Medtronic Invests $700M in Surgical Robotics Partner Cornerstone
Medtronic PLC today announced a partnership with Cornerstone Robotics Ltd., including a $700 million investment. As part of the deal, Medtronic has acquired rights to distribute Cornerstone's Sentire surgical system in select markets outside the U.S. where it is approved. The company plans to offer Sentire alongside its own Hugo robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system, aiming to broaden access to robotic surgery and give surgeons more flexibility.
Matt Anderson, senior vice president and president of surgical at Medtronic, stated that the strategy focuses on next-generation minimally invasive surgery, one of the company's biggest growth opportunities. He noted that varying needs and preferences among surgeons, health systems, and markets drive investment across robotic platforms, digital tools, and platform-enhancing technologies. Anderson added that with Sentire complementing Hugo RAS, Medtronic becomes the only company offering a two-platform portfolio combined with its surgical ecosystem, providing customers with more access, choice, and flexible solutions.
Through the partnership, Medtronic and Cornerstone Robotics are building a multi-port portfolio anchored by Hugo and expanded by Sentire. Cornerstone's system has completed multi-specialty clinical trials and received market approval in China, the European Union, and Singapore. Sentire received CE Mark in May 2026 for use in minimally invasive general, gynecologic, thoracic, and urologic procedures.
Sentire's architecture and immersive console with dual-console capability offer a familiar configuration suited to varying surgeon preferences, according to Cornerstone Robotics. The Hong Kong-based company developed the system entirely in-house. Samuel Au, founder and CEO of Cornerstone Robotics, expressed confidence that physicians and patients will be the greatest beneficiaries of the partnership as they continue to expand access across the dynamic market.
The partnership builds on the momentum of Medtronic's Hugo RAS, which is used in more than 35 countries across six continents, including the U.S., where it received FDA clearance within the past year. Medtronic reports that procedure growth for Hugo is more than double the robotic surgery market's growth rate, and total procedures are expected to exceed 50,000 globally by the end of the fiscal year. Medtronic continues to innovate Hugo's capabilities with software upgrades, real-time AI across its digital ecosystem, integrated stapling, expanded instrumentation, and clinical indications. The modular, multi-quadrant platform is designed for a broad range of soft-tissue procedures, combining wristed instruments, 3D visualization, and Touch Surgery capabilities with support for robotics program optimization, service, and training. Earlier this year, Medtronic previewed its AI-powered compute platform for the operating room, with Touch Surgery Aide powering its Touch Surgery Ecosystem.