Berlin startup roclub has raised €10.8 million ($11.7M) in Series A funding to scale its AI-powered teleoperation platform for medical imaging equipment. The round was led by Smedvig Ventures and YZR Capital, with participation from existing investor Speedinvest and angel investors.
The funding addresses a pressing problem in healthcare: skilled technologists to operate MRI and CT scanners aren’t keeping pace with demand. By 2030, the world will face a shortfall of 10 million healthcare workers, leaving expensive medical equipment idle and patients waiting longer for critical diagnostic imaging.
Remote operations tackle medtech staffing crisis
Founded in 2022 by Dr Matthias Issing and André Glardon, roclub enables qualified technologists to remotely control medical imaging devices from any location. The platform uses a smartphone-sized connector that attaches to any MRI or CT scanner, regardless of manufacturer, enabling secure remote access with real-time video and audio communication.
“From our own experience running an international chain of diagnostics centres, Matthias and I saw firsthand how technologist shortages are impacting access to care for patients,” said Glardon. “roclub is changing that by helping healthcare providers across the world maximise the value of their MedTech equipment through AI-driven remote operations.”
The company has already established operations in 11 countries, serving major diagnostic imaging providers across hospitals and outpatient facilities. One technologist can now operate multiple machines across different sites, improving device utilisation and reducing operating costs.
US expansion and marketplace launch ahead
The fresh capital will fuel roclub’s expansion into the United States and the development of a marketplace for certified remote technologists, scheduled for late 2025. This marketplace will connect healthcare organisations directly with qualified experts, streamlining access to top-tier talent amid rising labour costs and workforce shortages.
The company plans to double its headcount in 2026, focusing on building sales and customer success functions to capitalise on the US market opportunity. Joshua Seyler, President of roclub Americas, noted that US healthcare providers are increasingly embracing innovative MedTech solutions to optimise operations and meet rising demand for radiology procedures.
Joe Knowles, Partner at Smedvig Ventures, said the company’s vendor-agnostic technology and cloud-based architecture position it uniquely to become the global standard in medtech teleoperation. Prof. Reinhard Meier, Founding Partner at YZR Capital and a practising radiologist, called the marketplace addition “game-changing” for healthcare providers under immense pressure from skills shortages.
This Series A builds on roclub’s €4 million seed round raised in 2024, underlining continued investor interest in AI-driven healthcare operations that tackle workforce shortages.