Sonio, a French medtech company specializing in improving the health of pregnant individuals and children, has raised $14M in Series A funding led by Cross Border Impact Ventures and the Elaia funds. The funding follows the initial commitment of the EIC Fund (European Innovation Council) in December 2022 and will play a pivotal role in advancing Sonio’s SaaS solution, expanding its presence in the United States, and adapting its technology for portable ultrasound scanners.
Sonio has made significant progress in developing an Artificial Intelligence (AI) solution for prenatal screening and diagnosis through extensive collaboration with renowned experts in fetal medicine and AI. The company’s primary objective is to support healthcare practitioners in improving the accuracy and completeness of prenatal examinations, leading to enhanced patient scan results.
Sonio’s platform utilizes AI to automate ultrasound reporting, ensuring quality control of images and identifying potential anomalies. The company aims to further enhance its AI capabilities for image recognition, expanding the range of automatically recognized images and assisting in anomaly detection. By integrating data into its multimodal platform imaging and genomics, Sonio is transforming the approach to pregnancy monitoring and diagnostic practices in the healthcare industry.
Annie Thériault, Managing Partner at Cross-Border Impact Ventures, comments: “Sonio has created an innovative platform that empowers fetal ultrasound technology, enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of fetal medicine specialists. Additionally, it aims to bridge the increasing shortage of specialized healthcare workers worldwide. We take pride in leading this significant round of financing, as it contributes to the early growth of this venture.”
Sonio is committed to providing quality care to pregnant individuals and children worldwide, including underserved regions that face high maternal mortality rates. In 2020, approximately 70% of the 287,000 recorded pregnancy-related deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa. Sonio’s technology, accessible to manufacturers of portable ultrasound scanners, has the potential to enable healthcare professionals globally to conduct ultrasounds that meet rigorous quality standards.
Cécile Brosset, Sonio Co-founder & CEO shares: “This lifting is a pivotal step in the development of Sonio. By supporting our technological and commercial growth, it makes it possible to achieve our mission. I am fortunate to be surrounded by a team of deeply committed experts, and I would like to thank them. Our board of directors is today in the image of Sonio, inscribed in the diversity of men and women, international, and in search of a model of both impact and growth. In a financing universe largely dominated by men, I am delighted to have found partners so aligned with our ambitions and who understood and valued Sonio’s mission as well as its strategy and rapid execution capacity.”
