IRCAD North America and Medtronic Announce Collaboration to Advance Surgical Training and Innovation
CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 17, 2025 – Medtronic, a global leader in healthcare technology, and IRCAD North America, the new North American headquarters of globally recognized surgical education, innovation, and research institute, IRCAD, today announced a strategic collaboration.
As a strategic partner, Medtronic will integrate its technologies at IRCAD North America, a non-profit subsidiary of Atrium Health, to build world-class training and education experiences for surgeons and medical professionals in cardiovascular, neuroscience, and minimally invasive surgical specialties.
“We are revolutionizing the future of healthcare and our collaboration with IRCAD North America is a significant step forward in achieving this goal,” said Mike Marinaro, executive vice president and president of the Medtronic Medical Surgical Portfolio and Americas. “This partnership will leverage innovation to accelerate medical training and support advancements in patient care to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life.”
Opening in September as part of the The Pearl innovation district in Charlotte, North Carolina, IRCAD North America will be the first-of-its-kind education and training destination in the U.S. Expected to draw thousands of surgeons and specialists annually, it will enable medical professionals to work with and train on Medtronic technologies across procedure settings. Medtronic Medical Education teams will spearhead course development for trainings hosted at IRCAD North America that feature Medtronic products.
“At The Pearl innovation district, we're redefining what is possible for the future of surgery and patient care - and we're proud to welcome Medtronic as a partner in that mission,” said Eugene A. Woods, CEO of Advocate Health. “We’re launching a world-class hub of surgical training and research right here in Charlotte, but the benefit of partnerships like this one will be felt – literally – by patients receiving next-generation care across our national footprint and even across the globe.”
“Through our partnership with Medtronic, we’re unlocking new possibilities to accelerate surgical innovation and translational research at IRCAD North America,” said Dionisios Vrochides, MD, executive director of IRCAD North America and professor of transplant surgery at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “By integrating Medtronic’s cutting-edge surgical technologies with our focus on hands-on learning, medical robotics, and AI, we’re positioned to dramatically enhance training, improve patient outcomes, and shape the future of surgical care.”
Medtronic technologies that will be available at IRCAD North America include the Hugo™ robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system, the AiBLE™ smart ecosystem, the Touch Surgery™ ecosystem, and the Affera™ mapping system.
“This partnership paves the way for a new era in surgical education and training. It will foster collaboration across the industry, drive progress in healthcare delivery, and accelerate the integration of AI-enabled solutions into clinical practice,” said Ken Washington, Medtronic chief technology & innovation officer.
In the U.S., the Hugo™ RAS system is an investigational device and is not available for sale.
Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.