Hyperfine has received a $3.7 million grant from the Gates Foundation, enhancing the company’s efforts to advance global brain health through its FDA-cleared AI-powered portable MRI technology. The funding will support the development and expansion of neonatal brain imaging capabilities through 2028, with a focus on resource-constrained regions where access to traditional neuroimaging remains limited.
The grant will bolster ongoing work within the UNITY project, led by King’s College London, which is leveraging Hyperfine’s Swoop system to evaluate neurodevelopment among infants and children in underserved communities. The initiative aims to provide clinicians with real-time, accurate insights into early brain maturation, enabling more informed interventions that reflect accurate developmental trajectories rather than indirect indicators such as growth metrics or behavioral assessments.
Millions of infants around the world face premature birth, malnutrition, infection, inflammation, or complications during delivery, placing them at heightened risk for impaired neurodevelopment. Traditional assessment methods often fall short of capturing clinically meaningful changes in brain structure and maturation. Hyperfine’s portable MRI enables low-cost, scalable imaging in environments where conventional MRI infrastructure is inaccessible, enabling earlier detection of developmental concerns and more targeted support for maternal and child health programs.
The UNITY research consortium includes more than 40 academic and clinical centers across low-, middle-, and high-income countries, with sites spanning Malawi, Ghana, Zambia, Kenya, India, and Pakistan. Through the grant, Hyperfine and King’s College London will further develop AI-driven imaging pipelines designed to improve clarity and diagnostic reliability specifically for neonatal scans, which are often challenged by patient movement and low signal-to-noise ratios. These improvements aim to support broader deployment of the Swoop system and deliver more consistent, actionable imaging results.
Hyperfine’s leadership emphasized the company’s continued commitment to expanding global access to advanced imaging technology. As the first company to commercialize an FDA-cleared ultra-low-field portable MRI system for the brain, Hyperfine is positioned to support health providers and researchers seeking scalable solutions that can be deployed directly at the point of care.
KEY QUOTES:
“Through our ongoing partnership with Hyperfine, we are now imaging the developing brain where it was once impossible. This collaboration will fill a critical role in providing a low-cost, scalable method for directly evaluating neurodevelopment—ensuring more children have the chance not only to survive but thrive. Hyperfine brings all the relevant expertise needed for this investment to be successful. With the Swoop® system, we have already performed more than 10,000 examinations and scanned more than 6,000 babies and infants across five continents, demonstrating both the scalability and the life-changing potential of this technology.”
Professor Steve Williams, King’s College London, Principal Investigator for the UNITY Research Initiative
“As the company with the first FDA-cleared commercial ultra-low-field portable MR brain imaging system, Hyperfine remains uniquely positioned to lead and support this global effort. This new grant reflects not only confidence in our technology, but also in our readiness to scale solutions that matter. We are proud to advance global health by making imaging technology more accessible in all parts of the world with the support from the Gates Foundation as we continue working with the UNITY project and its researchers on efforts that promote the healthy development of young children around the globe.”
Maria Sainz, President and CEO, Hyperfine
