The French startup DESKi announced in late June that it had raised $6 million in funding to democratize access to AI-enabled heart scans.
HeartFocus, the latest development from DESKi, is an AI-driven heart examination software that enables healthcare professionals to perform world-class, non-invasive echocardiogram tests. Thanks to this innovative software, any healthcare professional can now perform cardiac ultrasounds after just a few hours of training. They can be performed from anywhere and offer real-time AI guidance, enabling early diagnosis even in settings with limited resources, such as underserved rural zones.
Created in 2023 by French brothers Bertrand and Olivier Moal, HeartFocus presents a clinically-approved algorithm trained on over 10 million data points. Bertrand, a doctor with a PhD in biomechanical engineering, and Olivier, who studied environmental engineering at Berkeley University and the EPFL, were moved by the devastating consequences of cardiovascular disease globally. Together, they strove to bring a solution that would unburden our over-stretched healthcare systems.
“This funding moves us one step closer to a world where early heart disease detection is possible at any point of care,” said Dr. Bertrand Moal. “It allows us to continue improving HeartFocus and ensures that more providers can access the tools they need to deliver life-saving diagnoses.”
The issue HealthFocus addresses is a global one, with over 60 million people living with cardiovascular diseases across Europe. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S. and around the world, representing 32% of all global deaths, according to the WHO.
The seed round was led by Racine², an impact-focused fund backed by the French insurance company MGEN and managed by Serena, one of Europe’s leading venture capital funds, and Makesense, a Paris-based non-profit that helps citizens and entrepreneurs drive social and environmental change.
Beyond their financial contribution, the group of investors, which also included BNP Paribas Développement, Épopée Gestion, Good Only Ventures, Better Angle, and NACO, also wish to support the startup’s vision to democratize access to early, AI-assisted cardiac care on a global scale.
As Sophie Pierrin Lepinard, Director of Partnerships at BNP Paribas Développement explained: “We invest in solutions that improve the patient journey for better care at better costs. We believe HeartFocus is uniquely positioned to transform how cardiovascular disease is detected and managed worldwide, with faster access, and we’re excited to continue supporting the team as they bring innovation to a variety of care settings.”
DESKi’s funding follows other developments in France’s tech ecosystem, which raised €10.8 billion in 2024, representing 14.5 per cent of the total funding secured across Europe. The global heart scan market is also growing substantially, with an expected increase from USD 9.6 billion in 2024 to USD 12.8 billion by 2032. DESKi is set to be the first of many innovative breakthroughs in this thriving sector.
DESKi is not the only European company to leverage AI to improve access to quality treatment and prevent unnecessary deaths: the Paris-based InHEART, a web-based AI software company, provides cardiologists with a personalized digital twin of the patient’s heart, whereas the Spanish company IDOVEN has developed the world’s first cardiology-as-a-service platform powered by artificial intelligence. Innovation in this sector continues to enable faster diagnosis and better care.
DESKi’s successful seed round marks an important milestone for European innovation in the global cardiac health market.
