Sonavex
Sonavex is a Johns Hopkins spin-out developing AI-powered 3D ultrasound products (EchoMark, EchoSure, EchoMap) that enable dialysis technicians and nurses to assess and cannulate arteriovenous fistulas without specialized ultrasound training, targeting U.S. dialysis clinics and large dialysis organizations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersBaltimore, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Sonavex does
Sonavex is a Baltimore-based medical device company founded in 2013 as a spin-out of Johns Hopkins University, developing automated 3D ultrasound products for dialysis vascular access care. Its portfolio is built around three hardware-and-software products: EchoMark, a highly echogenic bioresorbable polymeric implant that marks soft tissue and dissolves within 18-24 months; EchoSure, an automated 3D Duplex ultrasound system that measures volumetric flow, diameter, and depth without requiring probe positioning expertise; and EchoMap, an AI-powered 3D ultrasound device cleared by FDA in April 2025 that visualizes arteriovenous fistula (AVF) vessel path and depth to support dialysis cannulation. A fourth technology, EchoGuide, remains in NIH-funded development. The company's core technical thesis is that conventional ultrasound requires 500+ guided needlings to achieve competence, whereas its proprietary algorithms and patented marker geometry allow any dialysis technician or nurse to collect AVF data at the point of care.
The business is structured around an enterprise field-sales motion targeting Large Dialysis Organizations (LDOs) and hospital-based dialysis programs, with a VP of Sales recruited specifically for the dialysis channel. Revenue mechanics are hardware-driven (device and implant sales) supplemented by a per-procedure reimbursement model enabled by a dedicated AMA CPT code for EchoSure effective July 1, 2024. End customers are outpatient dialysis clinics and the care teams (technicians, nurses, nephrologists, vascular access surgeons) who manage the roughly 30-50% of arteriovenous fistulas that fail to mature and the 51% of new fistulas that experience miscannulation within the first three dialysis sessions. The company has secured approximately $30M+ in cumulative funding across seed/angel rounds, a 2021 Series A increase to $4.5M, the October 2024 $15M Series A-2, NIH grants totaling $3.7M, and additional smaller rounds reported through 2026. As of the company's own website disclosures, EchoMark and EchoSure are not yet commercially available for AV access use and EchoMap V2 is not currently available for commercial sale, indicating the business is at the cusp of commercialization rather than generating material revenue.
Sonavex firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sonavex
- Legal name
- Sonavex, Inc.
- Website
- https://sonavex.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sonavex is a Johns Hopkins spin-out developing AI-powered 3D ultrasound products (EchoMark, EchoSure, EchoMap) that enable dialysis technicians and nurses to assess and cannulate arteriovenous fistulas without specialized ultrasound training, targeting U.S. dialysis clinics and large dialysis organizations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sonavex industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Medical Imaging Devices
- NAICS
- Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112)
- SIC
- Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Vascular Access Devices (AV Grafts, Catheters, Fistula Accessories) (HLAHAKAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ultrasound & Echography Systems (HLAHABAD), Hemodynamic Monitoring & Cardiac Diagnostics (Cath Lab, FFR/IVUS/OCT) (HLAHAFAI)
Keywords
Where Sonavex is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Baltimore
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sonavex business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- EchoSure System: Hardware and software system for AV fistula assessment sold to dialysis clinics and healthcare systems. Reimbursement established via CPT code effective July 1, 2024.
- EchoMap Device: AI-powered 3D ultrasound device for cannulation guidance. FDA 510(k) cleared, post-market study planned with large dialysis organization.
- EchoMark Implants: Bioresorbable implant for soft tissue marking used in conjunction with EchoSure system.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Sonavex product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sonavex develops automated 3D ultrasound medical devices and bioresorbable polymeric implants that enable non-expert clinical staff to visualize, quantify, and monitor arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) used for hemodialysis access. The company's portfolio includes EchoMark (a bioresorbable implant for vessel marking), EchoSure (an automated 3D Duplex ultrasound system for AVF flow assessment), and EchoMap (an AI-powered 3D ultrasound device for cannulation guidance), sold to dialysis clinics, healthcare systems, and large dialysis organizations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- EchoMark: Highly echogenic, bioresorbable polymeric implant used for marking soft tissue sites in surgical patients. The first ever ultrasound marker designed for blood vessels.
- EchoSure
- EchoMap
Products and services
- EchoMark A highly echogenic, bioresorbable polymeric implant used for marking soft tissue sites in surgical patients; the first ever ultrasound marker designed for blood vessels. It features a unique geometric signature visible on ultrasound that enables EchoSure to automatically orient across scans.
- EchoSure An automated 3D Duplex ultrasound system that automatically measures volumetric flow rate, diameter, and depth to detect flow compromise. Enables any care team member to collect fistula maturation parameters without sonographic training.
