F. MED

F.MED Co., Ltd. is a Japanese medical technology firm established in March 2021, focused on the development and commercialization of microsurgery assistance robots. The company was co-founded by CEO Keita Shimomura and Director and CTO Susumu Oguri. Their collaboration began during a development project at Kyushu University's Center for Open Innovation in Advanced Medical Sciences, where Oguri had been engaged in medical device research and development since 2013. Shimomura brings extensive experience from sales, marketing, and business development roles at various medical equipment manufacturers and distributors. Oguri's background is in mechanical engineering and industrial robot programming, providing the technical foundation for the company's products.

F.MED is addressing the challenges of microsurgery, a highly delicate surgical field for reconnecting minute blood vessels and nerves, which is hampered by a limited number of proficient surgeons due to the extensive training required. The company's core product is a robotic microsurgery system designed to increase the number of capable surgeons and enhance patient access to these procedures. This system consists of a main console, from which the surgeon operates, and a robotic unit equipped with a video microscope and high-precision manipulators. Its key feature is the ability to replicate a surgeon's movements with enhanced stability, filtering out hand tremors and scaling down motions for greater accuracy. The technology is built upon a proprietary linear motor-driven parallel link mechanism, which ensures high precision, rigidity, and speed.

The company operates on a fabless model, concentrating on research, design, and development while outsourcing the final product assembly. Revenue will be generated through the sale of these robotic systems, with plans to partner with medical device distributors for sales and marketing both in Japan and globally. F.MED aims to obtain medical device approval in Japan in 2025, followed by expansion into overseas markets from 2026. The firm has successfully completed a seed funding round, securing 180 million JPY to accelerate research, development, and talent acquisition. As a university spin-out from Kyushu University, the company continues to collaborate with multiple hospitals for demonstration and validation purposes.

Keywords: microsurgery robot, surgical robotics, medical device, MedTech, surgical assistance, robotic manipulator, Kyushu University spin-out, fabless medical device, reconstructive surgery, neurosurgery, vascular surgery, lymphatic surgery, hand tremor cancellation, surgical automation, medical robotics Japan, Keita Shimomura, Susumu Oguri, surgical training system, robotic surgery system, high-precision manipulator, medical innovation