What You Should Know
– MARS Bioimaging, a New Zealand–headquartered pioneer in medical imaging, secures $15M in Series A funding round. Led by Pacific Channel.
– The capital will be used to scale the commercial adoption of the world’s first portable spectral photon-counting CT scanners—technology that delivers high-resolution, 3D color images to the point of care.
The Spectral Shift: 3D Color vs. Black-and-White
Traditional CT scans are typically low-resolution, black-and-white images that often struggle to differentiate between similar materials. MARS Bioimaging’s technology represents a generational leap in diagnostic capability.
Key MARS Bioimaging features include:
Advanced Material Differentiation: The scanners visualize soft tissue, bone, blood vessels, and metallic implants in extraordinary detail by measuring the energy levels of individual X-ray photons.
No Contrast Required: Unlike traditional imaging, MARS can achieve this high-fidelity material differentiation without the need to inject X-ray contrast agents into the patient.
Portable and Accessible: The MARS Extremity and Microlab systems are designed for point-of-care use, bringing premium imaging out of the central radiology department and into the community.
Global Expansion: Scaling into the U.S. and India
The Series A round was raised in two tranches, with $7.4M in new capital closed in 2026. The company attracted a diverse group of international investors, including a Singapore-based med-sector firm and a Swiss investor secured through New Zealand’s Active Investor Plus (AIP) program.
“We’re on a mission to transform point-of-care diagnostic solutions for patients and healthcare providers, and advance premium imaging in the community,” said Dr Ojas Mahapatra, Group CEO, MARS Bioimaging. “This investment allows us to build our market capability, including expanding our sales and business development teams in New Zealand and the United States. Our new investors will also help open access to emerging markets, while NZTE will continue to be an important partner supporting our international expansion.”
