Samsung Buys Sonio To Strengthen Its Position In Creating Cutting-edge Medical Devices

Samsung Medison, a global medical equipment company and an affiliate of Samsung Electronics, announced May 8th it has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of Sonio SAS, a fetal ultrasound AI software company.

Co-founded by Cecile Brosset (CEO) and Rémi Besson (CSO) in 2020, Sonio most recently secured $14 million in a Series A led by Cross Border Impact Ventures in August 2023. The company has raised a total of $27.2 million, according to Tracxn, and its investors include Elaia, Bpifrance French Tech Seed, OneRagtime, and a few angel investors.

Established to enhance women and children’s health globally through medical advancements, Sonio has developed IT solutions and AI assistant features for obstetrics and gynecology ultrasound that assist medical professionals in the evaluation and documentation of ultrasound exams.

Improving quality of care through greater clinical accuracy

Health technologies, which encompass all the devices, medicines, vaccines, procedures and systems designed to streamline healthcare operations, lower costs and enhance the quality of care, have become increasingly important lately. Artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, voice search, chatbots and virtual reality (VR) are among the most promising health technologies in 2024.

Recent statistics show that more than 240 hospitals in the United States are using virtual reality to assist various health-related procedures and help patients visualize and understand their treatment plans. The VR/ AR market in healthcare will reach $5.1 billion by 2025.

Companies like Advantia Health are building out networks of women’s health clinics, ramping up the use of technology and promising a more comprehensive approach to care. are focused on specific areas, such as Genneve, which addresses menopause. Maven Clinic acts as a digital community and medical resource for women to get the care they need, anytime and anywhere at an affordable price. Maven Maternity works with employers to help them provide maternity leave for new mothers, as well as support during pregnancy and in the early stages after a child’s birth.

Although overall obstetrics might be the medical specialty which has changed the least over time, new technologies can improve patient outcomes and make pregnancy and delivery safer for mother and child alike.

Sonio Detect, an FDA 510(k) cleared AI assistant, leverages deep learning networks to ensure higher image quality in real time and improve quality of care through greater clinical accuracy.

Samsung Medison’s leading-edge ultrasound systems will help accelerate innovation

Following the completion of the transaction, Sonio will remain an independent company headquartered in France and will continue its commercial growth independently while its products and services will remain compatible with all ultrasound device makers.

Together with Sonio’s world-class AI expertise, Samsung Medison’s leading-edge ultrasound systems will help bring to market breakthrough AI-enhanced workflows and accelerate innovation in patient outcomes and quality of prenatal care.

“We have great respect and admiration for what the Sonio team has built in the area of maternal care. Through the acquisition of Sonio, Samsung Medison will continue to deliver upon our promise to improve the quality of people’s lives with technology,” said Yong Kwan Kim, Samsung Medison CEO. “Collaboration with Sonio will bring together best-in-class ultrasound AI technology and reporting capabilities to bring a paradigm shift in the prenatal ultrasound exam.”

“Samsung Medison’s established global ultrasound business combined with Sonio’s advanced AI creates an exciting growth opportunity for both sides,” said Cécile Brosset, Sonio CEO. “We have found in Samsung Medison an amazing, trusting partner to pursue and accelerate our roadmap and mission. In addition to close collaboration with Samsung Medison, as an independent company, Sonio will continue to advance medical reporting technology and diagnostic software globally, including for underserved areas in healthcare.”

The closing of the transaction is subject to applicable regulatory approvals, and notably the approval of the French Ministry of the Economy and Finance.

About Samsung Medison

Samsung Medison is a leading global medical device company, specializing in diagnostic imaging devices. With a mission to bring health and well-being to people’s lives, the company is committed to creating a new future for medical professionals and patients around the world across various medical fields. In 2011, Samsung Medison became an affiliate company of Samsung Electronics, integrating the world’s best IT, image processing, semiconductor and communication technologies into medical devices. For more information, please visit https://www.samsungmedison.com/

About Sonio

Sonio’s AI-enhanced software empowers prenatal sonographers and ultrasound readers and assists them in performing prenatal examinations that meet the highest quality standards, while ensuring the completeness of each examination, streamlining their workflow and increasing the accuracy of prenatal diagnoses. Sonio’s software is the product of more than five years of research and collaboration between leading experts in the areas of maternal-fetal medicine and AI. Sonio’s investors include Elaia Partners, Bpifrance’s French Tech Seed fund, OneRagtime, Cross Border Impact Ventures and EIC Fund (European Innovation Council). To learn more about Sonio, visit their website https://sonio.ai/