UK MedTech startup Plexāā secures $4.5m to support US launch of breast surgery device
Extends previous seed round
UK-based medical technology company Plexāā has closed a $4.5 million extension to its seed round, as it gears up for the US launch of its flagship surgical device, BLOOM⁴³. The new funding, from both existing and new investors, will also underpin further product development and support the company’s broader commercial ambitions ahead of a planned Series A raise.
BLOOM⁴³ is described by the company as the first fully wearable device designed to prepare patients for breast cancer surgery and reconstruction, utilising a novel technique called Supraphysiological PreconditioningÔ. This approach involves thermal preconditioning of the skin—intermittently warming the tissue to trigger heat-shock proteins that promote vasodilation and improved blood flow. Early clinical trials have shown promising results, including a reduction in wound-healing complications, which in breast surgery cases can reach rates of up to 30%.
The device is supported by a digital companion app and is part of a broader strategy to improve outcomes through holistic “PrehabilitationÔ” — an approach that aims to optimise patients' physical condition before surgery. Plexāā says it has already secured several strategic partners in preparation for its commercial rollout in the US.
“I want to thank our team for the tremendous progress it has made to make this financing possible,” said Dr. Saahil Mehta, founder and CEO of Plexāā.
“Securing this funding validates confidence in our flagship technology and the concept of Supraphysiological PreconditioningÔ, and it energizes the team as we prepare to bring BLOOM⁴³ to a wider patient population in the U.S. and beyond. The funds will support this pivotal launch and market expansion, as well as the exciting development of our technology platform – including devices and apps targeting additional surgical specialties and creating a whole new category in surgery.”
Funding support
The round includes continued support from TCP Health Ventures, the healthcare investment arm of The Capital Partnership, which led the startup’s seed funding. Additional backing has come from Thena Capital, a London-based venture firm focused on digital health, and from over $1.6 million in grant funding via the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
Tatum Getty, founding General Partner at THENA Capital, said:
“Since 2023, we’ve been closely tracking Plexāā’s progress and the development of its first device, Bloom⁴³. We couldn’t be more excited for Plexāā to become our first portfolio company for THENA Capital’s Fund I. The company is solving a critical and under-addressed challenge across the surgical pathway—reducing post-operative complications for patients which also addresses the impact to both providers and payers.
“Saahil and his team bring together clinical, engineering, and operational expertise from some of the UK’s leading institutions. Their bold ambition to scale globally, beginning with an imminent commercial launch in the U.S., is exactly the kind of UK MedTech leadership team we look to champion. Our fund’s commercialisation support model is well-suited to help Plexāā expand into women’s health and adjacent categories where better outcomes and patient experiences are urgently needed.”
Applying technology
Plexāā has ambitions to apply its technology platform across other surgical specialties including C-sections, orthopaedics and vascular procedures. The company’s long-term goal is to establish prehabilitation and preconditioning as the new standard of care in surgical pathways.