1 The EIC Accelerator Project

EIC Accelerator Program Overview

The European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator program is a cornerstone of the European Union's strategy to foster innovation, particularly within the DeepTech and startup ecosystems. Designed to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups, the program provides financial assistance and mentorship to help businesses scale their innovative solutions. The EIC Accelerator offers a blended finance model that includes grants and equity investments, making it a unique funding opportunity for companies aiming to bring groundbreaking technologies to market.

Funding Structure

Under the EIC Accelerator program, companies can receive significant financial support through a combination of grants and equity investments.

Purpose and Role in the Ecosystem

The EIC Accelerator aims to fill the funding gap faced by high-risk, innovative startups, particularly in the DeepTech sector, where traditional investors may be hesitant to invest due to technological uncertainties. By providing both grant funding and equity, the EIC Accelerator plays a pivotal role in enabling companies to advance their technologies and reach commercial viability.

In addition to financial support, the EIC Accelerator offers mentorship and access to a vast network of industry experts, investors, and potential customers. This holistic approach not only helps companies scale but also enhances their attractiveness to private investors, facilitating further funding opportunities.

Case Study: Chipiron SAS and the AMRI Project

Company Overview
Chipiron SAS, a French company focused on medical technology, won the EIC Accelerator in March 2024 for its innovative project, Accessible MRI (AMRI). The company's mission is to revolutionize magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by making it more accessible and efficient, particularly for underserved populations.

Project AMRI
The AMRI project aims to develop a portable, cost-effective MRI system that can be deployed in various healthcare settings, including remote and low-resource environments. This initiative addresses a significant gap in healthcare access, where traditional MRI systems can be prohibitively expensive and logistically challenging to implement.

Technology Background

The technology underpinning the AMRI project is based on advanced imaging techniques that utilize a compact design, enabling the creation of an MRI machine that is both smaller and more affordable than conventional models. The main innovations include:

Conclusion

The EIC Accelerator program serves as a vital mechanism for fostering innovation and supporting the growth of startups like Chipiron SAS. By combining grant funding with equity investments, the program not only provides essential financial resources but also equips companies with the tools needed to navigate the complexities of scaling their technologies. The AMRI project exemplifies the potential of innovative solutions to transform healthcare access, demonstrating the impact that the EIC Accelerator can have on the European DeepTech ecosystem.

2 The Funding Rounds

Chipiron SAS: Funding Overview and Investor Information Since EIC Accelerator Success

Financing Raised

Since winning the EIC Accelerator in March 2024, Chipiron SAS has secured significant funding through both private and public sources. The company’s total funding now exceeds $22 million (over €20 million), combining equity investment and public support.

In April 2025, Chipiron completed a major Series A round, raising €14.9 million to further develop its miniaturized MRI scanner technology.

Funding Rounds: Timing, Amounts, and Investors

Funding Timeline

Date	Round	Amount	Lead/Key Investors	Notes
2021	Pre-seed	$1.1M	Business angels/Entrepreneur First	Early product development
2022–2023	Public	$1.1M (public grants/support)	France2030 (SGI), Bpifrance	R&D advancement
2023	Seed	$2.7M	Exor Ventures, Unruly Capital	Scaling R&D
Apr 2025	Series A	€14.9M (~$17M)	Blast (lead), EIC Fund, iXcore; Public backers: France2030 (SGI), EIC Accelerator (European Commission), ADD/Bpifrance

Key Details of Latest Round

• Series A closed April 30th, 2025 for €14.9 million
• Lead investor: Blast
• Other private investors: EIC Fund and iXcore
• Additional public support from France2030 (SGI), the European Innovation Council's Accelerator program, and Bpifrance
• Purpose of funds: Build first hospital-ready prototypes; launch clinical trials in hospitals by 2026

Investor Information

The primary investors since March 13th, 2024 are:

• Blast: Led the most recent Series A round.
• EIC Fund: Participated as part of the European Innovation Council's equity arm.
• iXcore: Strategic investor with deeptech focus.

Supportive grants have come from: - France2030 initiative

Bpifrance

Previous rounds included backing from Exor Ventures and Unruly Capital during the seed stage.

Company Valuations

No specific post-money valuation figures have been publicly disclosed for any recent rounds or following the Series A closing as of May 6th, 2025.

Exit Events

As of this date: - No IPOs or announced acquisitions/buyouts involving Chipiron SAS are reported in connection with its funding history or subsequent to receiving EIC Accelerator support.

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Summary Table – Key Funding Milestones for Chipiron SAS

Year/Round	Amount	Main Investors/Public Backing
Pre-seed / Seed (’21–’23)	~$4.9M combined Business Angels/Entrepreneur First/Exor Ventures/Unruly Capital/Bpifrance
Series A (‘25) €14.9M (~$17M) Bast/EIC Fund/iXcore plus France2030/EU EC/Bpifrance

No exit events reported by May ’25.

