SquareMind is accelerating its scale-up, the French startup specializing in artificial intelligence and robotics applied to dermatology announces a fundraising of 18 million dollars, or approximately 15.3 million euros, to support the commercial launch of Swan™, its whole-body skin imaging robot. The operation takes place in a context of growing tension on diagnostic capacities, where demand structurally exceeds available supply.
Screening is the most common procedure in dermatology, but access times can reach several months, or even a year in certain areas. This situation is part of a demographic dynamic marked by the aging of the population, even as the need for longitudinal monitoring increases. Exhaustive documentation of the skin is becoming a central issue, especially since 80% of melanomas appear in the form of new lesions, requiring detection and comparison capabilities over time.
SquareMind positions itself precisely on this operational constraint. Its Swan™ platform combines robotics, high-resolution imaging and artificial intelligence. The device allows the entire skin surface to be scanned and mapped in a few minutes, with dermoscopic resolution comparable to that of a magnifying glass examination. Image acquisition is automated and designed to be integrated into the clinical pathway, without disruption to use.
Beyond capture, the platform aims to structure medical information. Assistive software based on artificial intelligence makes it easier to review images and track lesions over time. The objective remains to increase the practitioner’s analytical capacity, without replacing clinical decision-making. “Our technology acts as a companion: it helps reduce cognitive load, optimizes medical time and facilitates complete documentation, allowing doctors to focus on patient care and clinical decisions,” explains Ali Khachlouf, co-founder and CEO of SquareMind.
The market in which the company operates remains in restructuring. It is structured around several categories of actors who each address a part of the value chain. On the software side, companies like SkinVision, Skin Analytics or Legit.Health are developing image analysis and triage solutions, often from photos captured via smartphone. They contribute to democratizing access to screening, but remain dependent on the quality and heterogeneity of the images collected.
At the other end, dermatological imaging manufacturers such as FotoFinder Systems or Heine Optotechnik provide equipment widely used in clinical practice. These devices allow fine-grained, but generally localized, analysis, focused on specific lesions rather than on a global map of the patient.
Between these two approaches, a new generation of hybrid actors is trying to combine acquisition and analysis, without a dominant standard imposing itself at this stage. This fragmentation particularly characterizes the European market, where software innovations and historical industrial know-how coexist, without real convergence towards an integrated model. In this environment, estimated at several billion euros and driven by sustained growth linked to the digitalization of care pathways, the ability to standardize data capture and analysis could become a key differentiating factor.
It is precisely on this point that SquareMind seeks to distinguish itself. By integrating the entire chain (automated acquisition, high-resolution imaging and algorithmic analysis) the startup offers a systemic approach to dermatological examination. The challenge goes beyond the tool: it is about structuring a framework that can be used over time, capable of transforming monitoring and screening practices.
The funding announced should make it possible to industrialize this model. The company plans to strengthen its sales, engineering and customer support teams, with a view to simultaneous deployment in Europe and the United States, two markets characterized by strong tension on access to dermatological care.
For investors, the promise rests as much on the technology as on its ability to be incorporated into medical practices. “Robotics and artificial intelligence will redefine medical practice by automating certain procedures, in order to optimize medical time while making excellent care accessible to everyone. SquareMind has developed a unique platform in the world, set to become a standard in modern dermatology,” said Kate Garrett, Managing Partner at Sonder Capital.
Founded in Paris, SquareMind develops dermatological imaging solutions combining artificial intelligence and robotics to improve the efficiency and accessibility of skin examinations. The company is led by Ali Khachlouf, co-founder and CEO. It announces a fundraising of 18 million dollars (approximately 15.3 million euros), including a previous pre-series A fundraising. The funding round is led by the Deep Tech 2030 fund, managed on behalf of the State by Bpifrance as part of France 2030, and Sonder Capital, co-founded by Fred Moll. Also participating are Adamed, Calm/Storm Ventures, Teampact Ventures and several entrepreneurs.
