GenScan AI wins £30,000 Imperial prize for AI that speeds up MRI scans
What's the deal? GenScan AIDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has won £30,000 (≈$40,450) at Imperial College London's Venture Catalyst Challenge 2026. The grant, awarded by Imperial Enterprise LabDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, combines a £20,000 top prize with a £10,000 Digital and Finance category win, sponsored by DOJO.
What's the endgame? Founded by AI and machine learning graduate Mary-Brenda Akoda, the startup builds software it calls GenMRI, which uses AI to rebuild and enhance MRI images to diagnostic quality. It claims it can make scans up to 90% faster, potentially cutting a 20-minute scan to as little as two minutes.
Why now? Conventional MRIs take 20 to 90 minutes and are used to diagnose conditions such as stroke and cancer. That creates a bottleneck, long waiting lists, and delayed diagnosis. GenScan AI says its software could help hospitals scan up to 10 times more patients per day.
The startup beat four other finalists after pitching to an expert panel. "The five ventures that pitched in this year's VCC Grand Final were a testament to the extraordinary entrepreneurial talent emerging from Imperial," said Chantelle Young, head of entrepreneurship.
What could go wrong? The prize is an early-stage award, not evidence of a funding round or clinical adoption. The NHS already uses MRI acceleration software, but services report an average 14% increase in scans — far below GenScan's claimed 90% time reduction. The key test is whether it can validate that performance in hospitals.
The signal: Investor interest in medical imaging AI is building. Subtle Medical raised $33 million in June 2026 to expand its AI imaging software, and Vista AI raised $29.5 million in January for MRI workflow automation. GenScan's win points to the same demand — but at a scale that leaves its commercial story still to be written.
Read more: imperial.ac.uk
Image credit: jgmarcelino
