Prague-based medtech startup Kardi Ai uses artificial intelligence and a smart chest strap to detect heart arrhythmias and has raised €1.1 million in funding to transform cardiology and expand globally, as the startup told Vestbee.
- Founded in 2022 by Stephen Burke, Tomáš Skála, Pavel Digaňa, and David Skála, Kardi Ai develops a smart heart monitoring solution combining a comfortable chest strap and AI to detect heart arrhythmias.
- The service allows users to monitor their heart rhythm anytime, anywhere, by recording real ECG data.
- The app, certified as a Class IIa medical device, alerts users to any irregularities and generates detailed reports for doctors, improving early detection and prevention of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart failure.
“Traditional single 24-hour period monitoring often isn’t enough. Arrhythmias appear randomly and if you don’t catch them at the right time, it’s like they never existed. With Kardi Ai, users can measure every day, dramatically increasing the chances of early detection,” claims Tomáš Skála, co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Kardi Ai.
- According to the startup, it has already helped detect more than 250 serious arrhythmia cases. Additionally, it is preparing a clinical trial at university hospitals in Olomouc and Ostrava, while collaborating with over 20 hospitals and about 130 cardiologists across the country.
Details of the deal
- The funding round came from existing investors such as Amsterdam-based VC BrightCap Ventures, Prague-based DEPO Ventures, and Garage Angels, with new contributions from Lumus Investment Collective and a business angel.
- The investment also brings a leadership change, with Vlastimil Hrabal appointed as CEO, replacing Stephen Burke, who will remain as Executive Director and Chairman.
- The new funding will help Kardi Ai expand into international markets and complete clinical studies, strengthening its presence in Europe and other key regions like Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, the UAE, and India.
“Kardi Ai has an exceptional, proven product that’s already helping save lives. Now it’s time to take this technology beyond the Czech Republic. We want to become the European leader in continuous heart monitoring. We believe this unique combination of data, clinical validity, and simplicity can change the way we prevent cardiovascular disease,” explains Vlastimil Hrabal, the new CEO of Kardi AI.
