Improving people's health through medical imaging
Making medical imaging accessible to healthcare professionals worldwide
Our commitments
Accessibility
We chose our technologies thoughtfully to make our solutions affordable and accessible to healthcare professionals worldwide.
Reliability
We enrgineered a versatile medical device to enhance and expand bedside physical clinical examination, anywhere health professionals need it.
Simplicity
We develop our solutions with a team of healthcare professionals to deliver a final product that meets their specific needs and expectations.
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Humanitarianism
Openness
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Inventiveness
Advisors
Pierre Bourrier, MD
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Prof. Elisabeth Dion, MD
Prof. Guy Frija, MD
Prof. Eric Vibert
A project born of care
It was in the heart of Hôtel-Dieu, Paris' oldest hospital, that the echOpen project grew up, incubated on the site since 2015. Driven by a medical vision of clinical ultrasound that is likely to have a broad impact on healthcare practices, and nurtured by dialogue with caregivers, the echOpen project received strong support from the AP-HP from the outset. This has resulted in the institution acquiring a stake in the start-up in 2021. AP-HP also conducted the two clinical studies that confirmed the probe's robustness and potential. The partnership with AP-HP now extends to AI developments.
The first AP-HP start-up to count the institution among its shareholders, echOpen is one of the
key players in the @Hôtel-Dieu initiative, launched in 2021 by AP-HP with Paris Cité University to accelerate innovation in healthcare. The initiative is part of the transformation of Paris' oldest hospital site, which now includes a major innovation center. The aim is to bring emerging solutions closer to the needs of caregivers and patients, in order to improve the care offered at the AP-HP and beyond. The @Hôtel-Dieu initiative is anchored in the heart of the Ile de la Cité, but is open to the whole of the AP-HP, as demonstrated by the Echo93 project, led by echOpen, the Jean Verdier hospital and the @Hôtel-Dieu initiative.
Our story
echOpen Foundation is established
Co-founders Mehdi Benchoufi (MD, PhD) and Olivier de Fresnoye start a cutting-edge open innovation project; their goal is to engineer and manufacture a pocket-size, fair priced POCUS probe that would accessible to healthcare professionals worldwide. Over 500 volunteer developers gather on GitHub to help advance the project! Discover echOpen Foundation
"In my years as a resident, I realised what a game-chancer POCUS could be. I was particularly struck by how vital real-time ultrasound images could be to help improve the prognosis of patients presenting with a ruptured aortic aneurysm. POCUS could quite literally save their lives."
An open-source fablab
The echOpen Foundation brings together physicians and engineers to help meet the clinical and technical challenges of conceiving a pioneering medical device. A fablab is established at the heart of Hôtel-Dieu in Paris, France's oldest and largest hospital network. The team keeps working on a POCUS probe prototype. From 2019, EIT Health funds to project to help it advance on the clinical, R&D and regulatory fronts.
"We chose to start working in open source so that we could develop technologies that are easy to understand, easy to expand on, and easy to adapt depending on local needs. We want the echOpen solution to be universal and accessible to all."
The echOpen company is established and the first prototype unveiled
Initial tests show that the prototype is viable - encouraging news! The echOpen company is established to meet industrial, legal and regulatory requirements so that its final product can be marketed when it is ready. Patents for echOpen's proprietary technology are issued and the company's first full-time employees are hired.
"Very soon, every health professional will have a POCUS probe in their pocket. This will completely change the face of healthcare: they will finally be able to offer a complete physical examination right at the bedside."
AP-HP becomes echOpen's main stakeholder
Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), France's largest hospital network, acquires a stake in echOpen with the goal of making POCUS accessible to all healthcare professionals. It was a the first time a French hospital network became a startup company stakeholder!
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"echOpen was born at the heart of AP-HP, hence our very strong ties. echOpen brings a tangible solution to the table that caters to an unmet clinical need: widespread access to a technology that can have a massive impact on patient care."
Clinical trials and first steps in AI
The first clinical trials (Clinecho I), carried out at a Parisian healthcare facility, were successful and demonstrated echOpen O1's medical value. Meanwhile, echOpen's team begins working on new features: even more performative mobile apps and an Artificial Intelligence. A new team of AI experts is hired to make this happen.
CE marking and marketing
After several years of research and development, echOpen is proud to unveil its echOpen O1 probe! Versatile, reliable and efficient, echOpen O1 is due to hit the market in late 2023. The team expands and a Marketing & Sales department is created. Additional clinical trials are initiated in Africa, in partnership with Institut Pasteur and AP-HP, to determine echOpen O1's capabilities in the fields of obstetrics, hepatology and urology.
Awards and distinctions
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Winner of the Urgences 2024 Innovation Competition
In June 2024, echOpen won the 2024 emergency medicine innovation competition organized by the French Emergency Medicine Society (SFMU).
FHF 2024 Innovation Award
In May 2024, echOpen was awarded the Trophée de l'Innovation by the Fonds de la Fédération Hospitalière de France, in partnership with UniHA.
Patrick Fauconnier Award 2024
In March 2024, echOpen was included in Challenges magazine's "100 start-ups to invest in" ranking, and won the Patrick Fauconnier Prize.
MedInTechs 2024 Trophy
In March 2024, echOpen was awarded the MedInTechs trophy in the Technological Innovation category.
MedTech 2024 Inventors Awards
In March 2024, Le Point magazine honored echOpen in its "Palmarès des Inventeurs", in the MedTech category.
Winner of the ARS Ile-de-France 2023 call for projects
In October 2023, echOpen won the call for projects "Organizational innovation based on a technological or digital solution in the Paris Region".
The Echo 93 project, an initiative coordinated by echOpen with Hôpital Jean Verdier and the @Hotel-Dieu project, aims to improve the city-hospital care pathway.
i-Nov 2023 Award
In July 2023, echOpen won the Prix I-Nov, organized by the French government and BPIFrance.
The I-Nov competition supports start-up innovation projects with particularly strong potential for the French economy.
Winner of the 1st Health20 Promotion
In March 2023, echOpen will join the first class of French Tech Health20.
The Health20 program brings together French start-ups developing particularly promising disruptive healthcare innovations.
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