Tartu-based Better Medicine, a startup creating AI diagnostic tools for radiology, has raised €1 million in a pre-Seed funding round to expand in Europe, prepare for U.S. entry, and seek clinical and insurance partnerships. The round, led by Soulmates Ventures with contributions from Specialist VC, UT Ventures, and several angel investors, followed a €2.5 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) in early 2024. In total, Better Medicine has secured €2.25 million in private funding and €3.7 million in grants, totaling nearly €6 million.
“Radiologists face immense pressure to maintain focus on repetitive tasks that are critical for diagnosis but don’t require medical expertise,” said Priit Salumaa, Founder and CEO of Better Medicine. “Our technology serves as a second set of eyes, ensuring constant alertness and efficiency, making cancer detection easier and freeing doctors to focus on more critical tasks. This ultimately enhances patient outcomes.”
Founded in 2020, Better Medicine operates a global team across six countries, combining medical, research, computer science, and startup expertise. The company has partnerships with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu University, and Pärnu Hospital, among others. Its BMVision platform integrates into radiologists’ workflows, focusing initially on kidney lesions.
Radiology departments globally are pressured by increased scan volumes and a lack of radiologists, leading to delays and burnout. Better Medicine aims to tackle this by deploying clinically validated AI for detecting and measuring oncological findings in CT scans, integrating into radiology systems like PACS and viewers.
BMVision Kidney, the company’s flagship product, is the first CE-certified AI tool for kidney cancer detection under the EU Medical Device Regulation. Clinical evaluations showed radiologists using BMVision save up to 52% of time with a 99.2% detection rate. BM iMeasure, a companion tool, offers semi-automated lesion measurements and structured reporting.
“Better Medicine addresses a critical need in oncology diagnostics,” said Michal Sikyta, Investment Director at Soulmates Ventures. “Their AI tools support specialists and improve patient outcomes, easing the burden on health systems. We’re proud to back a team poised to impact modern medicine significantly.”
The new funding supports Better Medicine’s European commercial rollout, product portfolio expansion to other organs, and FDA clearance preparation. The company plans U.S. clinical pilots aligned with FDA study requirements and collaborates with Estonian health insurers to demonstrate cost-benefit outcomes for market adoption.