Proprio

# High-Level Overview

Proprio is an AI-powered surgical technology company that modernizes spine surgery through real-time visualization and intelligent guidance.[1][4] Founded in 2016 and based in Seattle, the company has developed the Paradigm platform, which combines light field rendering, computer vision, and artificial intelligence to give surgeons unprecedented 3D visibility and data-driven decision-making capabilities during procedures.[2][5] The company serves leading hospitals and spine surgery centers globally, addressing a critical gap in surgical precision and accessibility—80% of humans lack access to the healthcare they need, and Proprio aims to enable skilled surgeons to scale their abilities and address the shortage of millions of clinicians worldwide.[2]

Proprio's core mission is to "power the evolution to data-driven outcomes in healthcare" and "make great healthcare outcomes accessible to all."[4] The company has achieved significant clinical validation, completing 50 successful spine surgeries and receiving FDA clearance for its Paradigm platform, including a second major 510(k) clearance in April 2025 for intraoperative measurements—the first technology enabling real-time 3D measurement during surgery.[5] With approximately 70 employees and backing from leading healthcare and technology investors including DCVC, BOLD Capital Partners, Intel, and HTC, Proprio is positioned as the global leader in AI-powered surgical technology.[1][2]

# Origin Story

Proprio was founded in 2016 by Gabriel Jones (CEO and co-founder), Dr. Samuel Browd (Seattle Children's Hospital neurosurgeon), Joshua Smith (University of Washington Professor), and James Youngquist (computer vision specialist).[4] The company emerged directly from research in computer vision and human perception at the University of Washington, inspired by a fundamental insight: surgery operates in a dynamic, three-dimensional world, yet traditional guidance tools were built for static snapshots.[4]

The founding team brought complementary expertise spanning neurosurgery, computer vision, and academic research. Over eight years of development, Proprio collected thousands of terabytes of data and ran tens of thousands of simulations and tests, incorporating input from hundreds of surgeons across dozens of surgical specialties.[2] This methodical, research-driven approach—grounded in the university's computer science program—distinguished Proprio from the outset as a company built on rigorous scientific foundations rather than speculative technology.

# Core Differentiators

• Proprietary Light Field Technology: Proprio's Prism sensor array uses light field rendering combined with optical, depth, and infrared tracking cameras to capture both intensity and directional light information, enabling continuous 3D reconstruction of anatomy without radiation.[6] This multimodal vision system captures approximately 250GB of surgical data per hour.[6]

• Real-Time Intraoperative Measurement: The Paradigm platform is the first technology to enable surgeons to measure surgical success in real-time during procedures, moving from "educated guesswork to data-driven certainty."[5] This capability received FDA clearance in April 2025.[5]

• Compounding Data Advantage: Every procedure strengthens Proprio's AI models, creating a continuously advancing surgical intelligence engine.[6] Hundreds of world-class spine, neuro, and orthopedic surgeons have contributed expertise to the platform, creating a comprehensive, multimodal dataset that is clean, labeled, and continuously refined.[5]

• Clinically Validated Platform: Independent studies show that real-time, radiation-free intraoperative assessment may enable surgeons to achieve preoperative goals more consistently and increase surgical speed when integrated into workflow.[7]

• Experienced Leadership: The executive team has extensive experience in technology, neurosurgery, computer vision, and orthopedics, with dozens of FDA-approved products successfully brought to market from both private and public companies.[4]

# Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Proprio sits at the intersection of three powerful trends: the AI revolution in healthcare, the critical shortage of surgical expertise globally, and the shift toward data-driven medicine. The company is riding the wave of AI adoption in clinical settings at a moment when healthcare systems are desperate for technology that improves outcomes rather than simply automating tasks.[5]

The timing is particularly significant because spine surgery represents a high-volume, high-complexity specialty where precision directly impacts patient outcomes and recovery. By establishing dominance in spine surgery first, Proprio is building a defensible moat of surgical data and surgeon expertise that positions it to expand across all surgical specialties.[2] The company's mission to make advanced surgical capabilities accessible to underserved populations globally addresses a fundamental healthcare equity problem—the 80% of humans without adequate access to care.[2]

Proprio's influence extends beyond individual surgeries: it is reshaping how the surgical community thinks about data collection, training, and the collaboration between human expertise and artificial intelligence. By creating a "digital legacy" of surgical techniques and outcomes, the platform serves as a training tool for future generations of surgeons while simultaneously improving real-time decision-making.[5]

# Quick Take & Future Outlook

Proprio is positioned to become the foundational platform for AI-driven surgery globally. The company's expansion to leading hospitals in the US and abroad throughout 2024 and 2025 signals accelerating clinical adoption.[2] As the platform accumulates more surgical data and demonstrates measurable improvements in patient outcomes, it will likely attract additional investment and partnerships with major medical device companies and hospital systems.

The next frontier for Proprio is scaling beyond spine surgery to other surgical specialties—a natural expansion given the universal applicability of its core technology. The company's ability to continuously refine its AI models through surgeon expertise and real-world surgical data creates a compounding advantage that will be difficult for competitors to replicate. If Proprio successfully demonstrates that its platform reduces adverse events, improves surgical efficiency, and ultimately lowers healthcare costs while improving outcomes, it could fundamentally transform how surgery is taught, performed, and validated across the industry.