SEPSISCAN

Sepsiscan is a Latvian medical technology company established as a spin-off from the University of Latvia to address the critical challenge of early sepsis diagnosis. Founded in 2022 by CEO Didzis Rūtītis and CTO Matīss Lācis, the company is the commercial continuation of research initiated in 2017 at the university's Institute of Atomic Physics and Spectroscopy. The founding duo, who were part of the university research team for two years, won an auction in early 2023 for the exclusive license to commercialize the technology. Lācis's background in medical engineering and a personal connection to the hospital environment through his mother inspired his focus on developing non-invasive diagnostic methods, while Rūtītis drives the business with a passion for medical technologies aimed at reducing patient mortality.

The company operates in the diagnostic equipment market, targeting intensive care units (ICUs) and emergency departments in hospitals. Its core business involves developing and manufacturing an AI-powered, non-invasive medical imaging device for real-time monitoring of microcirculation to detect early signs of sepsis. Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated response to infection, leading to 11 million deaths annually worldwide. The business model combines the direct sale of the device with a recurring software-as-a-service (SaaS) subscription. This approach allows for continuous software improvements and the future integration of machine learning, which requires extensive, anonymized patient data to enhance diagnostic accuracy.

Sepsiscan's product is a portable, bedside device that integrates a hyperspectral imaging (HSI) camera and a thermal camera. This dual-modality system captures images of subcutaneous tissue, allowing for a detailed analysis of blood microcirculation and oxygen depletion—key indicators of developing sepsis, such as skin mottling. The technology functions by acquiring multiple images in narrow spectral bands to create a spatial map of skin oxygen saturation, while an integrated algorithm processes this visual data to provide immediate results without requiring the clinician to hold the device perfectly still for long periods. By offering a rapid, non-invasive assessment at the patient's bedside, the device acts as an early warning system, enabling medical staff to make faster decisions about treatment, such as initiating appropriate antibiotic therapy, thereby improving patient survival rates. Having completed several accelerator programs, including Health Founders and Startupbootcamp, and secured initial funding, Sepsiscan is focused on miniaturizing its prototype for large-scale clinical trials required for regulatory approval as a Class 2A medical device.

Keywords: sepsis diagnostics, medical imaging, hyperspectral imaging, microcirculation monitoring, critical care technology, non-invasive diagnostics, AI in healthcare, medtech, diagnostic equipment, patient monitoring, tissue oxygenation, organ failure prevention, emergency medicine device, ICU technology, Didzis Rūtītis, Matīss Lācis, University of Latvia spin-off, Health Founders, Startupbootcamp, thermal imaging diagnostics, early sepsis detection, clinical decision support