The Memo: Hy2Care Restoring Cartilage and Redefining Recovery

Under the direction of CEO Leo Smit and COO Sanna Severins, Hy2Care^Ⓡ is redefining cartilage repair through a hydrogel implant that enables natural repair of damaged cartilage—without the cost, complexity, or compromise of existing solutions.

Co-founded by Dr. Sanne Both, whose personal battle with failed cartilage surgeries shaped the mission of the company, Hy2Care’s work is rooted in experience and empathy. “Sanne had three cartilage repair surgeries before she turned 24, all of which ultimately failed,” said Smit. “Her experience—and her decision to devote her PhD to solving this problem—is the reason Hy2Care exists.”

The company’s lead product, CartRevive^Ⓡ, is a hydrogel implant designed to rebuild true cartilage, not just scar tissue. As Smit put it: “We don’t offer a refinement of current options—we make a return to biology. This is a repair that lasts and is affordable.”

Origin Story

Hy2Care was founded in 2014 by Dr. Sanne Both and Prof. Marcel Karperien at the University of Twente. Both brought firsthand experience of the shortcomings in existing cartilage treatments. Karperien, a leading voice in cartilage biology, partnered with her to translate frustration into innovation.

Their mission: create a simple, repair solution that could restore joint function without the burden of complex surgeries or prohibitive costs.

Smit, who previously pioneered DSM Biomedical’s implantable materials division, joined as co-investor and CEO during the company’s Seed/A round in 2019. He brings a deep background in soft tissue repair and a passion for building scalable solutions with real-world impact.

Severins followed soon after as co-director. She and Smit had worked together previously and shared a vision for building a company grounded in scientific rigor, practical execution, and team balance. Today, Hy2Care consists of a diverse, multidisciplinary team united by a shared urgency: Patients are waiting; keep moving.

The Current Landscape

Focal cartilage defects are a leading contributor to early-onset osteoarthritis. Yet, most patients receive stopgap procedures like microfracture or debridement—treatments that generate fibrocartilage, which lacks durability and function. “These solutions might help for a year or two, but they don’t last,” Smit explained.

Advanced cell therapies exist, but come at a significant cost, often involving multiple surgeries and complex infrastructure. “Only a small percentage of patients can access cell-based treatments,” said Severins. “They work, but they’re just not scalable.”

“It’s not just about adding years to life—it’s about adding life to years,” Smit added. “And that means making long-lasting outcomes accessible to everyone, not just the few.”

Inside the Innovation

CartRevive is a single-step, minimally invasive hydrogel implant designed to recreate hyaline-like cartilage. During surgery, the hydrogel precursor is inserted in liquid form. The liquid conforms to the shape of the cartilage defect, then gels in place with no additional fixation required.

“It behaves like the cartilage itself,” said Severins. “It integrates with the surrounding tissue and forms a supportive scaffold where the body’s own cells can migrate into and recreate true cartilage.”

The entire process can be completed in minutes, and the implant’s biological properties create a welcoming environment for native chondrocytes to rebuild the defect from the inside out. “The knee joint is as complex as a Swiss clockwork,” said Severins. “Our implant follows the exact shape of the defect, enabling the clockwork to keep running.”

Progress and Milestones

Hy2Care has completed the second phase of its clinical trial, treating the 46th patient with the CartRevive hydrogel implant. Follow-up results show significant gains in pain reduction and functionality—on par with best-in-class treatments, but at a fraction of the cost.

“Standard treatments often result in fibrocartilage formation,” said Smit. “We, on the other hand, are seeing the creation of tissue that mimics natural cartilage—and patients are returning to sport, pain-free, within the year.”

Recent milestones include:

• FDA Breakthrough Device Designation (2023)
• FDA IDE Approval to begin a U.S. clinical trial (April 2025)
• €4.5M funding round to support trial preparations and global expansion (May 2025)
• CE mark submission in progress, with European market approval targeted for early 2026

The recent €4.5M raise was led by Brightlands Venture Partners, with half the funding coming from a previously awarded European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator investment.

“This round gives us the momentum we need to take the next big step,” said Smit. “We’re entering a transformative phase—launching a U.S. clinical trial while laying the foundation for commercialization in EMEA.”

Driving this momentum is a team that defies the norm in medtech: equally balanced in gender, and diverse across age, background, and nationality. “Our team’s strength is in its complementarity,” said Smit. 

Join Us at LSI Asia ‘25

Smit has been selected to present at LSI Asia '25 (June 10-13) in front of hundreds of global medical technology companies. Join us in welcoming Smit to the event in Singapore, where he will share the latest updates on Hy2Care’s technology and development.