Pancreatic cancer is the fourth deadliest tumor type in Europe, largely because it’s practically invisible until it’s too late. When caught early – before it has spread – patients have a 44% five-year survival rate. But if it’s detected only after it’s already spread to distant organs, that number plummets to just 3%.
The trouble is that early-stage pancreatic cancer rarely shows symptoms, and people typically aren’t scanned unless something already seems wrong.
But what if every abdominal scan – regardless of its original purpose – could double as an early cancer warning system?
That’s the vision of Sycai Medical, a Barcelona-based startup using artificial intelligence (AI) to flag early signs of pancreatic and other abdominal cancers from routine medical imaging.
Instead of waiting for red flags or ordering costly (and invasive) procedures, Sycai’s solution acts like a digital second opinion – quietly scanning for precancerous lesions and early-stage tumors across the abdomen, even when cancer isn’t what doctors are looking for.
Founded in 2020 by Sara Toledano and Javier García, Sycai originally cut its teeth during the pandemic, using AI to analyze X-rays for signs of COVID-19. But in conversations with clinicians across Spain, the founders heard a recurring theme: pancreatic cancer was being missed until it was too late, and doctors needed better tools to catch it earlier. So they pivoted.
Today, Sycai Medical’s platform harnesses deep learning to analyze suspicious lesions and predict which ones are likely to become malignant – helping radiologists prioritize risky cases and fast-track early intervention.
Since launching, the startup has expanded the technology’s capabilities to detect signs of hepatic (liver) and renal (kidney) cancers as well. In the longer term, it aims to become a comprehensive AI diagnostic assistant for the entire abdominal region.
It’s a vision investors are apparently buying into as well. Earlier this year, the company announced a €3 million funding round backed by pan-European investors including LUMO Labs, Ship2B Ventures, Athos Capital and Namarel Ventures. The funds are being used to launch their CE-certified device across Europe and support regulatory validation in the United States, where they aim to pursue Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval next.
Sycai is already being deployed for cancer diagnostics in clinical settings across Spain and Italy, having completed its first clinical trial in 2023. The platform received its CE mark under the new EU MDR in mid-2024 – a major milestone in European medtech regulation.
Beyond the technology, the startup is quickly gaining recognition as one of the rising stars in European digital health. Last month, it was crowned winner at Connect: Barcelona, a competitive startup pitch event organized by Publicize and Barcelona Activa.
For Sycai’s founders, it’s about more than just AI or medical imaging – it’s about changing the odds for a devastating disease. In a field where every month – and every scan – can mean the difference between life and death, Sycai’s vision may help tilt the timeline in patients’ favor.
