What Rods&Cones does

Rods&Cones is a private medical technology company founded in 2018-2019 and headquartered in the Amsterdam/Netherlands corridor (with registered entities in Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United States). The company builds a surgical telepresence platform that combines purpose-built hardware — primarily smart glasses with 4K first-person-view cameras — with a secure, low-latency video streaming backend hosted on Microsoft Azure using Ant Media Server. The platform ingests multiple in-room video sources (surgeon's POV via the visOR glasses, laparoscopic feeds via mirrOR, a 360° room overview via panOR, plus X-rays and ultrasound) into a unified remote view that the attending remote expert can fully control. The product portfolio consists of the cORe One Touch always-ready in-hospital device, the visOR Kit, openKIT, MIS Kit, and mirrOR Kit, all marketed under the OR Kits platform. Compliance posture includes GDPR, HIPAA, and ISO 27001 (Kiwa-certified).

The company serves two distinct customer segments: multinational medical device companies (including Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Johnson & Johnson, Stryker, Smith+Nephew, Edwards, Arthrex, Zimmer Biomet, Cook Medical, Coloplast, and Valcare) using the platform for product-launch training, proctoring, remote case support, and internal sales-rep training; and hospitals and healthcare systems using it for remote expert consultation, proctoring, training, and emergency support. Additional targeted segments include field surgery / military environments and emerging markets with limited local surgical capacity. Rods&Cones reports deployment across more than 2,000 hospitals in 109 countries with over 75,000 surgical cases supported and 30,000+ hours of training delivered.

The business model is a recurring SaaS subscription bundled with hardware rental (smart glasses and telepresence kits remain company property, with replacement fees for lost or damaged equipment), supplemented by time-and-materials professional services for custom integrations and training. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with typical 12-month initial terms and tacit renewal. Distribution relies on direct enterprise field sales supported by an event-driven pipeline anchored at major medical conferences (AAOS, AUA, Heart Rhythm Society, MedTech Forum) plus a "Book a Demo" self-serve entry point. 24/5 multilingual customer support is delivered from operations hubs in Barcelona, Manila, and Mexico City. The company has remained founder- and board-funded with no external institutional investors.

Name

Rods&Cones

Legal name

Rods&Cones BV

Website

https://rods-cones.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rods&Cones operates a surgical telepresence platform using smart glasses and low-latency video to enable remote experts to observe and guide operating-room procedures. It sells hardware-software subscriptions to MedTech companies and hospitals across more than 100 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surgical Telepresence Software

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

Surgical Visualization & OR Video Integration (4K/3D, Recording, Routing) (HLAHADAD)

Keywords

• Surgical telepresence
• Remote surgical collaboration
• Medical smart glasses
• Surgical proctoring software
• Operating room connectivity

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. SaaS Subscription: Monthly subscription fees for access to Rods&Cones software platform and hosting services. Subscription includes access to Rods&Cones Instance, hosting, and helpdesk services. Initial term typically 12 months with tacit renewal.
2. Hardware Rental: Smart glasses and telepresence kits are rented, not sold, and remain property of Rods&Cones. Hardware included in subscription model; replacement fees apply for lost or damaged equipment. Logistics services for shipping hardware from Amsterdam warehouse included.
3. Additional Services: Configuration services, training services, and custom development charged at Standard Rates on time-and-materials basis. Includes onboarding, custom integrations with CRM/user management systems.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rods&Cones provides a hardware-plus-software surgical telepresence platform that enables remote experts to observe, communicate with, and guide surgical teams in real time. The system combines smart glasses with 4K POV streaming, multi-source video integration (laparoscopic feeds, X-rays, panoramic room cameras), and a secure low-latency online communication platform hosted on Azure cloud, sold via SaaS subscription with bundled hardware rental.

Product overview

Rods&Cones is a remote surgical collaboration platform consisting of a hardware-plus-software architecture. The core offering centers on telepresence kits (OR Kits) that include smart surgical glasses (visOR), video capture devices (mirrOR), and panoramic cameras (panOR), all powered by a secure online communication platform. The flagship cORe One Touch provides instant, one-touch expert connectivity for in-hospital use. The product portfolio comprises specialized kits for different surgical contexts: visOR Kit for POV recording, openKIT for open surgery, and MIS Kit for minimally invasive procedures. Additional components include panOR 360-degree cameras, mirrOR video source connectors, chargOR charging solutions, and safeCASE transport cases. The platform enables real-time remote viewing, audio communication, and guidance during surgical procedures, supported by a Customer Experience Center offering 24/5 multilingual assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• cORe One Touch: Always-ready in-hospital device designed for instant expert support with one-touch connection and no technical setup
• OR Kits
• mirrOR KIT
• Surgical Telepresence
• Customer Experience Center

Products and services

• cORe One Touch An always-ready, in-hospital device designed for instant expert support with one-touch connection and no technical setup required. Features integrated PTZ camera and tablet for instant video feed sharing with remote experts.
• visOR Kit Smart glasses kit providing the surgeon's first-person POV for remote viewing. Enables external experts to see exactly what the surgeon sees through HD camera glasses with real-time streaming, with remote control of zoom, lighting, white balance, and depth of field.
• mirrOR Kit Device that connects compatible video sources (VGA, DVI/HDMI, SDI) to securely broadcast the OR live to experts worldwide, enabling remote participants to view surgical screens like X-rays or laparoscopy with remote control for zooming and precision guidance. Offers up to 8 hours battery life.
• openKIT Hardware kit designed specifically for open surgery procedures. Includes smart glasses, pocket unit, hardware, and peripherals for remote collaboration during open surgical procedures.
• MIS Kit Minimally Invasive Surgery kit for remote collaboration during laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures. Includes visOR, mirrOR x2, panOR, and chargOR components.
• OR Kits Comprehensive telepresence kits providing hardware solutions for various surgical use cases. Includes multiple device combinations (smart glasses, cameras, speakers) for remote expert access to operating rooms.
• Surgical Telepresence Real-time remote collaboration service enabling experts to view, communicate, and assist in surgical procedures from anywhere in the world with ultra-low latency video streaming.
• Customer Experience Center 24/5 assistance service with professional teams based in Barcelona, Manila, and Mexico City, offering support in 6 languages (English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Turkish).

