The Venture Codex

Participated · Equity · Jul 2026

Navi Medical Technologies develops vascular access technologies for neonatal and paediatric care, including its Neonav® ECG Tip Location System that uses real-time intravascular ECG for catheter tip placement and migration surveillance. The Neonav® received US FDA 510(k) clearance in 2025 and an expanded US FDA indication in 2026 covering additional vascular access procedures, giving it broad indications for paediatric and neonatal central venous access. Clinical evaluations of Neonav® have commenced at two leading US children's hospitals. The company has operations in Australia and the United States and plans to begin US commercial sales in 2026. Recent funding will be used to scale manufacturing and build a US commercial team to support hospital launches. Navi positions Neonav® as a tool to enable ongoing catheter position reassessment and reduce repeat imaging in neonatal and paediatric intensive care.

Participated · Series A · Jul 2026

Wellumio develops a portable neuroimaging platform called Axana that uses patented PGFM (pulsed gradient–free mapping) technology to deliver rapid MRI-based stroke assessments at the point of care. The technology is designed to operate without contrast agents, cryogenics, or shielded rooms, enabling use in critical care settings. The company completed initial human feasibility trials and received a U.S. patent for its technology in December 2025. Wellumio is progressing toward regulatory approval and plans expanded clinical evaluation across additional sites and geographies. The company is led by co-founder and CEO Dr. Shieak Tzeng and is based in Wellington, New Zealand.

Participated · Seed · Jul 2026

Fluent is developing a low‑risk, minimally invasive brain–computer interface inserted beneath the scalp but outside the skull and positioned over the motor cortex to record activity related to speech muscles. The device’s signals are decoded and converted into text to enable faster communication for people with impaired speech from neurological conditions. Fluent has filed provisional patents and progressed through the Melbourne Entrepreneurial Centre’s TRAM Accelerator, and previously secured Proof of Concept funding. The company has raised over $2 million in its current pre-seed financing round from a mix of Australian and international investors. Fluent plans to begin human clinical trials later this year in Melbourne. Additional plans and operating metrics were not disclosed in the articles.

Led · Series A · Jan 2026

MARS Bioimaging is a Christchurch, New Zealand–based medical device company specializing in spectral molecular imaging. Leveraging Medipix technology originally developed at CERN by the Medipix3 Collaboration, the company has created a commercially available portable spectral photon-counting CT scanner. The compact system can simultaneously visualise soft tissue, bone, blood vessels and metallic implants without the need for injected contrast agents. Target use cases span orthopaedics, cardiovascular imaging and the development of next-generation contrast agents for research. With fresh capital, the team plans to accelerate commercial adoption in the United States, New Zealand and emerging markets such as India. The company is led by CEO Dr. Ojas Mahapatra and supported by chairman Chris Stoelhorst. No revenue, user or other operating metrics were disclosed in the article.

Participated · Equity · Sep 2023

Avasa is developing the Avasa Coupler, a category‑defining device that enables safe, fast and standardized reconnection of micro‑arteries used in reconstructive microsurgery. The company has reached design freeze and built pre‑production units that achieved 100% success in chronic animal studies. Founder and CEO Dr. Nandoun Abeysekera is a clinician‑bioengineer and Avasa reports strong clinical demand—89% of the 100+ microsurgeons interviewed expressed strong interest. Founded in 2018 and based in Auckland, New Zealand, Avasa is completing verification testing and recruiting commercial leadership to build its go‑to‑market strategy. The company intends to use the new capital to progress through FDA clearance and to launch commercially within the next 18 months. Avasa, led by CEO and founder Dr. Nandoun Abeysekera, is an Auckland, New Zealand-based medical device company focused on innovating surgical procedures through implantable devices. The company’s core product targets reconstructive microsurgery to help patients who have suffered debilitating disease and deformity. Avasa raised $1.55M in funding and intends to use the proceeds to expand operations. The announcement lists participation from both new and existing investors. Dr. Abeysekera expects the scope of the company’s device to expand into other surgical fields, including organ transplants, cardiothoracic surgery, and vascular surgery. The coverage was reported by FInSMEs on 14 September 2023.