University of Leeds spinout adsilico raised £10 million in a Series A round. PXN Ventures led the funding, with participation from existing backers Northern Gritstone and Parkwalk. The company builds AI simulations that test medical devices on virtual patients.
Early device projects
The startup has completed projects with heart valve and neurovascular device manufacturers. Its cardiac research is set to be presented at TCT, a meeting focused on structural heart therapies. The company’s work spans heart and brain applications.
Company background
adsilico was founded in 2024 by Sheena Macpherson, Dr Nishant Ravikumar, and Dr Zeike Taylor. The founders launched the company as a University of Leeds spinout. It focuses on virtual testing for medical device manufacturers.
How the platform works
Virtual Chimera creates virtual hearts and blood vessels from anonymized clinical scans. Generative AI and physics-based simulations model device performance across diverse patient populations. Manufacturers can assess variations in age, sex, ethnicity, body size, and medical conditions.
The new funding will support further development of virtual heart models. adsilico also plans to expand into neurovascular devices, including flow diverters for brain aneurysms. The company expects to grow its workforce as it adds new therapeutic areas.