Wellumio raises $9.75M for portable stroke imaging device
What's the deal? New Zealand medtech company Wellumio has closed an oversubscribed $9.75 million pre-Series A round, led by Nuance Connected CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The money will expand its team and advance clinical, regulatory, and commercial work on Axana, a portable brain imaging device for point-of-care stroke detection.
Who's backing it? Participants include Icehouse VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, NZ Growth Capital PartnersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →' Aspire Seed Fund, Pacific ChannelDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Booster, and Cure Kids VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The close drew two new international investors: Australia's Bioshore VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and US neurotech firm Jumpspace VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
Angel groups Flying KiwiDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and Enterprise AngelsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → joined via the New Zealand government's Active Investor Plus programme, with retail investors coming through Snowball EffectDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
What's the endgame? Axana uses portable, AI-enhanced MRI-based imaging to detect acute stroke at the bedside. "Every minute counts in stroke care, yet only a small proportion of patients receive treatment within the 'golden hour'," said co-founder and chief executive officer Dr Shieak Tzeng. The funding will fuel clinical evaluation across more sites and geographies.
Building the team. Wellumio has hired Harry Marfatia as head of finance, based in its Melbourne office. He previously served as APAC chief financial officer at medtech firm TelixDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, part of a wider push to add senior executives for the commercialisation stage.
Why now? Brain imaging typically remains tied to centralised hospital infrastructure, delaying diagnosis. "Wellumio's portable, MRI-based approach has the potential to move critical diagnostic information closer to the patient," said Jumpspace founder Adam Caplan.
The signal: At $9.75 million, the round sits in the top 10% of early-stage venture deals for New Zealand health companies. The mix of local, Australian, and US backers points to growing international appetite for point-of-care diagnostics that could reshape where and how quickly strokes are treated.
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