ClearCam wins $74K Air Force grant for AI surgical camera

What's the deal? ClearCamDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an Austin-based medical device company, has been awarded a $74,360 SBIR Phase I grant by AFWERXDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the innovation arm of the US Air ForceDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The funding supports ClearScope IQ, the company's AI-enabled surgical visualization platform, for Department of the Air Force applications. ClearCam was notified of the award on June 25, 2026.

What's the endgame? ClearScope IQ combines proprietary AI visualization software with a mechanical lens cleaner to keep the surgeon's view clear during minimally invasive surgery. The platform builds on ClearCam's flagship product, ClearScope, which addresses one of laparoscopy's most persistent challenges: maintaining a clear view.

What's it for? The grant lets ClearCam explore how its technology could support military medicine, surgical readiness, and intelligent surgical systems.

"With ClearScope IQ, we are exploring how artificial intelligence can help recognize visualization degradation and create a foundation for smarter, more responsive surgical tools," said Christopher Idelson, chief technology officer and co-founder.

Why now? The award comes through AFWERX and the Air Force Research Laboratory, which have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research process with faster proposal-to-award timelines and less bureaucratic overhead. The Department of the Air Force launched its Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 to widen the range of innovations it funds.

For chief executive officer and co-founder John Uecker, a veteran, the award has personal meaning. "To work with the Air Force and explore how our technology may support the people who serve our country is an honor," he said.

The signal: Phase I SBIR contracts are small, early-stage bets, but they give startups a foothold in defence procurement and validate dual-use potential. For ClearCam, the grant marks a first step toward positioning its civilian surgical tools within military medicine and the connected operating room.

Read more: PR Newswire

Image credit: NavyMedicine