Artificial intelligence for precision surgery: deep tech start-up Replico, incubated at the Institut Mines-Télécom (IMT) incubator, won the Best EULiST Spin-Off 2025 award at the European competition The Waltz of Pioneers, held in Vienna as part of the ViennaUP festival. A great recognition for a breakthrough innovation in precision surgery !
Replico, a deep tech spin-off serving medicine
Founded by Juan Pablo de la Plata Alcalde, a researcher at the Institut Mines-Télécom, Replico has developed medical AI for surgeons. This innovative technology converts MRI images into highly accurate, personalised 3D anatomical models, with detailed integration of each patient’s nerve structures.
Thanks to artificial intelligence and Visionerves™, the exclusive technology developed by the start-up and currently patent pending, Replico provides surgeons with an unprecedented view of risk areas. The goal is to anticipate surgical complications affecting essential functions such as speech, swallowing and continence, thereby improving the safety of procedures.
The product is currently undergoing clinical trials and is offered as a RUO (Research Use Only) solution.
An innovation resulting from 8 years of research
The result of eight years of research conducted at the IMAG2 laboratory, Replico is supported by a high-level scientific and academic team working alongside Juan Pablo de la Plata Alcalde : Prof. Sabine Sarnacki and Prof. Isabelle Bloch (co-scientific directors), Prof. Pietro Gori (AI and imaging specialist), Prof. Jean-Pascal Foucault (managerial support).
A senior and versatile team combining expertise in research, engineering, health and management, focused on technology transfer.
Its technology is based on :
- Deep learning and anatomical segmentation based on conventional MRI scans
- Tractography and symbolic AI to reconstruct the pelvic peripheral nervous system
- Exclusive technology currently being patented : Visionerves™
European recognition : 1st prize and media visibility
On 12 May in Vienna, the spin-off won first prize in The Waltz of Pioneers competition, held at ViennaUP, one of Europe’s largest start-up festivals, with more than 10,000 participants from 90 countries in 2024.
Organised by the TU Wien Innovation Incubation Centre (i²c), this competition brought together the best spin-offs from the member universities of the EULiST alliance. Each of the 10 participating institutions — representing a total of 28 nationalities — presented a promising start-up in the fields of deep tech, AI, sustainability or health.
Replico, the start-up from the Institut Mines-Télécom, won the first prize worth €3,000 sponsored by Spinoff Factory and a professional media package offered by Brutkasten !
