Explorer Surgical, a Chicago health care startup that makes digital playbooks for surgeons and medical device companies, is getting scooped up by a Colorado health-tech firm.
Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX) said Thursday it is acquiring Explorer Surgical, a startup born out of the University of Chicago that creates procedure playbooks for medical teams as well as performance tracking tools. It was founded by CEO Jennifer Fried and Dr. Alex Langerman, a former UChicago faculty member. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Explorer Surgical will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of GHX and remain based in Chicago. Fried and the startup's CTO Eugene Fine will remain with the combined company, with Fried serving as general manager.
Founded in 2015, the startup has raised more than $11 million in funding. Its investors include Elliott Management, Aphelion Capital, Sofia Fund and the University of Chicago.
By offering digital and remote case support for surgeries, Explorer Surgical allows providers and suppliers to collaborate at scale, making procedures a more efficient and repeatable process, the company says.
Explorer Surgical is the second Chicago startup GHX has acquired in the last two years. It purchased Lumere, a Chicago-based health care analytics company, in early 2020.
Fried also spearheads The Midwest Fund, an early-stage VC fund that invests in startups across the region.
