VenstraMedical Receives Investment from Highcroft Capital to Advance Next-Generation pVAD System
Australia-based VenstraMedical has secured new funding from Minnesota-based Highcroft Capital to advance its next-generation percutaneous ventricular assist device (pVAD), a catheter-based pump intended to provide full ventricular unloading for patients in cardiogenic shock or those undergoing high-risk coronary procedures. The investment marks a key step toward preparing the system for clinical evaluation.
Highcroft Capital, which focuses on early-stage MedTech innovation, said the decision reflects confidence in both the engineering approach and the clinical relevance of the technology. “We’ve been highly impressed with VenstraMedical’s team and technology,” said Dr. Peter Eckman, Partner at Highcroft Capital. He added that the firm is encouraged by the system’s potential to improve performance, safety, and ease of use for clinicians managing unstable cardiac patients.
VenstraMedical’s device is protected by eight issued patents and is designed to combine minimal insertion profile with high flow capability. It collapses into a 9-French catheter for percutaneous access and can deliver up to 7 liters per minute of cardiac output after deployment. The company believes this full-flow system may offer hemodynamic stability while reducing procedural complexity compared with existing support options. “Support from experienced cardiologists and users of pVAD technology validates our approach and accelerates our path toward clinical trials,” said Dr. Martin Cook, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of VenstraMedical.
The investment follows several recent milestones for the company, including publication of pre-clinical findings in the ASAIO Journal and a presentation at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics conference. VenstraMedical also recently received a $1 million grant from MTPConnect’s Targeted Translation Research Accelerator, funded through Australia’s Medical Research Future Fund, which supports early-stage medical technology development.
The global market for pVADs is valued at more than US$2 billion and continues to expand as demand grows for temporary mechanical circulatory support. VenstraMedical aims to position its low-profile device as a new option in this segment as it progresses toward future clinical studies.
