Bürki inno med

What Bürki inno med does

Bürki inno med AG is a privately held Swiss medical device manufacturer founded in 1995 by Martin Bürki, headquartered in Widnau, St. Gallen, with an EU representative office (Bürki inno med GmbH) in Heidelberg, Germany. The company designs, develops, and produces precision microsurgical instruments for ophthalmology, focused almost entirely on irrigation/aspiration (I/A) systems used during cataract and other intraocular surgery. Its product portfolio covers reusable (re-sterilizable) handpieces — including the proprietary SAFE-LOCK I/A Coaxial System and a Bimanual I/A System available in 20G-23G — and single-use disposable variants (Monomanual/Coaxial and Bimanual, including the elliptical BSD 600) in gauges from 19G to 23G. Notable technical components include high-precision tips for capsulorhexis, cortical clean-up, and 12 o'clock cortex removal, dual-port (TWIN-PORT) proximal irrigation, color-coded ergonomic handpieces, and compatibility with standard Phaco systems via Luer connectors. The company holds ISO 13485:2016 (renewed 2024-12-10), MDR 2017/745 (2025-10-23), and Swissmedic Free Sales certifications, supporting international distribution.

The company operates a hybrid B2B revenue model organized around three business areas: (1) development of product innovations for OEM partners and ophthalmologists, (2) contract OEM development and production of microsurgical instruments for international ophthalmic system suppliers that distribute under their own brands, and (3) development, production, and direct sale of own-branded Bürki instruments. Customers therefore split between a small set of international OEM ophthalmic technology companies (the primary channel, generating larger contract volumes) and hospitals, clinics, and individual ophthalmologists reached through direct sales. The company employs approximately 20 people, of whom 14 are dedicated to development and production. Ownership remains with founder Martin Bürki and partner Gianni Müller (who joined in 2011 to lead sales and marketing), with no disclosed institutional investors, subsidiaries, or parent companies. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is structured through direct B2B contracts.

Name

Bürki inno med

Legal name

Bürki inno med AG

Website

https://buerki.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bürki inno med AG is a Swiss medical device manufacturer, founded 1995, that designs, develops, and produces precision microsurgical irrigation/aspiration instruments for ophthalmic surgery, serving international OEM ophthalmic system suppliers and direct ophthalmologist customers from its Widnau headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ophthalmic Surgical Instruments

NAICS

Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112), Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Cataract Surgery Systems & IOLs (Phaco Systems, IOLs, Intraoperative Aberrometry, Viscoelastics) (HLAHAJAH)

Keywords

• Ophthalmic surgical instruments
• Microsurgical handpieces
• Irrigation aspiration systems
• Cataract surgery devices
• Single-use ophthalmic instruments

Headquarters

HQ city

Widnau

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. OEM Development & Production: Development of product innovations for partners and ophthalmologists, and production of products for partners. Bürki acts as development partner for OEM system suppliers worldwide.
2. Own Branded Products: Development, production and sale of company's own branded microsurgical instruments under the Bürki name.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Bürki inno med AG is a Swiss medical device manufacturer that designs, develops and produces precision microsurgical irrigation/aspiration (I/A) handpieces and accessories for ophthalmic surgery (primarily cataract and related eye procedures). The company operates through two business arms: (1) OEM development and production of microsurgical instruments for international ophthalmic technology partners, and (2) manufacture and direct sale of its own Bürki-branded reusable and single-use I/A systems in gauges from 19G to 25G.