- EchoMap An AI-powered 3D ultrasound device designed to help dialysis technicians visualize arteriovenous fistulas or grafts before needle insertion. Features intuitive vessel path visualization, vessel depth measurement, and automated probe positioning.
- EchoGuide A pipeline technology in development to reduce cannulation injuries in dialysis patients, supported by NIH funding.
Quantifiable outcome
- 51% of new fistulas experience miscannulation within first 3 dialysis sessions
- +9 more outcomes
Companies that use Sonavex
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Sonavex technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature4 records
Sonavex partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Large Dialysis Organization (LDO)corePost-market study partner for EchoMap. Study funded by NIH and conducted with large dialysis organization to evaluate EchoMap in clinical practice.
- Dr. Randy Cooper (Co-Principal Investigator)minorCo-Principal Investigator for EchoMap clinical study. Brings decades of experience in End Stage Renal Disease care and dialysis access.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sonavex competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Becton Dickinson (BD): Dominant player in dialysis vascular access (catheters, needles, needleless connectors) with deep relationships at Fresenius and DaVita; comparable because it serves the same dialysis clinical workflow from an access-device rather than imaging perspective and has acquired dialysis access innovators such as TVA Medical.
- Mindray: Leading value-tier ultrasound manufacturer with rapidly growing presence in US nephrology and vascular imaging; relevant comparable as a lower-priced incumbent that competes on price-performance in outpatient dialysis environments where Sonavex is targeting sales.
- GE HealthCare: Global leader in cart-based and point-of-care ultrasound systems serving cardiology, vascular and nephrology markets; offers broad ultrasound platforms (Venue, LOGIQ, Vscan) that could be extended with AVF-specific AI features and represents the most credible competitive threat as well as a potential acquirer.
- Siemens Healthineers: Sells ACUSON ultrasound systems used in nephrology and interventional radiology and has been actively integrating AI-driven imaging features; comparable as a broad ultrasound incumbent that could compete for AVF imaging workflows.
- Philips: Major incumbent in medical imaging and ultrasound (EPIQ, Affiniti systems) with established nephrology and vascular surgery installed bases; a relevant comparable on ultrasound capability and via its broader patient monitoring portfolio touching dialysis workflows.
- Merit Medical: Broad interventional and vascular access portfolio including dialysis catheters, sheaths, and embolization products; comparable because it targets the same interventional nephrology and dialysis-access call points where Sonavex's products are intended to be used.
- Teleflex: Manufacturer of Arrow vascular access products including dialysis catheters and related devices with broad hospital channel coverage; relevant comparable given overlapping dialysis and vascular access customer base and similar hospital sales motion.
Emerging players
- UltraSight: Israeli AI-ultrasound company whose software guides non-expert clinicians to capture diagnostic cardiac images at the bedside; comparable as an emerging peer with a closely related thesis of automating ultrasound for non-sonographer users, though applied to cardiac rather than vascular imaging.
- Exo: Developer of a handheld ultrasound platform with embedded AI for image capture and interpretation by non-expert users; comparable as an emerging point-of-care AI ultrasound competitor targeting similar workflow gaps in nephrology and acute care settings.
Direct peers
- Butterfly Network: Public handheld ultrasound company commercializing the iQ probe plus AI-powered imaging apps aimed at enabling non-expert clinicians to capture diagnostic-quality images; closest direct peer given the shared mission of putting ultrasound in the hands of non-sonographers across point-of-care settings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sonavex social profiles
Digital presenceSonavex financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sonavex leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Sonavex funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds17 records
Investors22 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sonavex 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 Sonavex
What does Sonavex do?
Sonavex develops automated 3D ultrasound medical devices and bioresorbable polymeric implants that enable non-expert clinical staff to visualize, quantify, and monitor arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) used for hemodialysis access. The company's portfolio includes EchoMark (a bioresorbable implant for vessel marking), EchoSure (an automated 3D Duplex ultrasound system for AVF flow assessment), and EchoMap (an AI-powered 3D ultrasound device for cannulation guidance), sold to dialysis clinics, healthcare systems, and large dialysis organizations.
Is Sonavex a public or private company?
Sonavex is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Sonavex founded?
Sonavex was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sonavex based?
Sonavex is headquartered in Baltimore, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sonavex make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. EchoSure System is the primary driver. The others are echoMap Device and echoMark Implants.
Who are Sonavex's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Becton Dickinson (BD), Mindray, GE HealthCare, Siemens Healthineers, Philips, Merit Medical and Teleflex. Emerging players are UltraSight and Exo. Butterfly Network is listed as a direct peer.
Does Sonavex have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sonavex.
What industry is Sonavex in?
Sonavex's product category is Medical Imaging Devices. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAHAKAE, Vascular Access Devices (AV Grafts, Catheters, Fistula Accessories), with a secondary code of HLAHABAD, Ultrasound & Echography Systems. Its NAICS code is 334510 and its SIC code is 3841.