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Sources

• French DeepTech Chipiron raises €14 million to "make MRIs as accessible as x-rays"
• Paris-based deeptech company Chipiron raises €14.9M

-French DeepTech Chipiron raises €14 million to “make MRIs as accessible as x-rays”

-Chipiron • Making MRI accessible everywhere

3 The Press Releases

Chipiron SAS, a Paris-based deeptech startup developing portable MRI technology, secured EIC Accelerator funding as part of the March 2024 call (Step 2 proposal submission date: March 13, 2024). The company later announced additional details about its funding and technological progress through press releases and blog posts.

Key Developments Since EIC Accelerator Funding

• Funding Milestones: Chipiron raised €14.9 million ($17M) in a Series A round led by Blast.Club, with participation from the EIC Fund and iXcore. Public funding included France2030 (SGI), ADD (Bpifrance), and the EIC Accelerator.
• Technology Roadmap: The company is finalizing R&D for its ultra-low-field MRI system, aiming to deploy hospital-ready prototypes by 2026. Clinical trials are scheduled to begin next year to validate its portable MRI’s diagnostic capabilities.
• Strategic Partnerships: Collaborations include hospital networks for clinical validation and investors like Blast.Club focusing on life-saving medical technologies.

Announcements on Chipiron.co
The company’s website confirmed:

• France2030 Funding: Received support under France’s national innovation strategy in July 2024.
• EIC Accelerator Award: Publicly acknowledged the grant but did not disclose specific financial terms or project timelines.

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Sources

Chipiron bags $17M: Can this French startup democratise MRI access worldwide? French DeepTech Chipiron raises €14 million to "make MRIs as accessible as X-rays" We have been funded by France 2030 - Chipiron

4 The Technology Advancements

Chipiron SAS: Post-EIC Accelerator Funding Progress and Technological Advancements

Since receiving EIC Accelerator funding (exact March 2024 cut-off date not explicitly detailed in public records), Chipiron SAS has accelerated its mission to democratize MRI accessibility through technological innovation and strategic funding milestones. Below are the key advancements and developments up to May 2025:

1. Funding Milestones and Strategic Goals

• Series A Funding: In April 2025, Chipiron secured €14.9 million (~$17M) in a Series A round led by Blast, with participation from the EIC Fund, iXcore, France2030, and Bpifrance. This brings total funding to over $22 million since its 2020 founding.
• Objectives: The funds will finalize R&D for ultra-low-field MRI prototypes, initiate hospital trials in 2026, and target FDA/CE approvals within three to five years.

2. Technological Advancements

Chipiron’s proprietary technology combines hardware miniaturization with AI-driven signal processing:

• Quantum SQUID Detection: Patented low-Tc SQUID gradiometers improve signal-to-noise ratios by up to 10x compared to prior designs.
• AI Noise Cancellation: Advanced linear/non-linear algorithms enhance signal clarity in open environments.
• Lightweight Cryostat: A novel cooling system maintains SQUID detectors at 4 K without bulky infrastructure.
• Reconstruction Algorithms: Ultra-low-field EPI and partial Fourier techniques reduce scan times while maintaining diagnostic quality.

The company aims to reduce MRI costs tenfold compared to current systems while enabling scans for traditionally excluded patients (e.g., pacemaker users, claustrophobic individuals).

3. Market Readiness Progress

• Prototype Development: Clinical prototypes are slated for completion by late 2025, with hospital trials starting in 2026 across Europe and the U.S..
• Deployment Targets: At least 100 commercial units planned globally within five years, emphasizing mobile units and underserved regions.

4. Intellectual Property & Publications

While recent patent filings or scientific publications remain undisclosed:

Existing patents cover core technologies like SQUID gradiometers (implied by "patented" claims), but no new filings are explicitly mentioned post-EIC Accelerator award. No whitepapers or trial data have been published since July 2024 references on their website cite France2030/EIC support without technical updates.

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Sources
Chipiron • Making MRI accessible everywhere
Chipiron raises €14 million
Chipiron raises $17M
Chipiron secures US $17M
Chipiron Secures $17M

5 The Partnerships and Customers

Overview of Chipiron SAS

Chipiron SAS, a French deeptech company founded in 2020 by Evan Kervella and Dimitri Labat, focuses on developing miniaturized MRI scanners to increase accessibility to this critical imaging technology. Since receiving funding from the EIC Accelerator in March 2024, Chipiron has made significant strides in its mission.

Recent Developments

In April 2025, Chipiron announced a successful Series A funding round, securing $17 million (approximately €14.9 million) to further develop its compact MRI system. This round was led by Blast, with additional support from the EIC Fund, iXcore, France2030, the EIC Accelerator, and Bpifrance.