Quantifiable outcome

• 13.2% cost reduction vs traditional in-person surgical training
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• EricssoncoreTechnology or Integration · 7 July 2025Ericsson coordinates the TrialsNet project demonstrating Beyond-5G (B5G) network capabilities for remote surgical proctoring. UC7 trial connected two distant healthcare facilities via dedicated TrialsNet network with customized B5G coverage, enabling high-quality, low-latency audio-visual communication for remote cardiology proctoring.
• CNR-IFCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 July 2025Part of TrialsNet UC7 trial for remote proctoring in interventional cardiology. CNR-IFC contributed to B5G network infrastructure enabling smart telepresence solutions.
• Scuola Superiore Sant'AnnacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 July 2025Research partner in TrialsNet UC7 trial contributing to network infrastructure and eHealth workflow improvements for remote surgical proctoring.
• TIM (Telecom Italia)coreTechnology or Integration · 7 July 2025Telecom partner in TrialsNet UC7 trial providing network infrastructure for B5G connectivity enabling remote surgical proctoring between healthcare facilities.
• Fondazione Gabriele MonasteriocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 July 2025Healthcare partner in TrialsNet UC7 trial, hosting one of the two trial sites for remote proctoring demonstration in interventional cardiology.
• Ant MediacoreTechnology or IntegrationAnt Media Server integration enables video feed relay from Operating Room to large audiences while maintaining privacy requirements. Rods&Cones uses Ant Media Server on Azure cloud infrastructure to deliver excellent quality, adaptive streaming to various devices, and low-latency communication. Partnership scaling globally to reduce latency for local sessions.
• Microsoft Ireland LtdcoreTechnology or IntegrationSub-processor for hosting of Rods&Cones application on Azure infrastructure. Data Processing Agreement in place with Microsoft Ireland for GDPR-compliant data handling.
• Xirsys LLCsupportingTechnology or IntegrationSub-processor providing turn server functionality for video streaming infrastructure. Based in California, USA. EU Model Contract in place for Third Country data transfers.
• OpenVPNsupportingTechnology or IntegrationSub-processor for VPN client functionality enabling secure remote access to Rods&Cones platform. Based in California, USA. EU Model Contract in place for Third Country data transfers.
• University of Amsterdam (UVA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership on AI applications in surgery. Anatomical recognition research shows 78-83% accuracy in upper thorax; nerve recognition at 40%. Bruno notes AI still far from reliable enough for surgical decision-making.
• Dutch National Growth FundsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRods&Cones participating in Dutch National Growth Fund project to optimize healthcare training, addressing aging healthcare staff and high dropout rates during training.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• Vicarious Surgical: Vicarious Surgical is developing robotic surgery systems with a strong visualization and remote-collaboration angle. While primarily robotics, its vision of remote-enabled surgery overlaps conceptually with Rods&Cones' telepresence value proposition.
• Touch Surgery (Medtronic): Touch Surgery is a surgical training and simulation platform acquired by Medtronic. It overlaps with Rods&Cones' training and education use case, though it focuses more on simulation than live telepresence.
• Augmedics: Augmedics builds AR visualization for surgery (xvision), comparable in spirit to Rods&Cones' smart-glasses approach. It is more focused on intraoperative navigation but addresses overlapping surgical specialties and could evolve into telepresence.
• FundamentalVR: FundamentalVR provides VR-based surgical training with haptic feedback, addressing the same training-and-education buyer as Rods&Cones. It competes for the same training budget within MedTech companies and academic centers.

Broad incumbents

• Brainlab: Brainlab offers surgical visualization, navigation, and digital OR technology with overlap to Rods&Cones' multi-source video and intraoperative guidance use cases. Its installed base in hospitals and specialities such as neurosurgery and orthopedics is directly adjacent.
• Stryker: Stryker is a top-tier MedTech incumbent and named Rods&Cones customer that also sells integrated OR platforms, surgical equipment, and visualization. Its scale and breadth position it as both customer and potential competitive threat.
• Olympus: Olympus is a global leader in surgical visualization, endoscopy, and OR integration with products that compete directly with the mirrOR and visOR concept. Its installed imaging infrastructure in hospitals is a natural adjacency to telepresence.
• KARL STORZ: KARL STORZ is a leading endoscopy and integrated OR solutions vendor (OR1) with surgical visualization, video routing, and recording products. Its installed base in hospitals overlaps with Rods&Cones' customer set and could expand into telepresence capabilities.

Direct peers

• Proximie: Proximie is the most direct competitor in surgical telepresence, offering a platform for remote clinical collaboration, proctoring, and training in the OR. It targets the same MedTech and hospital customers with a similar SaaS + hardware model.
• Avail Medsystems: Avail provides a telepresence platform that connects MedTech sales reps, surgeons, and OR teams through portable hardware installed in operating rooms, competing head-to-head with Rods&Cones in the proctoring and case support use case.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCcQ6VmPfg7562GVCp7ZX0SQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rods-cones
• Instagraminstagram.com/rodscones1
• Xx.com/RodsCones1
• Facebookfacebook.com/thesurgeryproximityplatform

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rods&Cones