Chipiron bags $17M: Can this French startup democratise MRI access worldwide?

The global MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) market is estimated at $10 billion, with Europe accounting for $2.5 billion and France at $500 million. Despite being a cornerstone of modern diagnostics,MRIremains largely underused due to its high cost, bulky infrastructure, and limited accessibility. Today, MRI technology is mostly confined to university hospitals or major medical centers, leaving smaller clinics, local care facilities, and mobile healthcare providers underserved. This inequality hampers early diagnoses and worsens disparities in healthcare access.
Enter Chipiron, a French deeptech startup on a mission to change that. With a bold vision to make MRI as accessible as X-ray, the company has just secured $17 million in Series A funding to finalise and scale its compact, affordable MRI system designed for global deployment.
The investment round was led by Blast, with participation from theEIC Fundand iXcore, and was further bolstered by public support fromFrance2030(SGI), the EIC Accelerator, andBpifrance. This new capital will be used to finalize development of the miniaturised MRI system, build first clinical prototypes by the end of 2025, and begin hospital-based trials in 2026.
With this latest round, Chipiron has now raised over $22 million through a combination of equity and public funding since its inception.
Chipiron was founded in 2020 byEvan KervellaandDimitri Labat. From day one, their mission was clear: to make MRI more accessible by developing a solution that challenges the norms of size, cost, and usability.
Their deeptech expertise and commitment to healthcare innovation have attracted both private investors and public grants, positioning the company as one of France’s most promising medical technology startups.
The idea for Chipiron was born from a clear healthcare gap: MRI’s limited accessibility. Traditional MRI systems are not only costly but also require complex hospital infrastructure, making them out of reach for many care providers around the world.
Chipiron envisions a future where MRI is compact, mobile, and as routine as X-rays, especially in local clinics, rural health centers, and mobile diagnostic units. Their MRI system will be inclusive, designed for patients who are typically excluded from conventional MRI, such as those with pacemakers, obese patients, children, and individuals suffering from claustrophobia.
Chipiron is developing a next-generation, ultra-low-field MRI scanner that maintains clinical reliability while offering greater portability and affordability. The goal is not to replacement existing MRI systems but to expand access by providing an entry-level alternative for smaller facilities and under-resourced regions.
Importantly, this accessibility will unlock enormous market potential, doubling the addressable MRI market by reaching locations that previously could not afford or accommodate traditional machines.
Looking ahead, Chipiron plans to complete clinical prototypes by late 2025, followed by investigational trials in 2026. Within three to five years, the company aims to:
By doing so, Chipiron hopes to reshape the medical imaging landscape, making MRI scans routine and accessible across diverse care environments.
With an ambitious vision, strong leadership, and over $22 million in funding, Chipiron is poised to redefine what’s possible in medical imaging. In a world where timely diagnosis can save lives, democratising access to MRI is not just a technological breakthrough but also bringing about a healthcare revolution. By turning what was once a luxury into a standard tool for every clinic, Chipiron could become the face of the next generation of global diagnostics.
Evan Kervella, CEO and co-founder of Chipiron said: “This fundraising marks a major turning point for Chipiron, as it validates both our technological approach and the clinical impact we aim to achieve. Thanks to the trust of our investors, we now have the means to complete our R&D phase and begin clinical investigations in hospitals as early as next year. Our goal has remained the same since day one: to transform MRI accessibility and fundamentally change medical care worldwide.”
Dimitri Labat, CSO and co-founder of Chipiron said: “We will unlock Chipiron’s most important value inflection point early next year by demonstrating the clinical relevance of our technology. Thanks to this round led by Blast, we will be able to install our first device in a hospital to acquire MRI images of patients in a real-world environment. These images will form the basis for the product that will profoundly transform medical imaging practice on a global scale.”
Anthony Bourbon, Founder and CEO of Blast. Club added: “Chipiron is exactly the kind of biotech we want to boost at Blast. They’re making possible what traditional medicine still struggles to do: detect life-threatening diseases early. A major public health issue, breakthrough technology, and a strong team. Proud to support them through Blast.Club.”
Hervé Arditty, President of iXcore said: “iXcore chose to invest in Chipiron for three reasons: the team is outstanding, the science and technology behind this MRI are perfectly mastered, and the company is clearly offering a game-changing product.”
From the EIC Fund stated: “The EIC Fund’s investment is directly aligned with its mission to support European deeptech, especially when it constitutes a technological breakthrough in a high-impact sector. Medical technologies have been at the heart of the EIC Fund’s strategy since its creation in 2020, with nearly 40 companies supported since then, in partnership with top venture capital investors in Europe and beyond.”