflows.
Youssef Sebban, founder and managing partner of Eckuity Capital, said the firm sees artificial intelligence as a major driver of change across healthcare over the next decade. He said the company focuses on backing businesses when their technologies are ready to become practical tools for scientists, clinicians and healthcare providers. Sebban described Automata as an example of the type of commercial-stage company Fund II intends to support.
Automata’s Series C Financing
Automata Technologies has secured its Series C round with Eckuity Capital Fund II serving as lead investor and Danaher participating alongside the firm. The investment brings together a specialist healthcare growth equity investor and a global science and technology group with significant exposure to laboratory, diagnostics and life sciences markets. The companies did not disclose the size of the financing in the announcement.
Automata develops AI-enabled systems designed to automate laboratory operations for life sciences and diagnostics organisations. Its technology is intended to replace or reduce repetitive manual work that can slow scientific processes and create difficulties when laboratories seek to expand capacity. By automating these workflows, the company aims to help organisations improve speed, efficiency and operational scale.
Danaher’s participation gives Automata support from a strategic investor active across science and technology markets. The company operates a portfolio of businesses serving laboratories, diagnostics providers and life sciences organisations worldwide. Its involvement could help strengthen Automata’s position as it seeks wider adoption among organisations pursuing more automated and data-driven laboratory environments.
Mostafa ElSayed, chief executive of Automata Technologies, said the automation of laboratories is one of the most significant operational opportunities in science. He said Eckuity understood the company’s technology and its path toward commercial growth, making the firm a suitable lead investor for the Series C round. ElSayed added that support from Eckuity and Danaher could help accelerate the deployment of AI-based laboratory automation.
Expanded Investment Team
Eckuity Capital has also expanded its investment team with the appointments of Paul Enever and Alejandro Sanchez as partners. Both bring backgrounds in healthcare consulting, medical technology, investing and company scaling, supporting Eckuity’s strategy of offering portfolio companies more than financial backing. Their experience is expected to strengthen the firm’s ability to help companies navigate commercial expansion, partnerships and strategic transactions.
Enever previously spent 25 years in medical technology and worked as a partner at McKinsey. He serves on the boards of GT Medical Technologies and Magnolia Medical Technologies, while previous exits include Cardiva Medical’s acquisition by Haemonetics. Sanchez also worked as a McKinsey partner and co-founded Hermes Growth Partners, while serving on the board of PreludeDx.
Sanchez’s previous transaction experience includes Biotheranostics’ acquisition by Hologic. Together, the two appointments add further operational and transaction expertise to Eckuity’s investment platform. The firm said this experience will support its work with commercial-stage healthcare companies as they pursue broader growth.
Eckuity Capital’s first close for Fund II and its lead investment in Automata Technologies highlight continued investor interest in AI applications that can improve life sciences and diagnostics operations. The Series C gives Automata financial and strategic backing as it seeks to expand laboratory automation technology into a market facing increasing demand for efficiency and scale. With Fund II now deploying capital, Eckuity is positioning itself to back more healthcare companies bringing commercially ready technologies into broader use.