Connecting the Dots Between Medtech and AI

Cecile Brosset Dubois, co-founder and CEO of Sonio, combines a strong business acumen with a heartfelt passion to transform lives and bring real value to the world. She began her education at Lycée Henri IV and later went on to obtain a Master's degree in International Affairs from Sciences Po and earned a Master's degree in Strategic Management from HEC Paris.

Cecile’s professional career began in the corporate corridors of Capgemini and Bain & Company. There, she cultivated a keen sense for strategic thinking and mastering complex business problems. Yet, even as she ascended the corporate ladder, Cecile was drawn to the possibility of making a more tangible impact. Switching to Bpifrance, the French public investment bank, she focused on steering financial support towards fledgling startups. However, being behind the steering wheel of funding emerging technology wasn’t the sort of direct, meaningful impact she wanted to define her career. After nearly six years at Bpifrance, she shifted gears and founded Sonio in 2019, a company developing AI software for obstetric ultrasound.

The transition from strategy and finance to life sciences entrepreneurship came natural for Cecile. During her time at Bpifrance, she recognized the enormous potential in medtech startups, particularly those leveraging artificial intelligence. She recalls, “That's when I thought, I really need to get my hands dirty now, stop watching, and really bring some value. That's basically how I ended up meeting with some great folks and building Sonio.”

Sonio is focused on developing software to improve obstetric ultrasound aided by AI. Their goal is to better equip OBGYNs and maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) sonographers to detect potential problems by improving the clarity and quality of imaging.

So why is Sonio focused on improving ultrasound imaging? For starters, 1 in 33 babies in the EU and the US are born with birth defects and 50% of these defects go undetected during ultrasound. Finally, 300,000 women die every year due to causes that could have been prevented if they were detected earlier during their pregnancy. The Sonio platform enhances the quality and efficiency of ultrasound scans to improve the outlook for babies and mothers alike.

To that end, Sonio’s mission is clear: make fetal screenings more efficient, more accurate, and infinitely more reliable.

Sonio’s offering includes two types of software: one for optimizing image collection and another for diagnostic support powered by AI. Both programs are easy to integrate into existing ultrasound technologies. 

Within just four years, Cecile and her team have already reached significant milestones. The company’s diagnostic tool has been cleared by FDA and received the CE mark in Europe. The founding team of Sonio includes experts from the Necker-Enfants Malades University Hospital in Paris, and the company has now grown to 30 employees. They have completed three funding rounds and ascended from a Paris-based startup to a global player with a new presence in the US. 

Key Learnings From Cecile’s Experience

• The guiding principle both in product development and team building is the same: progress is iterative. Aiming for perfection, while a worthy goal, should not paralyze the journey towards improvement. Be tenacious and don’t give up.

• Having an in-house regulatory team that understands both the product and the ever-changing landscape is a must, especially if you’re utilizing new, AI-based technologies.

• Whether you’re commercializing or fundraising, understand your audience and keep an open dialogue with experienced entrepreneurs. Focus on building relationships and leveraging them for growth.