Spotlight series: From Research to Global Impact: The Rise of Hypervision Surgical

Advancing Precision in Surgery 

Hypervision Surgical develops cutting-edge imaging technology that enables surgeons to distinguish between healthy and diseased tissue in real time. This innovation is particularly impactful in cancer surgery, where precision is critical to improving patient outcomes. 

“Our goal at Hypervision is to give surgeons a clearer understanding of tissue in real time, improving precision and outcomes for cancer patients. We aim to provide information that is invisible to the human eye but critical for decision-making.” 

Dr Michael Ebner, CEO and Co-founder of Hypervision Surgical, exemplifies the journey founders can take through the Enterprise Hub’s programme pathway. From early-stage support to commercialise his innovation on Enterprise Fellowship to scaling through the Shott Scale Up Accelerator and then market expansion through Explore, Michael has continued to make significant strides in advancing surgical imaging technology. He has led Hypervision from an emerging innovation to an internationally scaling medtech company. 

We’ve been very fortunate to close a £17 million Series A investment, which allows us to scale to the next stage.

The Power of Partnerships 

Reflecting on the company’s growth, Michael highlights the importance of focus and collaboration. In a complex sector like medtech, scaling is rarely achieved in isolation. Early partnerships with strategic and clinical stakeholders have been instrumental in driving progress. 

“It’s extremely difficult to build an independent company at scale. Being constantly outside of your comfort zone is challenging, but it also creates opportunities to learn and grow.” 

The Role of the Enterprise Hub 

Michael credits the Enterprise Hub’s pathway of support with shaping his leadership approach and supporting Hypervision’s trajectory. Through access to mentorship, networks, and strategic guidance, the programmes played a key role in navigating complex growth challenges. 

The Enterprise Hub provides support for entrepreneurs tackling hard problems at every stage of their journey, from pre-seed to spinout, to scale up and international expansion.   

Michael Ebner’s journey was supported by the Enterprise Hub through the following programmes: 

• Enterprise Fellowships: A 12-month deep tech accelerator, supporting researchers and graduates to commecialise their innovation.   

• Shott Scale Up Accelerator: A nine-month programme that aids innovators in scaling their business.  

• Explore: An alumni only programme which brings together small sector-driven cohorts for exploratory missions to open new markets. 

For Michael, each programme served a different purpose at each stage of his innovation. 

"The Enterprise Fellowship programme provided the foundations for the journey, at a time when I was still a researcher at the university, working to spin out the company. Beyond the entrepreneurial training across a broad range of topics, it also gave me access to an exceptional network of advisors, mentors, and founders whose experience and guidance continue to be invaluable as I navigate the challenges of scaling Hypervision Surgical. 

The Explore programme was particularly impactful in helping us establish early connections in the US. It enabled engagement with leading hospitals and surgeons, while also helping me to think proactively about key areas such as FDA clearance, reimbursement pathways, and future expansion into the US market. 

The Shott Scale Up Accelerator programme came at an important stage of growth for Hypervision. It helped me refine my management approach, anticipate the challenges associated with scaling the company, and transfer knowledge more effectively across the broader leadership team as the organisation continued to grow. 

Each programme provided support at a different stage of the company’s journey, from the earliest foundations and international market engagement, through to the operational and leadership challenges of scaling a high-growth MedTech company."

The Enterprise Hub provided a great network of experienced people and a genuinely supportive community. The relationships with mentors and advisors have significantly influenced our progress.

Building a company is highly rewarding but can be challenging and lonely at times, so make sure you have the right (founding) team and support network to start this journey.

Lessons from Scaling a Medtech Company 

Michael highlights several key lessons from Hypervision’s journey: 

• Start fundraising early- preparation is essential. 

• Stay focused - competing priorities can dilute progress. 

• Build strong partnerships - especially in complex sectors. 

• Demonstrate real-world impact - this builds investor confidence. 

• Be resilient - scaling requires persistence, timing, and adaptability. 

Michael’s advice for potential applicants is simple, believe in the support system surrounding you:   

“Working yourself through the application is a difficult process, but bear in mind: The Enterprise Hub wants you to succeed in creating a truly disruptive company. Therefore, the application requires you to carefully think through the problems you are likely to encounter and finding answers to them is not always easy. 

Finally, enjoy the process! You will learn a lot, and you may never want to look back again.”