Powerful Medical, a leader in AI-driven cardiovascular diagnostics, has been selected to receive over €40 million ($46 million) in non-dilutive grant funding through the European Commission’s IPCEI Tech4cure project initiative. This grant represents one of the largest EU contributions in a healthcare technology company to date and will be used to accelerate global adoption and clinical validation of PMcardio® – the world’s first AI-powered platform for rapid and accurate cardiovascular diagnostics.
Powerful Medical leads the battle against cardiovascular diseases, the number one cause of death worldwide, with heart attacks accounting for the majority of these fatalities. The company’s flagship solution, PMcardio, is a certified medical device that enables clinicians to detect acute heart attacks and 48 other cardiac abnormalities like heart failure and arrhythmias directly at the first point of contact – with twice the sensitivity and up to 3 hours earlier than current methods. With the ability to analyze a standard 12-lead ECG image within seconds and compare it against millions of past patient records, the device delivers immediate, evidence-based diagnostics, addressing a critical gap in today’s clinical practice.
In the first half of 2025 alone, PMcardio helped identify over 36,000 cases of acute heart attacks and is estimated to have contributed to saving more than 1,000 lives. Its ability to deliver precise and timely diagnosis in real time clinical settings has proven essential for effective patient triage and minimizing time to treatment, and improved patient outcomes in acute care scenarios, where timely intervention is critical.
The secured IPCEI funding highlights the impact of Powerful Medical’s work and its potential to significantly reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases on a global scale. The grant will accelerate further development of new AI models and will be pivotal to expand PMcardio's reach across the healthcare systems in Europe and the U.S., fueled by evidence from prospective randomized controlled trials, ensuring the highest level of clinical validation.
“With the early belief and backing of our investors - including Zero One Hundred, LifeX Ventures, and Venture to Future Fund (backed by the EIB) - we’ve already demonstrated the immense potential of AI diagnostics, saving thousands of lives of heart attack patients. Now, with this transformative IPCEI grant from the European Commission, we’re ready to exponentially increase our impact and save millions of lives worldwide. This marks a critical leap toward our ultimate vision: making accurate, life-saving cardiovascular diagnostics available to everyone, everywhere,” said Martin Herman, CEO of Powerful Medical.
Earlier this year, the PMcardio STEMI AI ECG Model, dubbed the Queen of Hearts™, received the U.S. FDA Breakthrough Device Designation and was enrolled in the FDA’s Total Product Life Cycle Advisory Program (TAP) – the most selective fast-track program for technologies that address unmet clinical needs.
“The impact of our technology goes beyond the immediate treatment of heart attacks – it extends into the future well-being of patients. Our AI models in development focus on ECG-based screening of heart failure in asymptomatic patients during routine check-ups and early recognition of sudden cardiac death predictors, like Brugada syndrome and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Our goal is to give patients the best chance for a longer, healthier life,” said Dr. Robert Herman, PhD, Chief Medical Officer of Powerful Medical.
Tech4Cure is poised to make healthcare better, faster, and more affordable. “The truly innovative projects in this IPCEI will improve patient outcomes, cut healthcare costs, and enhance EU citizens’ lives,” said Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition. “Not only that, this IPCEI creates a wide ecosystem in the European healthcare sector, where breakthrough innovations are shared along the value chain. This will strengthen the entire chain in the EU and help the green transition of the medical devices industry. The aid we approved enables investments in the next generation of medical devices.”
With the support of the European Commission and its inclusion in the IPCEI Tech4Cure initiative, Powerful Medical is uniquely positioned to accelerate innovation in cardiovascular care. As the company continues to expand its clinical footprint and develop new AI models, it remains steadfast in its mission: to transform early diagnosis, enhance patient outcomes, and ultimately save lives across the globe.
For more information about PMcardio and its breakthrough technology, visit www.powerfulmedical.com.
Powerful Medical is a medical device manufacturer specializing in AI-driven cardiovascular diagnostics. Its flagship product, PMcardio, is a clinically validated diagnostic and care coordination platform capable of detecting 49 cardiac conditions from an ECG. By identifying acute heart attacks up to three hours earlier – and with twice the sensitivity of the current standard of care – PMcardio enables faster, more accurate triage in emergency settings. This leads reduces treatment delays and minimizes door-to-balloon times, ultimately improving care for patients presenting with chest pain.
Already CE-certified under EU MDR as a Class IIb medical device and with FDA approval pending, PMcardio enhances acute cardiac care by supporting faster, more confident clinical decisions.
Powerful Medical has received recognition from Google for Startups, Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe, the American Heart Association’s Health Tech Competition, the European Innovation Council Accelerator, and MedTech Innovator.
