DEEP Informatics

About DEEP Informatics

DEEP Informatics, established in 2017 and headquartered in Hangzhou, China, operates within the health-tech sector, specifically focusing on the application of artificial intelligence to pathology. The firm develops and provides AI-assisted medical diagnostic tools aimed at improving cancer cell detection, diagnosis, and the numerical analysis of pathology images for hospitals and laboratories.

The company was co-founded by Lin Yang and Li Kang. Lin Yang's journey is deeply rooted in academia; he served as a professor and researcher at several U.S. universities, including the University of Florida, with a specialization in biomedical image analysis and imaging informatics for over 15 years. His extensive research background directly informed the technological foundation of DEEP Informatics. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted Yang for wire fraud and making false statements in relation to concealing his affiliation with DEEP Informatics and a Chinese government talent program while he was the principal investigator for a $1.75 million federal grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The indictment alleged that the research funded by U.S. taxpayer dollars was promoted as the basis for his company's products in China.

DEEP Informatics' product suite is designed to alleviate the significant shortage of pathologists, particularly in markets like China, by automating and accelerating the diagnostic process. Its offerings include an artificial intelligence microscope and an AI-assisted pathological diagnosis system. One of its key products can analyze the field of view under a microscope in real-time, leveraging AI algorithms to identify suspicious cells, distinguish between different cell types, and automatically segment tumor areas from non-tumor areas. This capability aims to reduce diagnostic reading costs and enhance accuracy. The company’s business model is centered on providing these solutions to healthcare institutions, likely through a combination of software licensing, platform-as-a-service subscriptions, or a value-based model tied to diagnostic outcomes, which are common frameworks in the AI pathology market.

The firm has secured significant financial backing, raising a total of $16.2 million over three funding rounds, including a $14 million Series B round in June 2020 led by CICC Capital. Other notable investors include Legend Capital and IDG Capital.