Montreal-based healthtech startup Vopemed (previously known as Vope Medical) has obtained $2.29 million CAD in pre-seed funding to back development and clinical testing for Claris, its AI-driven software for enhancing surgery visualization.
Montreal’s Genson Capital led the round with a $1.5-million investment. Investissement Québec (IQ) provided an additional $750,000. The technology could “significantly improve” surgery efficiency and precision, and makes Vopemed “well-positioned to make a lasting impact,” according to Genson’s Jacques Courtois.
This funding validates the need for enhanced surgical visualization and reinforces our mission to bring AI-powered image enhancement into every operating room.
Amy Lorincz
Vopemed
Claris aims to upgrade video feed quality for laparoscopic surgeries, which are done with a small incision and a camera-equipped tube, and robot-aided procedures.
Vopemed CEO Amy Lorincz told BetaKit that Claris removes obstructions like smoke, and uses a generative technique to restore areas affected by opaque fluids, which helps surgeons see “critical anatomical structures” more clearly. She claimed this will address “persistent visibility challenges” with minimally invasive surgeries. This theoretically allows for safer and more precise operations.
The software runs on standard processors, so it can integrate relatively easily into operating rooms.
“This funding validates the need for enhanced surgical visualization and reinforces our mission to bring AI-powered image enhancement into every operating room,” Lorincz said in a statement.
Vopemed plans to use the funding to speed up both the development and clinical validation processes. This includes expanding research and development, widening the software’s use to more clinical applications, and forging stronger relationships with hospitals and individual surgical teams. The company hopes to conduct validation studies this year, and receive clearance in North America by mid-2026.
Genson has made previous investments in Montreal-area healthtech startups, including regenerative therapy creator Neurenati and stem cell therapy firm Morphocell. The city has also raised its profile through companies like Eli Health, whose at-home hormone measurement technology won a CES 2025 award for innovation.
IQ has made a number of substantial healthcare investments in recent months. It participated in a $43-million funding round for cancer immunotherapy startup Epitopea, while health-oriented VC firm Glen Ventures received $5 million from an IQ-managed fund bankrolled by Québec’s Ministry of Economy, Innovation, and Energy.
There is additional pressure to develop more homegrown and locally managed technology in light of US tariffs. While growing companies like Toronto’s PocketHealth have received expanded funding in the past year, international giants like AstraZeneca have swooped in to acquire Canadian brands.
Update (4/4/2025): This story has been updated with more details from Vopemed about Claris’ functionality and roadmap.
Image courtesy Jafar Ahmed via Unsplash.