[M Co., Ltd.] Raised funds through Series A first close, reaching a cumulative total of 500 million yen
*M Co., Ltd.*
Press release: September 17, 2024
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[M Co., Ltd.] Raised funds through Series A first close, reaching a cumulative total of 500 million yen
*Accelerate the development of nationwide infrastructure for risk management systems for dementia and frailty*
M Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director and CEO: Susumu Mori, hereinafter “M”), which works on developing disease prevention systems that utilize medical image AI, has developed Spiral.
T&D Innovation Fund operated jointly by Innovation Partners Co., Ltd. and T&D Holdings Co., Ltd.
(T&D Innovation Investment Limited Partnership), SMBC Venture Capital Co., Ltd., ALHD Co., Ltd., and other third-party allotment of capital raised 200 million yen as the first close of the Series A round. I’ll let you know.
With this procurement, M’s cumulative procurement amount has reached 500 million yen. In the future, we also plan to conduct second-close procurement.
M raises 1st series A funding
■ Background of funding
M is a startup that develops systems and provides services that use AI to analyze images of MRI and CT images taken during medical checkups and health checkups to provide risk information for diseases that take away healthy life expectancy, such as dementia and frailty.
It has already been adopted by more than 60 medical institutions mainly in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and is highly trusted by major medical corporations and university hospital health checkup centers. By disseminating this service nationwide and around the world, we aim to prevent dementia and frailty, which are issues faced by an aging society, in their pre-symptomatic stages, and to extend people’s healthy lifespans.
The funds raised this time will be used to support the brain health evaluation service “MVision”.
The funds will be used to expand the functionality of M Vision Health, expand its use to medical institutions across the country, and develop new solutions for patients. In light of the current trend of rapidly advancing the use of digital healthcare and health data, M, which is involved in the visualization of disease risk, is collaborating with industries that provide risk countermeasures, such as food,
pharmaceuticals, fitness, and insurance. We aim to provide total solutions for health maintenance and disease prevention.
In an aging society, the government and academic societies are placing importance on early detection and prevention of dementia and frailty. Through our business, M will develop a nationwide infrastructure that allows those who wish to undergo testing to be examined anywhere, and will focus on providing solutions that truly contribute to preventive medical care.
■ Comments from investors
Spiral Innovation Partners Co., Ltd. General Partner Kazuhiro Kamata As Japan’s population ages, dementia is becoming a bigger social issue, and I think M Vision Health, provided by M, is an excellent solution that makes it possible to manage dementia from an early stage.
The T&D Insurance Group has been involved in dementia insurance from an early stage, and we hope that through collaboration with M, we will make further progress in solving dementia issues. As an investor, we at Spiral will continue to provide solid support.
Spiral Innovation Partners Co., Ltd. General Partner Kazuhiro Kamata Mr. Teiji Yano, Manager, Co-creation Investment Division, Corporate Planning Department, T&D Holdings Co., Ltd.
T&D Innovation
In today’s world where environmental changes and technological innovations are accelerating, the Fund supports startup companies with advanced technologies and business models in areas that are highly compatible with the life insurance business, such as healthcare and insurtech. The purpose is to create creativity.
The T&D Insurance Group is working to solve social issues through its insurance business, and has aimed to contribute to solving the issues faced by an aging society, such as by being the first in the industry to sell dementia insurance.
M is contributing to the early detection and prevention of dementia by providing a program to visualize the risk of dementia, which increases with the aging of the population. We hope that the services provided by M will help extend healthy lifespans.
Mr. Teiji Yano, Manager, Co-creation Investment Division, Corporate Planning Department, T&D Holdings Co., Ltd.
Shingo Yamauchi, Second Manager of Investment Sales, SMBC Venture Capital Co., Ltd.
Dementia, which threatens people’s healthy life expectancy, is difficult to cure once it develops, and no effective treatment has been established. It is said to be difficult to prevent, and it is one of the social issues in the era of 100-year lifespans, including the burden of caregivers and medical costs. M uses its proprietary technology to visualize the risk of brain diseases such as dementia from the “pre-symptomatic” stage, making it possible to promote health management and early response. It is also possible to analyze medical images other than the brain, and by collaborating with various fields, we aim to implement an innovative data platform. Although it is difficult to prove the effectiveness of interventions at the pre-symptomatic stage, the SMBC Group supports M’s efforts to create a healthy future for people.
Shingo Yamauchi, Second Manager of Investment Sales, SMBC Venture Capital Co., Ltd.
* 【Company Profile】 *
Company name: M Co., Ltd.
Representative: Susumu Mori, Representative Director and CEO Head office location: 10th floor, Mita Reoma Building, 2-10-6, Minato-ku, Tokyo URL: https://www.corporate-m.com
Year of establishment: June 2021
Business content: Development of disease risk assessment system using medical image analysis AI