A leap forward in breast cancer care

The surgical challenge in breast cancer 

Worldwide, 2.5 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. This number is expected to rise to 4 million by 2040. Thanks to early detection, breast-conserving surgeries are becoming increasingly feasible. But the smaller the tumour, the more difficult it is to locate during surgery. Since the tumours are usually not palpable or visible, surgeons need technology to accurately identify the correct tissue.  

Sirius Medical primarily focuses on women. This offers many opportunities for impact, but it is also an underrepresented target group when it comes to innovation. Vera explains the importance of this development: “Much research and innovation in healthcare used to be mainly focused on men. Fortunately, in recent years we have seen a clear broadening of focus on care for women. Innovative solutions like those from Sirius are very helpful in this regard.” 

The aim is to have reached more than 100,000 patients by the end of 2025. The funding enables Sirius Medical to further roll out the technology globally, scale into new markets, and invest in developing an improved version of the product line. 

Bram particularly appreciates Invest-NL's long-term vision: “They are willing to take risks for the greater good. Their approach is structured, with a focus on impact and sustainability.” Vera also praises the collaboration: “The communication with Sirius was open and energetic. Bram always responded quickly and professionally, which made the due diligence process run smoothly.” According to both parties, this good rapport forms the basis for further cooperation in the future. 

Low-hanging fruit 

Invest-NL, together with Sirius, has also looked at the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) targets. Bram: “We are already doing a lot well here, but like many growing companies, much is not yet sufficiently documented. A special team from Invest-NL is helping us with this. We will first address this ‘low-hanging fruit’, so better document and record what we are already doing well intrinsically.” Vera looks further into the future: “We prefer to work towards sustainable relationships. We hope to support Sirius with financial resources and guidance in their further growth.” 

Smarter working, better care 

The collaboration between Invest-NL and Sirius Medical is more than just a financial investment. A concrete engagement plan has been drawn up with goals such as CO₂-neutral logistics, circular procurement, and transparent supply chains. Additionally, an international clinical study (iBraNet) is underway to assess the effectiveness of localization techniques. 

Furthermore, Sirius is working on technological innovations such as an even smaller marker and an augmented reality interface for surgeons. The ultimate goal: to provide doctors with the technology they need to perform their work with precision and humanity. 

Vera and Bram envision a world in 10 years’ time in which medical technologies like those of Sirius Medical have become standard, enabling patients worldwide to access the best care without unnecessary risks or high costs. Vera: “In medical technology, you see many companies with innovative ideas, but they often struggle to scale up. More investments are needed to make these innovations succeed. Invest-NL sees its role as enabling this. It is essential to make healthcare affordable and future-proof. If we use automation more intelligently, doctors can be doctors again and spend more time with their patients.”