Olympus Announces Plan to Establish Digital Excellence Centers Following Acquisition of Cloud-AI Endoscopy Startup Odin Vision

TOKYO & HAMBURG, June 5, 2023 - (JCN Newswire) - Olympus, a global MedTech company committed to making people's lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling, announced the plan to establish a series of Digital Excellence Centers (DECs) following acquisition of London-based Odin Vision, a cloud-AI endoscopy company with a strong portfolio of commercially available computer-aided detection/diagnostic solutions and innovation pipeline of cloud-enabled applications.

The acquisition has strengthened Olympus' recently announced strategy and initiatives in digital health and brings the promise of AI-powered real-time diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment of chronic diseases closer to reality, ultimately raising the standard of care across multiple medical specialties and improving patient outcomes. 

Envisioning an intelligent endoscopy ecosystem for the benefit of patients and healthcare providers  

Odin Vision is contributing to Olympus' vision of the future of endoscopy. Combining the strength of its core endoscopy portfolio with innovative digital solutions, Olympus plans to collect and analyze procedural, clinical and medical device data in real time, and then, powered by a new, modern digital platform leveraging the latest AI algorithms and software, provide healthcare professionals with clinical and operational solutions designed to reduce administrative and cognitive burdens while also improving operational efficiency. These advancements will support healthcare institutions as they endeavor to raise their level of care.

"As a leader in endoscopy and innovator in the space, Olympus is passionate about delivering the next generation of intelligent integrated solutions and insights to healthcare providers," said Shawn LaRocco, Global VP Customer Solutions, responsible for the digital health business at Olympus. "However, we cannot do it alone and are continuously looking to partner with other pioneers like Odin Vision who share this passion."

Digital Excellence Centers to push the envelope of creative innovation

To enable this commercial strategy, Olympus plans to develop and establish DECs for the development of digital solutions around the world, beginning in London where the acquisition of Odin Vision has laid the groundwork. In addition to its portfolio, Odin Vision brings renowned AI and software expertise and development capabilities that synergize and further accelerate Olympus' digital health strategy. DECs are to be located at current Olympus R&D sites in Hamburg, Boston and Tokyo, with the possibility of expanding to Silicon Valley and Tel Aviv at a later stage. 

Peter Mountney, Ph.D., CEO of Odin Vision commented, "We are excited to set the stage for future innovation development by leading Olympus' plans  for the first DECs, all in the pursuit of empowering clinicians to deliver the best possible care and outcomes to patients using the latest digital and AI tools."

"As Olympus looks to expand development capabilities in digital solutions, establishing DECs around the globe will allow us to access critical talent and to develop partnerships with start-ups and other companies who, like Odin Vision, are pushing the envelope of creative innovation," said Karsten Klose, Global Head of Digital at Olympus.

Olympus and Odin Vision at HIMSS23 

Olympus and Odin Vision will be at HIMSS23 European Healthcare Conference & Exhibition, from June 7 to 9, in Lisbon, Portugal. 

- On stage: Olympus and Odin Vision will be on stage from 11:00-11:50 on Friday, June 8, at the center stage in the Centro de Congressos de Lisboa. They will discuss how digital solutions like Odin Vision's are being integrated into patient care, leading to better outcomes.
- In the exhibition: Olympus will be present at the congress on June 8 and 9 can be found in Booth 826.

About Olympus 

At Olympus, we are committed to Our Purpose of making people's lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling. As a global medical technology company, we partner with healthcare professionals to provide best-in-class solutions and services for early detection, diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment, aiming to improve patient outcomes by elevating the standard of care in targeted disease states. For more than 100 years, Olympus has pursued a goal of contributing to society by producing products designed with the purpose of delivering optimal outcomes for its customers around the world. For more information, visit olympus-global.com and follow our global Twitter account: @Olympus_Corp.

About Odin Vision  

Odin Vision, now an Olympus company, is a Cloud AI endoscopy company founded by a team of eminent clinicians and artificial intelligence experts with the mission of creating the next generation of cloud AI-enabled applications for endoscopy. Odin Vision's Cloud and AI will create a new era of healthcare by supporting doctors to deliver higher-quality care leading to improved patient outcomes, better patient experiences and increased value for healthcare providers. It has developed AI products across a wide range of imaging modalities and clinical applications.

For questions or additional information, please contact:
Matthias Gengenbach 
Olympus Europa SE & Co. KG
+49 15142369420
matthias.gengenbach@olympus.com