Maven supports £3.4m funding round for Nami Surgical

Nami Surgical has secured £3.4 million in funding, as part of an extension led by the Scottish National Investment Bank alongside existing investors Eos Advisory, Scottish Enterprise and the Investment Fund for Scotland (IFS), which is managed by Maven and delivered by the British Business Bank.

Nami was founded in 2021 as a University of Glasgow spin-out by Dr Nico Fenu and Dr Rebecca Cleary, who identified a clinical need for ultrasonic surgical tools that could be integrated into robotic systems. Following the companys initial funding round in 2024, it has continued to advance its technology and has developed a patent-protected ultrasonic scalpel for robotic-assisted surgery (RAS), which provides greater flexibility for surgeons.

Ultrasonic scalpels use high-frequency vibrations to cut tissue and seal blood vessels simultaneously, helping surgeons to operate with greater precision. However, these instruments have traditionally been too large and rigid for effective integration with robotic surgical devices. Nami’s technology addresses this challenge by miniaturising the transducer, the component that generates the ultrasonic vibration, enabling the scalpel to bend and rotate within robotic surgical systems while retaining the tissue-cutting and sealing capabilities of ultrasonic technology.

Nico Fenu PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer

As adoption of RAS continues to expand globally, Nami sees significant demand for its technology and in-house expertise, and is working to establish strategic partnerships with major global healthcare companies.

The latest investment will support the commercialisation of their technology and the expansion of its research and development (R&D) team, creating five additional jobs at its headquarters at Hillington in southwest Glasgow.

The funding follows a series of key milestones for the company, including the expansion of its senior leadership team, with Nikki Palfrey joining as CEO in January. Nami also secured ISO 13485 certification, which standardises the safety and quality of medical devices, and it was recently named Bio-tech Manufacturer of the Year at the 2026 Made in Scotland Awards.

 “We have reached an important stage in Nami’s development, moving from demonstrating the potential of our technology to building the capabilities and partnerships needed to bring it into the surgical environment. This investment gives us the resources to accelerate that journey, strengthening our engineering team in Glasgow while continuing to generate the evidence and relationships required for commercial adoption.

Our ambition is to establish Nami as a key technology partner in the global robotic surgery market, bringing together Scottish engineering expertise and world-leading ultrasonic innovation to address an important unmet need for surgeons. We are proud to be developing this technology in Glasgow and to have the continued support of investors who share our ambition to take it to the global market.”

Nikki Palfrey, Chief Executive Officer of Nami Surgicial

“Nami Surgical has achieved significant progress since our initial investment, and this funding marks another important step in the company’s development. The team has created a compelling technology that addresses a recognised challenge within robotic-assisted surgery. We’re pleased to support its continued commercialisation and team expansion as the business continues to scale internationally.” 

Victoria McLaren, Investment Manager at Maven

“Nami Surgical’s plans to create new jobs and develop cutting-edge technology are exactly the type of ambition the Investment Fund for Scotland is proud to support. The business is a strong example of the innovation taking place across Scotland’s life science sector, and we look forward to seeing what it achieves with this investment.” 

Sarah Newbould, Senior Investment Manager at Nations & Regions Investment Funds, the British Business Bank