Partnerships and Collaborations

As of now, Chipiron has not publicly disclosed specific new customer or partner names. However, the company's funding round involved collaboration with several key investors and organizations:

• Blast: Led the funding round, highlighting Chipiron as a promising biotech company that can detect life-threatening diseases early.
• EIC Fund: Participated in the funding round, supporting Chipiron's innovative approach to MRI technology.
• iXcore: Contributed to the investment, furthering Chipiron's development efforts.
• France2030 (SGI): Provided public funding support to enhance Chipiron's technological advancements.
• EIC Accelerator: Offered significant support through the European Commission's funding program.
• Bpifrance: Involved in providing financial backing to Chipiron.

Nature of New Relationships

These partnerships primarily focus on financial support to drive Chipiron's technological development and scalability. The investments aim to facilitate the creation of clinical prototypes and initiate clinical trials, which are slated to begin in 2026.

Market Positioning and Technology Advancements

Chipiron's partnerships and funding will significantly enhance its market position by making MRI technology more accessible. The company aims to transform MRI from a hospital-bound technology to a portable and affordable solution for broader healthcare providers. By leveraging ultra-low-field MRI technology, Chipiron plans to democratize access to MRI imaging, potentially doubling the market size if successful.

This strategic positioning and technological advancement will help Chipiron scale its operations, particularly in the U.S. market, where it plans to deploy at least 100 commercial devices within the next few years.

Sources

• Chipiron • Making MRI accessible everywhere
• Chipiron raises $17M to support miniaturized MRI scanner
• French DeepTech Chipiron raises €14 million to "make MRIs as accessible as X-rays"
• Chipiron raises $17M to launch portable MRI
• Chipiron Raises $17M in Series A Funding

6 The Hiring and Company Growth

Chipiron SAS: Team Growth and Hiring Post-EIC Accelerator Funding Chipiron SAS, a French medtech company developing lightweight, cost-effective MRI systems to improve global cancer diagnostics, has not publicly disclosed specific team size or hiring metrics in available records. The company’s mission emphasizes scalable MRI technologieschipiron.co, which inherently requires strategic team expansion to advance R&D, manufacturing, and commercialization efforts.

While recent hiring data for Chipiron is unavailable, EIC Accelerator winners typically leverage funding to accelerate talent acquisition in technical and operational roles. For similar deep-tech startups backed by the EIC Accelerator (e.g., Omics with a 4-person teamagoranov.com), common growth patterns include expanding engineering teams for product development and business development personnel for market entry.

Key positions likely prioritized post-funding include:

• MRI hardware engineers to refine their full-body scanner design
• AI/software developers for imaging analysis tools
• Regulatory affairs specialists to navigate medical device certifications
• Clinical liaisons for partnerships with healthcare providers

New hires would support Chipiron’s roadmap of making MRI systems accessible in low-resource settings through localized manufacturing and maintenance solutions. No management changes have been reported since their EIC Accelerator win in March 2024.

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Sources:

• Chipiron • Making MRI accessible everywhere
• All Startups - Agoranov

7 The Media Features and Publications

Chipiron SAS: Media Coverage and Public Engagement Since EIC Accelerator Funding

Media Features
Chipiron has garnered significant media attention following its €14.9 million Series A funding round in April 2025, with outlets emphasizing its mission to democratize MRI access through portable, ultra-low-field scanners. Coverage highlights the company’s goal to make MRI technology as routine as X-rays while addressing accessibility gaps for patients with pacemakers, claustrophobia, or obesity.

Publications Naming Chipiron SAS
Major tech and healthcare publications have featured Chipiron’s breakthroughs:

• TechFundingNews: Detailed the $17 million funding round and its role in scaling the miniaturized MRI system.
• EU-Startups: Highlighted clinical trial timelines (2026) and investor backing from Blast and EIC Fund.
• TechStartups.com: Emphasized cost-reduction targets (10x cheaper than traditional MRI) and market potential ($10B global industry).

Podcasts & Interviews
No publicly listed podcasts or interviews featuring Chipiron’s founders were identified in available sources. However, CEO Evan Kervella provided statements to press outlets about the company’s roadmap post-funding.

Conference Participation & Events
While specific conferences or fairs are not named in recent reports, Chipiron is actively preparing for hospital trials starting in 2026. The company has engaged with public funding bodies like France2030 and Bpifrance, suggesting involvement in related innovation forums.

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Sources Used:

• French DeepTech Chipiron raises €14 million
• Chipiron bags $17M: Can this French startup democratise MRI access worldwide?
• French startup ChipIron raises $17M to disrupt $10B MRI market
• Chipiron's White Paper on Ultra-Low-Field MRI Technology

Note on Podcasts & Conferences: No direct references found; coverage focuses on fundraising milestones.