Medtronic Invests $700 Million in Cornerstone Robotics for Surgical System Expansion

Medtronic has announced a strategic partnership and approximately $700 million investment in Cornerstone Robotics, a Hong Kong-based surgical robotics developer. The agreement includes distribution rights for Cornerstone's Sentire soft tissue surgical robot in China, Singapore, and Europe, expanding Medtronic's robotic surgery portfolio alongside its own Hugo system.

Cornerstone developed the Sentire system in-house and secured CE mark approval in May 2026 for general surgery, gynecologic, thoracic, and urologic procedures. The robot is also approved in China and Singapore, positioning it as a complementary offering to Medtronic's Hugo platform.

Geoff Martha, CEO of Medtronic, stated:

"It's a global play for us. It's one of a number of investments we're making in soft tissue."

The partnership follows Medtronic's FDA clearance for Hugo in urologic procedures less than a year ago, marking the company's entry as the first major medtech competitor to Intuitive's da Vinci system in the U.S. soft tissue robotics market. Johnson & Johnson subsequently received FDA authorization for its Ottava system in July 2026.

Medtronic has also submitted 510(k) filings to expand Hugo's indications to general surgery and gynecology, and recently gained FDA clearance for an AI-powered application to support intraoperative decision-making.

Martha added:

"There is a significant runway here, and we expect robust expansion for many years to come."

Hugo is currently available in 35 countries, with procedure growth exceeding twice the market rate. Medtronic projects global Hugo procedures will exceed 50,000 by fiscal year-end, with 250 units installed.