Demcon Innovation Fund invests in Spatium Medical

Physical and financial room to operate

Demcon Innovation Fund is investing in Spatium Medical, the Erasmus MC spin-off that has developed an innovative insufflator. During a laparoscopy, this pump delivers carbon dioxide into the abdominal cavity to expose the organs and create room for the surgeon to work. The Smart Insufflator has unique characteristics that allow the surgeon to select the right pressure for every patient. As a result, patients experience fewer post-operative complaints. It also makes it possible to operate on vulnerable patients. Demcon life sciences & health already contributes to the product development, while Demcon production is ready to begin serial production. Now Demcon Innovation Fund is participating in a five-million-euro investment round to fund product development all the way to certification. The Smart Insufflator is scheduled to be released on the market in 2026, following clinical evaluation.

Insufflation is used during a laparoscopy, i.e. keyhole surgery in the abdominal cavity. An insufflator pumps carbon dioxide into the abdominal cavity to expose the organs and create enough room for the surgeon to use their instruments and the camera. The current generation of insufflators offers limited control options. They do not account for individual differences between patients, e.g. in the flexibility of their abdominal wall, nor the patient’s respiration. To create enough room to operate, an insufflator is therefore set to deliver a high pressure by default. This can result in unnecessarily high strain for the patient, which in turn can lead to post-operative complaints.

Innovative insufflation technology
Physicians at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam were looking for a solution for the shortcomings of existing insufflators and developed the Smart Insufflator. This innovative device has unique characteristics that allow the surgeon to select the right pressure for every patient. The pressure is stabilized at the desired level by having a regulatory mechanism compensate for the changes in pressure caused by the patient’s respiration. For this innovation, Spatium Medical has made use of Demcon’s knowledge and expertise in the field of turbine technology. The carbon dioxide stream between the abdominal cavity and a reservoir is regulated to stabilize the pressure inside the abdominal cavity at the optimal and lowest possible level for the patient. With this new technology, Spatium Medical’s solution lowers the patient’s risk of complications. It also makes it possible to perform keyhole surgery on vulnerable patient groups, including prematurely born infants and people with obesity.

New round of funding
Spatium Medical was founded in 2022 as a spin-off of the Erasmus MC to continue development of the Smart Insufflator and bring it to market in the medical sector. This year, €5 million in funding was secured for the development of a market-ready product and obtaining medical product certification. For this purpose, Spatium Medical was recently awarded an Innovation Credit by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). Besides the existing investors, Van Herk Ventures, Swanbridge Capital, Erasmus MC, UNIIQ, Human Plus Fund and IDE Group, new parties participated in a new round of funding. These are InnovationQuarter, the development company for South Holland, and the Demcon Innovation Fund. Existing shareholders Van Herk Ventures and Swanbridge Capital also invested during this round.

Collaboration
Willem Mees van der Bijl, CEO of Spatium Medical, praises the collaboration between his team, RVO and all investors. “It has been invaluable to us, not just for completing this investment round, but also for sharing knowledge and expertise. It helps us get this innovative technology ready to become the new global standard for patient care during minimally invasive surgery.”

Complete involvement
The investment by Demcon Innovation Fund completes Demcon’s involvement in Spatium Medical, says Jemy Pauwels, managing director of Demcon investment. “We were able to contribute our expertise through Demcon macawi respiratory systems. Demcon life sciences & health is now involved in the ongoing development of the Smart Insufflator into a market-ready product, while Demcon production is ready to begin serial production. We support Spatium Medical with our comprehensive expertise in medical product development and certification and qualified production, thereby contributing to a positive impact on patients’ lives. This financial contribution represents the next step for us.”

Commitment
As a technology partner, Demcon’s demonstrates its commitment to Spatium Medical to the other investors, Pauwels states. “We have faith in Spatium Medical’s experienced team, which can count on the support of an expert advisory board with key opinion leaders from the medical world. The list of potential customers, which includes top national and international hospitals, is impressive as well. Another important factor for us was that the Smart Insufflator’s modest price allows surgeons to make an independent purchase decision. That increases the chance of a successful market acceptance. Furthermore, the first sales are already expected in 2026, when the Smart Insufflator is scheduled to become available for clinical evaluation. This is a relatively short lead time for a medical technology innovation. I am therefore convinced that Spatium Medical can successfully complete its road to market.”