The Memo: Nami Surgical Unlocking the Future of Ultrasonic Surgery

Under the direction of CEO Nikki Palfrey and Co-Founder and COO Nico Fenu, PhD, Nami Surgical is developing a meaningful new capability in robotic-assisted surgery: integrated ultrasonic advanced energy with wristed articulation. Built on deep expertise in ultrasonics and designed specifically for robotic integration, the company is working to address a functional gap that has persisted as surgical robotics has scaled, creating a platform intended to bring the speed, precision, and safety advantages of ultrasonic energy into a new generation of procedures.

Origin Story

Nami Surgical was founded in December 2021 by Dr. Nico Fenu and Dr. Rebecca Cleary, both alumni of the University of Glasgow’s Centre for Medical and Industrial Ultrasonics, the world’s largest academic ultrasonic engineering unit. The company emerged directly from Fenu’s PhD research, as well as the founders’ work within the Ultrasurge: Surgery Enabled by Ultrasonics program, giving Nami a foundation rooted in specialized scientific research and firsthand technical expertise.

Fenu completed his PhD focused on piezoelectric materials for ultrasonic surgery, while Cleary, now the company’s CTO, researched ultrasonic needles for bone penetration and received the prestigious R.W.B. Stephens Prize at the International Congress of Ultrasonics. Together, they identified a clear technology gap in the operating room: ultrasonic surgical tools had become indispensable in minimally invasive surgery, but their architecture had not evolved to match the demands of robotic platforms.

“As founders, Rebecca and I are deeply committed to improving patient outcomes. We are excited about the opportunities ahead in a rapidly growing global market,” said Fenu.

In December 2024, the company entered a new phase when Nikki Palfrey stepped into the CEO role after joining Nami’s board the previous year. With more than 25 years of medtech leadership experience spanning growth, global expansion, and M&A, Palfrey’s appointment marked Nami’s transition from advanced development toward market entry.

“Nami is exceptionally well-positioned to become a leading force in the robotic-assisted surgery market. I am excited to lead the company as we enter a new chapter focused on innovation, scale, and long-term value creation,” said Palfrey.

The Current Landscape

Advanced energy remains one of the highest-utilization consumable categories in minimally invasive surgery, and ultrasonic devices have become indispensable in many procedures. By simultaneously cutting and coagulating tissue, reducing thermal spread, improving hemostasis, and eliminating the need for instrument exchanges, these tools can contribute to faster, safer procedures.

The ultrasonic scalpel market is valued at approximately $2.7 billion globally, growing at an 8–10% CAGR, underpinned by 15–25 million procedures annually, according to the Nami team.

At the same time, surgical robotics is expected to exceed $25 billion by 2030, with over six million procedures projected.

Yet one important limitation remains. Robotic surgery is built around wristed precision, but ultrasonic energy instruments have not evolved in parallel. While many robotic tools articulate at the tip, current robotic ultrasonic energy devices remain constrained by architectures originally designed for handheld laparoscopic use.

Conventional ultrasonic systems rely on rigid waveguides to transfer energy into the surgical site. That architecture creates meaningful limitations in robotic environments, where maneuverability and articulation are central to the value proposition.

This leaves one of robotic surgery’s clearest functional gaps still unresolved, and one with meaningful strategic implications. Advanced energy represents a major recurring consumables category, and integrated ultrasonic capability could become an important differentiator as more robotic platforms compete for adoption.

Inside the Innovation

Nami Surgical has developed the world’s first ultrasonic scalpel engineered from the ground up for wristed robotic integration.

Every competing product currently on the market is a handheld device adapted for robotic use, creating compromises in flexibility and end-effector freedom. Nami approached the problem differently.

At the center of the company’s platform is a dramatically smaller ultrasonic transducer than those used in conventional ultrasonic scalpels, enabling the device to pass through a standard 8 mm trocar and articulate fully within the body.

The result is a fundamentally different architecture designed around robotic surgery from the start.

By miniaturizing the core technology without sacrificing performance, Nami aims to preserve the clinical advantages surgeons already expect from ultrasonic energy while restoring the dexterity robotic systems are built to deliver.

The platform is also designed to extend beyond soft tissue into bone and other applications, broadening the addressable market over time.

Progress and Milestones

Nami has built a strong early foundation as it advances toward commercialization.

To date, the company has raised $8 million, including $6.2 million in equity financing and $1.8 million in grant funding. It has established an intellectual property portfolio spanning four patent families, with strategy led by a subject matter expert with 30 years of experience in the field.

The company has also achieved ISO 13485 quality management certification.

Technical validation has also advanced meaningfully. Nami has completed a successful in vivo porcine bleeding-control study with NAMSA and is actively progressing feasibility programs with strategic partners.

Looking ahead, the company’s focus is on advancing co-development programs, deepening technology development, initiating robotic integration efforts, and aligning manufacturing strategy to support future commercialization.

Nami is currently raising $7 million to fund these next value-creating milestones.

As more robotic platforms compete for surgeon adoption, integrated ultrasonic advanced energy could become a meaningful differentiator. Nami is positioning itself to help define that next chapter.

Join Us at LSI Asia ‘26

Fenu and Palfrey have been selected to present at LSI Asia '26, June 30th–July 3rd, in front of hundreds of global medical technology companies. Join us in welcoming them to the event in Singapore, where they will share the latest updates on Nami Surgical’s technology and development.