Heart bypass surgery is about to get a major upgrade. AMT Medical, a Dutch clinical-stage medtech startup, has secured $25 million in Series B funding to bring its minimally invasive, sutureless heart bypass system closer to market. The round was led by Bender Analytical Holding (BAH), with new participation from Invest-NL and the European Innovation Council (EIC), alongside existing backers like Oost NL and angel investors. With this latest funding, AMT’s total capital raised now stands at $40 million, thanks to additional grants from RvO and the EIC Accelerator.
AMT Medical’s breakthrough lies in its ELANA® Heart Bypass System—a game-changing technology designed to replace traditional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with a safer, faster, and more affordable alternative. Rather than opening the chest and relying on manual sutures, AMT’s system enables sutureless, robot-assisted keyhole surgery. This promises to reduce trauma, minimize complications, and drastically cut recovery times, potentially allowing patients to go home the same day.
The newly raised funds will fast-track several major initiatives. These include finalizing CE marking, expanding clinical trials in Europe and the U.S., and scaling up integration with leading surgical robots. The company is also pushing toward FDA clearance to bring its solution to the U.S. market, where over one million CABG procedures are performed each year.
AMT is currently completing its first-in-human trial in Europe, focused on beating-heart surgeries. The data from this trial is expected by late 2025 and will support its CE Mark application for both traditional and minimally invasive thoracotomy (MIDCAB) procedures. Simultaneously, the company is planning clinical trials in the U.S. for both open and robotic-assisted surgeries.
Founded in 2017 by Rutger Tulleken, AMT Medical has roots in a powerful personal story. Tulleken’s father, a pioneering neurosurgeon, developed the original ELANA bypass for brain surgery. Inspired by its success, Rutger adapted the technique for cardiac procedures, aiming to replace invasive heart surgeries with a less traumatic, more efficient alternative.
The ELANA Heart Bypass System connects blood vessels without sutures. Instead, it uses a proprietary clip combined with an excimer laser, which allows surgeons to perform grafts with greater speed and precision. It also eliminates the need to stop the heart or rely on a heart-lung machine—two major contributors to complications in conventional CABG.
Beyond medical benefits, the system could dramatically reduce costs. In robotic procedures, it’s expected to cut costs by more than 50%, thanks to shorter surgery times, quicker patient recovery, and simplified training for surgeons.
Johan Bender, CEO of BAH, emphasized the significance of the funding milestone, stating that their support reflects strong confidence in AMT’s ability to change the future of cardiovascular care.
With global demand for less invasive solutions growing, AMT Medical is positioning itself as a front-runner in reshaping cardiac surgery. Its technology addresses not only clinical outcomes but also the financial and operational pressures facing hospitals. If successful, same-day discharge for bypass surgery could soon become the new normal, offering a faster path to recovery for millions of heart patients worldwide.
