Applaud Medical
Applaud Medical (operating as Avvio Medical) is a clinical-stage medical device company developing Microbubble SonoLithotripsy — a low-intensity ultrasound technology that fragments ureteral stones without routine anesthesia or stents — for sale to urologists, outpatient clinics, and rural healthcare providers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Applaud Medical does
Applaud Medical, Inc. (doing business as Avvio Medical) is a clinical-stage medical device company headquartered in San Francisco, California, developing a next-generation treatment for ureteral (kidney) stones. The company's core technology, Microbubble SonoLithotripsy, uses low-intensity ultrasound to actuate proprietary microbubbles that accumulate near kidney stones and fragment them through cavitation into passable particles. This approach is designed to eliminate the need for routine general anesthesia and ureteral stents, compressing conventional multi-procedure stone care timelines of 75+ days into a single outpatient visit, and enabling treatment in ambulatory surgery centers and rural settings without specialized hospital infrastructure.
The company's flagship product, the Avvio Enhanced Lithotripsy System (ELS), received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation in October 2025, and the American Medical Association published a new CPT code for the procedure in July 2025 — establishing the reimbursement pathway ahead of commercialization. The company is led by Paul Molloy (CEO) alongside founders Thomas Kenny, Dan Laser, Marshall Stoller, and Claire Mills, and an executive team including Tessa Yamut (EVP Regulatory & Clinical / Quality Affairs). Earlier-stage venture funding has come from Berkeley Catalyst Fund and Kairos Ventures, with a Form D exempt offering targeting $16 million filed in July 2022 (of which $5.7 million had been sold at filing).
The business model is hardware sales of the ELS system and consumable microbubbles to urology practices, outpatient clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, and rural healthcare providers. The company is pre-revenue and has not yet received FDA market clearance, so there are no current customers or commercial sales. Go-to-market planning centers on enterprise field sales to urology practices and hospitals, with international expansion being scoped via an Avvio AMEA (Asia, Middle East, Africa) entity. Marketing currently relies on a corporate website, conference presence at AUA Annual Meetings, and press releases for regulatory and clinical milestones.
Applaud Medical firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Applaud Medical
- Legal name
- Applaud Medical, Inc.
- Website
- https://applaudmedical.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Applaud Medical (operating as Avvio Medical) is a clinical-stage medical device company developing Microbubble SonoLithotripsy — a low-intensity ultrasound technology that fragments ureteral stones without routine anesthesia or stents — for sale to urologists, outpatient clinics, and rural healthcare providers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Applaud Medical industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Kidney Stone Treatment Devices
- NAICS
- Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)
- SIC
- Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Kidney Stone Management & Lithotripsy Devices (HLAHAKAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Energy-Based Surgical Devices (Electrosurgery, RF, Ultrasonic, Laser) (HLAHADAC)
Keywords
Where Applaud Medical is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Applaud Medical business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Medical Device Sales (Future): Avvio Medical is a clinical-stage company and has not yet commercialized its products. The company is developing its Microbubble SonoLithotripsy system for kidney stone treatment. Current status: not yet offering medical devices for sale or distribution; technology has not received market clearance from FDA or any regulatory authority.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Applaud Medical product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Applaud Medical (operating as Avvio Medical) develops and is preparing to commercialize the Avvio Enhanced Lithotripsy System (ELS), a medical device that delivers Microbubble SonoLithotripsy for the outpatient treatment of ureteral (kidney) stones. The platform uses low-intensity ultrasound to actuate patented microbubbles that accumulate near the stone and break it into smaller particles through cavitation, enabling stone fragmentation without routine general anesthesia or ureteral stents.
Product overview
Applaud Medical (operating as Avvio Medical) is a clinical-stage medical device company developing a single unified technology platform for kidney stone treatment. The core product is Avvio Microbubble SonoLithotripsy, which uses low-intensity ultrasound to actuate patented microbubbles for breaking kidney stones. The company also has the Avvio Enhanced Lithotripsy System (ELS) which received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation. The technology enables outpatient procedures without routine anesthesia or stents, significantly reducing treatment complexity compared to conventional care.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Avvio Microbubble SonoLithotripsy: The core technology platform that uses low-intensity ultrasound to actuate patented microbubbles, which accumulate near kidney stones and break them into smaller particles that can pass spontaneously.
