On April 7th, Anyu Aixin (Beijing) Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as ‘Anyu Aixin’) officially announced the completion of a Pre-A round of funding amounting to tens of millions of yuan.

This funding round was led by the Beijing Pharmaceutical and Health Industry Investment Fund, with additional investments from prestigious institutions such as Zhongguancun Capital, Tongzheng Fund, and Junling Investment. The raised capital will primarily be used to expedite the research and development iteration, clinical trials, regulatory approvals, and commercialization strategies for the company’s flagship product—an interventional ultrasound imaging system based on all-optical ultrasound technology.

Established in August 2022 with a modest registered capital of just 3.1659 million yuan, this medical technology firm, centered on all-optical technology, has, in a mere three and a half years, garnered endorsements from LPs (Limited Partners) of ‘national team’ caliber. Why is this the case?

The answer lies in its innovative all-optical ultrasound technology pathway. Anyu Aixin’s core technological strategy is clear: it replaces traditional piezoelectric ultrasound solutions with an all-optical approach, achieving higher bandwidth and resolution in interventional ultrasound imaging through optical excitation and detection. This approach fundamentally breaks free from the physical bandwidth constraints of conventional technologies, addressing the long-standing challenge of balancing resolution and penetration depth.

Currently, the company’s all-optical intravascular ultrasound system has been recognized as one of the top ten global ultrasound innovations of 2023 by Science magazine. Its R&D results have demonstrated superior imaging quality compared to traditional solutions in animal experiments. A prototype of the all-optical intravascular ultrasound imaging system has been developed, achieving in vivo imaging in large mammals. The project has reached TRL7 (Technology Readiness Level 7) maturity and is accelerating towards productization.

This round of funding is not merely a financial transaction; it also represents a strategic positioning by industrial capital in underlying technological pathways.

The lead investor, the Beijing Pharmaceutical and Health Industry Investment Fund, has been actively investing over the past year, supporting companies such as Guanqiao Medical, Kononova, Anlong Biotech, and Chaoweijing. Each investment targets the same theme—domestic substitution and original innovation in high-end medical devices and pharmaceutical equipment. Anyu Aixin’s AO-IVUS technology, which fundamentally disrupts traditional piezoelectric ultrasound pathways, aligns precisely with this strategic intent.

As a core platform in Beijing’s technological innovation ecosystem, Zhongguancun Capital has long been deeply involved in early-stage hard technology projects. Follow-on investors Tongzheng Fund and Junling Investment also possess extensive industrial resources and strategic experience in the medical technology sector.

Notably, Anyu Aixin’s early shareholder lineup had already cast a vote of confidence in its technological prowess: in December 2023, strategic investments were completed by institutions such as Hetang Venture Capital, Shuimu Wutong Venture Capital, Jianyuan Tianhua, Beihang Incubator, and Ruisheng Investment.

The fact that a technical team emerging from a university laboratory could attract so many professional medical funds before the A round itself indicates that a consensus among capital markets on its technological pathway is rapidly forming.

Currently, the company’s intellectual property strategy is taking shape, with three trademark filings and six patent filings. From a capital structure perspective, the founding team still maintains relative control, and the R&D-driven operational approach has not been diluted.

For the optics industry, Anyu Aixin’s significance extends far beyond being a mere funding event for a medical device company; it marks a crucial step forward in the deep integration of optical technology into clinical medicine, with far-reaching implications for the optics industry ecosystem.

Firstly, it activates the domestic supply chain for high-end optical devices and systems. Core components of the AO-IVUS system, such as micro-fiber optic sensors, laser sources, and grating detection arrays, are all high-end optical components. As Anyu Aixin advances its productization process, its procurement demands for these components are expected to drive upstream domestic suppliers to enhance their precision machining and system integration capabilities.

Secondly, it opens up new application scenarios for optical technology in high-end medical equipment. Through a multi-physical field coupling pathway of ‘light generating sound, sound transmitting waves, and optical detection,’ all-optical ultrasound technology achieves a unification of optical resolution and ultrasonic penetration, expanding the imaginative space for optical technology in broader clinical scenarios such as interventional diagnostics and precise cardiovascular assessment. As AO-IVUS technology continues to mature and clinical validations progress, optical technology is poised to play an increasingly central role in high-end medical equipment.

From the perspective of the optics industry, the technological pathway embodied by Anyu Aixin may usher in a new era of photoacoustic fusion and optoelectronic synergy—where light not only ‘sees’ but also ‘hears’ and ‘touches’.