Medtronic on September 1, 2026 committed approximately $700 million to Hong Kong-based Cornerstone Robotics, gaining rights to distribute the Sentire surgical system in select markets outside the United States where the platform holds regulatory approval1,11,4.
The deal gives Medtronic a two-platform robotic surgery portfolio. Sentire will sit alongside the company's existing Hugo RAS system, which is now in use in more than 35 countries across six continents8. Medtronic said it will be the only company offering such a two-platform portfolio combined with its broader surgical ecosystem12.
The AI-relevant core of the partnership centers on Cornerstone Robotics' vertically integrated, full-stack development model. The company builds its own hardware, control software, advanced algorithms, and proprietary imaging and energy platforms in-house3. Cornerstone said this approach provides greater control over product integration, quality, and supply chain resilience. Sentire features an immersive surgical console with dual-console capability, allowing two surgeons to operate from separate control stations.
Medtronic also outlined plans to continue developing Hugo with software upgrades, real-time artificial intelligence across its digital ecosystem, integrated stapling, expanded instrumentation, and additional clinical indications6.
Sentire's regulatory footprint is already broader than Hugo's in several respects. The system received approval from China's National Medical Products Administration in 2024, and in May 2026 secured CE Mark in the European Union and approval from Singapore's Health Sciences Authority for minimally invasive general, gynecologic, thoracic, and urologic procedures. Hugo received FDA clearance for urologic procedures in December 2025.
Cornerstone Robotics completed an oversubscribed financing round of approximately $200 million in November 2025. The company operates three global R&D hubs, six business centers, and a 30,000-square-meter manufacturing facility in China. Samuel Au is the founder and CEO of Cornerstone Robotics.
Medtronic said Hugo procedure growth currently exceeds two times the growth rate of the broader robotic surgery market, and total Hugo procedures are expected to surpass 50,000 globally by the end of Medtronic's fiscal year. Both companies noted that global adoption of robotic-assisted surgery remains in the single digits.
Published retrospective data on Sentire showed comparable clinical outcomes and improved cost-effectiveness versus the da Vinci system in robot-assisted radical prostatectomy, according to one source.
Medtronic reported fiscal 2027 first-quarter revenue of $9.76 billion, up 14% year-over-year, with adjusted EPS of $1.459. The company raised its full-year organic revenue growth outlook to 7.25%–7.75% and narrowed adjusted EPS guidance to $5.94–$6.00.
ANALYSIS The deal's AI dimension lies in the software and algorithmic layers both platforms carry. Cornerstone's in-house algorithm stack and Medtronic's stated plans to embed real-time AI across Hugo's digital ecosystem mean the combined portfolio is as much a software play as a hardware one. The low single-digit global adoption rate both companies cited frames the $700 million less as a premium for existing revenue and more as a bet on market expansion where AI-assisted surgical tools could accelerate uptake.
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC served as exclusive financial advisor to Medtronic; Cleary Gottlieb Steen and Hamilton acted as lead legal counsel. Kirkland & Ellis and Global Law Office acted as legal counsel to Cornerstone Robotics.