ExSight Ventures Leads Financing Round to Support the Development of the Polaris System to Advance Eye Surgery
Horizon Surgical Systems, Inc., a privately-held, micro-robotics company advancing microsurgery with automated AI-enabled robotics, announced the close of a $30M Series A financing. The financing was led by ExSight Ventures and a major corporate investor, with participation from Main Street Advisors and University of California (UC Investments), amongst others.
The proceeds will advance the development of Horizon’s novel technology platform, progressing to first in human studies, and further building out the team. Horizon’s Polaris will transform eye surgery by leveraging state-of-the-art robotics, advanced medical imaging, and AI to extend the capabilities of surgeons beyond their current limitations. Horizon’s assistive surgical robotics promise to deliver outstanding outcomes while enhancing access to care.
In conjunction with this financing, Horizon’s board of directors has been further strengthened by the appointments of Firas M. Rahhal, M.D., Founder and General Partner of ExSight Ventures, and William A. Link, PhD. Dr. Link specializes in early-stage investing in biopharma and medical device technologies. He is a Founder and Managing Partner of Flying L Partners and a Founder and Managing Director of Versant Ventures. Dr. Link was previously Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Chiron Vision, which was sold to Bausch and Lomb in 1997. Prior to Chiron Vision, Dr. Link founded and served as President of American Medical Optics (AMO), a division of American Hospital Supply Corporation, which was sold to Allergan in 1986. Later, he served on the Board of AMO’s successor company, Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) which was acquired by Abbott in 2009 and then by Johnson and Johnson in 2016.
“I am very gratified and motivated to join the Horizon board of directors, having observed and helped my colleague and friend, Dr. Jean-Pierre Hubschman, from the very early inception of this great technological and medical advancement,” commented ExSight Ventures Founder and General Partner, Dr. Rahhal. “Robotic cataract surgery makes a lot of sense. The Horizon system will, I believe, make surgeons more consistent and faster, with far less complications. I look forward to this technology bringing better, more predictable, more accessible, and safer results for our patients in the coming years,” continued Dr. Rahhal. His ExSight co-founder, Dr. Michael Nissen, added, “Surgical robotics was a priority area for us when we founded ExSight Ventures. Horizon Robotics defines the inevitable future of ophthalmic surgery. The steady trajectory toward more predictable and safer surgery will advance the field of ophthalmology.”
“We at Horizon are proud to have the strong backing of ExSight, other key investors including Main Street Advisors and University of California (UC Investments), and a major corporate investor, in our Series A financing round,” said Horizon’s founder and CEO, Jean-Pierre Hubschman, M.D. “Both our team and investors recognize that our Polaris system is poised to capitalize on the next era in surgical robotics, enhancing the surgeon’s natural capabilities with state-of-the-art augmented visualization and precision robotic control. As artificial intelligence continues to advance surgical robotics, I believe it will unlock unprecedented surgical assistance capabilities within the Polaris platform, driving unmatched accuracy, efficiency, and outcomes in the operating room. With this firm vote of confidence from our investors and leadership, Horizon is moving swiftly toward our First-in-Human study.”
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