UPSURGEON SRL

Their core work

UpSurgeOn is an Italian medtech SME that builds simulation-based training platforms for neurosurgeons. Their core product — the UpSurgeOn Academy — is a hybrid platform combining physical simulators with digital learning modules to allow neurosurgeons to practice procedures outside the operating room. They progressed from a feasibility concept in 2018 to a fully developed, commercially-ready platform by 2021, funded through the EU SME Instrument's two-phase pathway. Their work sits at the intersection of medical education technology and surgical simulation hardware.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

UpSurgeOn's H2020 participation spans only 2018–2021 and follows a single, linear product development arc rather than a thematic evolution. The SME-1 phase (2018) established the concept of a multilevel educational platform for neurosurgical training; the SME-2 phase (2019–2021) moved to full development of what they describe as the first hybrid simulation platform in neurosurgery. There is no detectable shift in focus — this is a company that identified one high-value problem and executed a funded product development roadmap to solve it.

UpSurgeOn appears to have used H2020 funding to build and validate a commercial product; their trajectory points toward market deployment and commercial scaling rather than further EU-funded research.

How they like to work

UpSurgeOn operated exclusively as a solo coordinator under the SME Instrument, which by design does not require consortium partners — this reflects the program's structure, not a preference for isolation. They have zero recorded consortium partners across both projects, meaning there is no evidence of collaborative network-building within H2020. For anyone considering working with them, they are likely an innovative product company open to partnerships on the commercial or clinical validation side rather than as a traditional research consortium member.

UpSurgeOn has no recorded consortium partners or cross-country collaborations in their H2020 portfolio — a direct consequence of the solo-applicant SME Instrument model. Their network, if any, is likely built through clinical partnerships with hospitals and neurosurgery departments rather than through EU consortium relationships.

What sets them apart

UpSurgeOn occupies a narrow but high-value niche: surgical simulation specifically for neurosurgery, one of the most technically demanding medical specialties with very few dedicated training platforms. Their claim of building "the first hybrid simulation platform for neurosurgery" — if substantiated commercially — positions them as a first-mover in a field where simulation adoption has lagged behind other surgical disciplines. For a consortium needing a clinical training technology partner in neuroscience or medical device development, they bring a commercially-oriented, product-ready capability rather than academic research output.

Highlights from their portfolio

• UpSurgeOn Academy (SME-2)
  The flagship project with €1.2M in EC funding produced what the company describes as the first hybrid physical-digital simulation platform for neurosurgery — a market-first claim in a high-stakes medical specialty.
• UpSurgeOn Academy (SME-1)
  Classic SME Instrument Phase 1 feasibility grant that successfully unlocked the much larger Phase 2 award, demonstrating a validated business case and product roadmap accepted by EU evaluators.