Zurich-based MedTech startup KOVE Medical has closed a €1.7 million (CHF 1.6 million) round to develop an implantable medical device designed to reduce the risk of preterm birth following foetal surgery, with the fresh capital set to support the company as it progresses toward First-in-Human studies.
The Round
The round was backed by a syndicate of angel investors. CEO and co-founder Yannick Devaud said in a public statement: “Thanks for the team and our strong Angel investors team. Let’s go tackle health issues at the beginning of life!”
In its announcement, KOVE Medical added: “This is a crucial step forward for our company, and we are incredibly grateful for the strong support and trust from our syndicate of visionary angel investors.”
Part of a Busy Year for European MedTech
The round lands amid continued investment in European medical-device companies in 2026. Notable rounds this year include €83 million in private capital and grants for French implantable cardiac-device developer FineHeart, €62.5 million for Ireland’s minimally invasive treatment developer Neurent Medical, €20.5 million for Dutch-US vascular implant company Xeltis, €20 million for Belgian surgical-imaging startup SamanTree Medical, and €2.2 million for Swedish catheter developer MedVasc.
In Switzerland specifically, Lausanne-based Xsensio raised €6 million to advance its wearable biochemical-monitoring technology, offering a same-country comparator to KOVE Medical. Together, these 2026 rounds account for approximately €194 million in disclosed MedTech financing.
The Problem KOVE Is Solving
Founded in 2020 by Yannick Devaud and Kurt Ruffieux, KOVE Medical emerged from research involving the University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich. The startup is focused on addressing one of the main complications associated with fetoscopy, a minimally invasive form of surgery that allows doctors to treat certain serious conditions affecting babies before birth — including spina bifida, twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, and congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
Performing these procedures requires surgical instruments to pass through the uterine wall and amniotic sac. The resulting opening can weaken the foetal membrane and allow amniotic fluid to leak, which in some cases leads to premature rupture of the membrane and, consequently, preterm birth. This complication is an important limitation on foetal surgery: while fetoscopy offers doctors a way to address serious conditions before birth, the associated risk of membrane rupture can restrict both its use and the development of more complex prenatal interventions.
The Technology
KOVE Medical is developing a device intended to close the opening created by surgical instruments once a foetal procedure is complete. The implant is placed from inside the amniotic cavity and designed to stabilise the membrane at the puncture site.
According to the company, the device is compatible with the entry ports already used in fetoscopic procedures, meaning surgeons wouldn’t need to make an additional puncture to close the membrane. KOVE also says the device can be positioned in under five minutes.
What’s Next
The longer-term objective is to give surgeons a reliable way to close the amniotic membrane after completing prenatal procedures, potentially reducing one of the risks that currently limits broader use of foetal surgery. With the new capital, KOVE Medical is now working toward First-in-Human studies.
Source: EU-Startups