- Avvio Enhanced Lithotripsy System (ELS)
Products and services
- Avvio Microbubble SonoLithotripsy A minimally invasive, outpatient ureteral stone treatment platform that uses low-intensity ultrasound to actuate patented microbubbles which accumulate near the stone and, through cavitation, break the stone into smaller particles that pass spontaneously. Intended for urology practices, outpatient clinics, and rural care settings treating ureteral stones.
- Avvio Enhanced Lithotripsy System (ELS) A next-generation kidney stone treatment device that delivers Microbubble SonoLithotripsy for the outpatient treatment of ureteral stones. Designated by the FDA as a Breakthrough Device in October 2025. Targeted at urologists, urology practices, hospitals, and ambulatory surgery centers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Accelerates stone care from weeks to days
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Applaud Medical
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Applaud Medical technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Applaud Medical partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Applaud Medical competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Richard Wolf: Manufacturer of urological endoscopy and lithotripsy equipment used for kidney stone treatment. Represents another incumbent in the procedural workflow Avvio aims to disrupt.
- Siemens Healthineers (Lithostar): Through its Lithostar lithotripsy line, Siemens Healthineers is a major installed-base competitor in kidney stone lithotripsy within hospital urology departments.
- Karl Storz: Major manufacturer of rigid and flexible ureteroscopes used in ureteroscopy for kidney stone removal — the current standard of care that Avvio's anesthesia-free outpatient approach aims to disrupt.
- Boston Scientific: Large medical device company with a comprehensive urology/stone management portfolio including ureteroscopy, baskets, and Holmium lasers (formerly Lumenis Moses) used to fragment kidney stones. Competes via alternative stone removal modalities.
- Cook Medical (Urology): Broad urology portfolio including stone retrieval devices, ureteral stents, and accessories — directly competes with several steps of the conventional lithotripsy workflow Avvio is targeting.
- Olympus Corporation: Major player in urological endoscopy, including ureteroscopes used for stone management procedures. Competes at the procedural level for ureteral stone treatment volumes.
Emerging players
- SonoMotion: Earlier-stage medical device company developing ultrasound-based technologies to move and fragment urinary stones. Highly relevant given shared therapeutic ultrasound mechanism for the same kidney stone indication.
Direct peers
- Dornier MedTech: Established manufacturer of shock wave lithotripsy systems used to fragment kidney stones. The legacy incumbent Avvio's microbubble ultrasound approach directly aims to displace in urology suites.
- Storz Medical: Swiss manufacturer of shock wave and focused-ultrasound lithotripters for kidney stone treatment. Competes head-to-head with Avvio in the same ureteral/kidney stone fragmentation category.
- EDAP TMS: French developer of therapeutic ultrasound-based devices, including lithotripsy systems for kidney and urinary stones. Closest direct peer given its focus on ultrasonic stone fragmentation and established clinical/commercial presence.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Applaud Medical financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Applaud Medical leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Applaud Medical funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Applaud Medical M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Applaud Medical
What does Applaud Medical do?
Applaud Medical (operating as Avvio Medical) develops and is preparing to commercialize the Avvio Enhanced Lithotripsy System (ELS), a medical device that delivers Microbubble SonoLithotripsy for the outpatient treatment of ureteral (kidney) stones. The platform uses low-intensity ultrasound to actuate patented microbubbles that accumulate near the stone and break it into smaller particles through cavitation, enabling stone fragmentation without routine general anesthesia or ureteral stents.
Is Applaud Medical a public or private company?
Applaud Medical is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Applaud Medical founded?
Applaud Medical was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Applaud Medical based?
Applaud Medical is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Applaud Medical make money?
One revenue line is on record: medical Device Sales (Future).
Who are Applaud Medical's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Richard Wolf, Siemens Healthineers (Lithostar), Karl Storz, Boston Scientific, Cook Medical (Urology) and Olympus Corporation. SonoMotion is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Dornier MedTech, Storz Medical and EDAP TMS.
Does Applaud Medical have an API?
No public API is recorded for Applaud Medical.
What industry is Applaud Medical in?
Applaud Medical's product category is Kidney Stone Treatment Devices. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAHAKAI, Kidney Stone Management & Lithotripsy Devices, with a secondary code of HLAHADAC, Energy-Based Surgical Devices (Electrosurgery, RF, Ultrasonic, Laser). Its NAICS code is 334510 and its SIC code is 3845.