Clee Medical: The Venture Leader Medtech transforming brain surgery via real-time vision and control

Meet Matt Lapinski, Co-Founder of Clee Medical. The Medtech startup is developing a real-time imaging and AI navigation platform that visualizes brain conditions and anatomy during surgery. In late September, Matt and the other nine Swiss National Medtech Team members will fly to Boston on a business development and investor roadshow.

Name: Matt Lapinski
Location: Geneva
Nationality: USA
Graduated from: Northeasten University & UMass Lowell
Job title: Co-Founder & CEO
Number of employees: 4
Money raised: CHF 3M

Can you tell us who your product or solution helps, and how?
Clee's technology primarily helps neurosurgeons and their patients by providing ultra-high-resolution, real-time visualization of brain anatomy and vasculature, dramatically improving the precision and safety of minimally invasive neurosurgical procedures.

What market are you addressing and what is the potential of your startup in that market?
We're addressing the neuro space, making current surgeries for neuromodulation, epilepsy, cancer, and beyond faster and safer while enabling the future of minimally invasive neurotech. I believe that our technology will become standard of care for any surgeon accessing the brain.

How and where did you come up with the idea for your startup?
The idea emerged while spending hundreds of hours in the operating room, where I saw firsthand the limitations neurosurgeons face when performing brain surgeries. We realized the potential to dramatically reduce surgical risk by combining advanced imaging with AI-driven anatomical recognition.

What do you expect from the Venture Leaders roadshow, and how do you think it will help you achieve your vision?
I expect the Venture Leaders roadshow to provide critical exposure to potential investors, industry partners, peers and mentors, helping accelerate our path toward clinical adoption and commercial scaling.

What are your team’s key achievements to date?
Our key achievements include successfully validating our imaging technology in the OR with leading neurosurgeons, completing initial animal trials, securing strategic endorsements from prestigious neurosurgical institutions, and receiving recognition through multiple startup awards and grants.

Is there a key principle or value that guides you as you build your company?
My core guiding principle is patient-centric innovation: every technological advance and strategic decision we make prioritizes improving patient outcomes and safety in complex neurosurgical procedures.

What is the most important lesson you have learned as a founder?
Finding success takes a strong team and people both inside and outside the company believing in a shared patient-focused vision.

What is your favorite productivity hack or tool and why?
My favorite productivity hack is time-blocking deep-work sessions on my calendar, allowing uninterrupted focus on high-priority tasks, essential for effectively managing multiple strategic and operational responsibilities.

What was your dream job when you were a child?
I dreamed of designing race cars. Although I am not doing that now, driving medical device development first as an engineer and now as an entrepreneur is very fulfilling (and better for humanity).