Robots are becoming increasingly valuable tools for surgeons — this is now a fact, not a prediction. Today, they are even used as assistants in minimally invasive procedures, supporting doctors with precision and control. One of the most well-known examples is the da Vinci Surgical System, and now a Chinese company has announced significant funding to advance its own competing platform.
Cornerstone Robotics confirmed that it secured approximately $200 million in a funding round that included backing from the Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC) — the city’s sovereign investment institution — as well as several venture capital firms and state-owned wealth funds (SWFs). The capital will be used to accelerate global commercialization, support research and development, and obtain additional regulatory approvals.
Founded in 2019, Cornerstone has developed the Sentire endoscopic surgical system, which has already been approved by China’s National Medical Products Administration (the Chinese equivalent of the U.S. FDA) and is currently being deployed in hospitals across China, Hong Kong, and Europe (including pilot sites in the UK). According to the company, the system offers greater precision and stability during minimally invasive procedures while being more compact and cost-effective than Western competitors such as Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci system.
The latest funding round will allow Cornerstone to scale up production, develop next-generation surgical robots, and prepare for entry into North American and European markets, where regulatory pathways are considerably more complex.
According to Grand View Research, the global robotic surgery market was valued at $4.3 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to $9.6 billion by 2033, driven by rising demand for minimally invasive procedures and shortages of skilled medical staff.
Cornerstone aims to capitalize on this momentum by positioning itself as a more affordable and flexible alternative to U.S. and European robot manufacturers. If the company secures the necessary approvals in the EU and U.S. while maintaining competitive pricing, it could send a strong message: the next wave of innovation in surgical robotics may well be coming from China.