Product overview

Bürki inno med is a Swiss medical device manufacturer specializing in microsurgical instruments for ophthalmology. The product portfolio consists of two main categories: reusable instruments designed for re-sterilization (including the SAFE-LOCK I/A Coaxial System and Bimanual I/A System in sizes 20G-23G) and single-use disposable instruments (including Monomanual Coaxial, Bimanual round, and Oval Bimanual I/A systems in various gauge sizes). These precision surgical instruments are used for irrigation and aspiration during eye surgeries and are compatible with standard Phaco systems via Luer connectors. The company operates with approximately 20 employees, with 14 in development and production, and serves both OEM partners and its own branded product lines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Monomanual I/A System reusable (SAFE-LOCK I/A Coaxial System) Reusable coaxial irrigation/aspiration system for ophthalmic surgery featuring an ergonomic disassembling handpiece for thorough cleaning and high-precision tips for capsulorhexis, cortical clean-up, and 12 o'clock cortex removal. Available in 19G-22G sizes with straight, angled, and curved tip configurations.
• Bimanual I/A System reusable 20G, 21G, 22G, 23G Reusable bimanual irrigation/aspiration system for ophthalmic surgery with lightweight, color-coded handpieces compatible with Phaco or I/A systems via standard Luer connectors. Features smooth abrasive tips for capsule polishing. Available in gauges 20G-23G.
• Monomanual (Coaxial) I/A System single-use 20G, 21G, 22G Single-use disposable coaxial irrigation/aspiration handpieces for ophthalmic surgery with lightweight construction and prolonged sleeve (plus 1.5mm). Available in 45° and 65° tip configurations in smooth abrasive or polished versions across gauges 20G-22G.
• Bimanual I/A System single-use 20G, 21G Single-use disposable bimanual irrigation/aspiration system for ophthalmic surgery, available in multiple configurations (BSD 500, 510, 515, 560, 565, 600) with various port sizes and curved cannula designs in 20G and 21G gauges.
• Bimanual I/A System single-use 22G Single-use disposable bimanual irrigation/aspiration system in 22G gauge with smooth bullet-shaped tip, available in BSD 540, 541, and 542 configurations with varying irrigation and aspiration port sizes.
• Bimanual I/A System single-use 23G Single-use disposable bimanual irrigation/aspiration system (BSD 522) in 23G gauge featuring curved cannula with open end flushing and aspiration port for ophthalmic surgery.
• Oval Bimanual I/A System single-use 21G (BSD 600) Elliptical single-use disposable bimanual irrigation/aspiration system (BSD 600) in 21G with major axis outer diameter 0.94mm and minor axis outer diameter 0.62mm. Features proximal TWIN-PORT irrigation with 0.55mm diameter per port and smooth abrasive tip.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• International OEM Partners (Ophthalmic Technology Companies)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerBürki acts as development and production partner for international OEM system suppliers. The company's experts were crucially involved in the development and production of numerous microsurgical instruments for these partners, with products sold worldwide under partner brands.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bausch + Lomb (BVI Medical): Major ophthalmic surgical company offering cataract surgery instruments, IOLs, and配套 I/A handpieces through its BVI Medical surgical portfolio. Directly comparable product overlap in single-use and reusable I/A instruments for cataract surgery.
• Rumex International: Manufacturer of ophthalmic microsurgical instruments including I/A handpieces and cataract surgery accessories. Closely comparable product line and customer base, with geographic strength in Eastern Europe and Russia as a regional adjunct.
• ASICO (American Surgical Instruments Company): Specialty manufacturer of ophthalmic surgical instruments including I/A tips and handpieces, serving both direct surgeon customers and OEM partners. Comparable in size, focus, and customer mix to Bürki.
• Alcon: Global leader in ophthalmic surgery including phaco systems and I/A handpieces (e.g., Centurion, Constellation platforms with配套I/A tips). Directly competes with Bürki as both an OEM that sources precision microsurgical components and as a branded competitor in cataract I/A consumables.
• MicroSurgical Technology (MST): US-based specialty manufacturer of microsurgical ophthalmic instruments including I/A handpieces, forceps, and scissors. Closest like-for-like peer: small specialist focused exclusively on ophthalmic microsurgery with both branded and OEM/private-label offerings.
• Johnson & Johnson Vision (AMO): Through its surgical vision business (formerly Abbott Medical Optics), J&J Vision sells the Tecnis cataract platform with配套 I/A handpieces and offers private-label/OEM sourcing arrangements — directly overlapping Bürki's product category and OEM customer profile.

Broad incumbents

• NIDEK: Japanese ophthalmic equipment maker offering cataract surgery devices and配套 I/A consumables alongside a broader diagnostic and refractive portfolio. Comparable in the I/A segment but broader in scope.
• Carl Zeiss Meditec: Broad ophthalmic equipment incumbent offering cataract surgery systems, surgical microscopes, IOLs and配套 I/A consumables. Overlaps with Bürki in cataract I/A but competes from a much larger portfolio and direct hospital sales motion.
• HOYA Surgical Optics: IOL-focused ophthalmic company that also distributes配套 surgical instruments. Wider portfolio than Bürki but comparable on the surgical instrument side, with potential to be either an OEM customer or a competitor.

Emerging players

• Katalyst Surgical: Smaller US-based specialty maker of ophthalmic surgical instruments focused on retina and anterior segment. Comparable as an emerging specialty instrument company with OEM/custom manufacturing capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/b%C3%BCrki-inno-med-ag

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Bürki inno med