Cambridge startup building 'robot surgeons' raises £195m

A Cambridge-based company that has developed what it calls the "next generation" of robot surgeons has raised £195m ($240m) to fund its global expansion. CMR Surgical, which is one of the UK's fastest-growing firms, says it wants to bring minimally invasive or keyhole surgery to patients around the world. The series C funding round -- the third time it has raised major outside investment -- is Europe's largest-ever private financing round in the medical technology sector, the company said on Tuesday. CMR Surgical's product, known as Versius, mimics the human arm, making it easier for surgeons to be more precise. Because the product is versatile and affordable, the company says, it can be used across "a broad range" of minimal access surgeries, which are associated with less pain, shorter hospital stays, and far fewer complications.