Sagebot

Sagebot stands as one of China’s broad-portfolio surgical robotics companies with deep academic roots in Harbin Institute of Technology. Founded in 2013 by Professor Du Zhijiang, the company has built an extensive product portfolio spanning laparoscopic surgical robots, natural orifice surgical systems, and specialty surgical platforms covering urology, gynecology, general surgery, thoracic surgery, ENT, and orthopedics.

Company Overview

Harbin Sagebot Intelligent Medical Equipment Co., Ltd. was established in 2013 as a spin-off from research conducted at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT). one of China’s premier engineering universities. The founding team, led by Professor Du Zhijiang, represents one of the earliest groups in China to pursue surgical robotics research and development.

The company operates under the philosophy of “no imitation, no plagiarism, independent research and development, original design,” emphasizing wholly indigenous intellectual property. As of late 2022, Sagebot holds nearly 300 independent intellectual property rights in the endoscopic surgery robot category, including 43 invention patents.

With a valuation exceeding RMB 8.3 billion, Sagebot has achieved unicorn status in Harbin’s technology ecosystem. The company submitted its application for listing on Shanghai’s STAR Market (科创板) in 2022, with registration review resumed in January 2025 following financial updates.

Core Products

KangDuo Laparoscopic Surgical Robot Series

The KangDuo Robot family represents Sagebot’s flagship product line, designed for complex minimally invasive surgeries across multiple specialties.

KangDuo SR1000 - The company’s first commercially available three-arm endoscopic surgical robot. It became the first laparoscopic surgical robot in China’s urology field to enter the NMPA’s Special Approval Procedure for Innovative Medical Devices (Green Channel). The system received its initial NMPA Class III medical device registration certificate in June 2022, with subsequent approvals expanding to gynecology (January 2024), general surgery lower GI (February 2024), and thoracic surgery lung procedures (June 2024).

KangDuo SR1500 - A three-arm configuration variant approved for urology applications in April 2024.

KangDuo SR2000 - The four-arm laparoscopic surgical robot approved for urology in July 2024, representing Sagebot’s premium offering with enhanced surgical capability.

KangDuo SR2000Plus - A 4+1 five-arm configuration currently in development.

Natural Orifice Surgical Robots (Pipeline)

Sagebot has disclosed development programs for transurethral flexible surgical robots and transoral surgical robots, positioning the company in the emerging natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) segment. These products remain in R&D stages.

Specialty Surgical Robots (Pipeline)

Additional pipeline products include cochlear implant surgical robots and spinal endoscope surgical robots, targeting ENT and orthopedic applications respectively.

KangDuo SS2000 Simulation System

The KangDuo SS2000 robotic surgery simulation training system, powered by Surgical Science simulation technology, provides training capabilities for surgeons adopting the KangDuo platform.

Technology & Innovation

Sagebot has developed proprietary technologies across six core domains: surgical robot design. surgical robotic arm mechanisms, master manipulator systems, surgical instruments, master-slave teleoperation, and surgical navigation.

The KangDuo system features an open surgeon console design—the first domestically developed robot with this architecture to receive NMPA approval. This design allows surgeons to directly interact with the operating room team while maintaining immersive 3D visualization. The system supports 4K fluorescent endoscopes and can match most 3D endoscopes in the market.

A distinguishing achievement is Sagebot’s pioneering work in 5G-enabled remote surgery. In 2018, the company completed the world’s first 5G remote endoscopic surgery robot animal experiment. This was followed by multi-point collaborative 5G remote experiments in 2019, and in 2022, Sagebot achieved cross-operator, cross-network domain “5G + fixed-network dedicated line” multi-point collaborative remote clinical real-time interactive teaching surgery.

Clinical Performance

KangDuo Robot SR1000 underwent head-to-head clinical trials against the da Vinci surgical system for partial nephrectomy procedures. Results demonstrated:

• Surgical success rate: 100% for both systems The system also features intraoperative blood loss: 57.63±125.91 ml (kangduo) vs comparable da vinci performance
• No statistically significant differences in primary and secondary efficacy or safety endpoints

The KangDuo system achieved a milestone as the first domestically developed laparoscopic surgical robot to complete 100 procedures at a single hospital (Peking University First Hospital).

Market Presence

As of late 2024, Sagebot has secured approximately 13 hospital placements through public bidding processes, with the majority in Heilongjiang Province. The company has established Clinical Application Demonstration and Training Centers in partnership with Peking University First Hospital and Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

Entry-level pricing for the KangDuo SR1000 system has been reported at approximately RMB 5.38-5.50 million, positioning it significantly below imported competitors. Commercial expansion into Southeast Asia has begun, with a distribution agreement signed with PT. Sinergi Medika Utama of Indonesia in November 2024, targeting deliveries beginning February 2025.

In April 2025, Sagebot completed its first overseas clinical procedure using the KangDuo SR2000 system in Kazakhstan.

Key Milestones

• 2013: Company founded by Professor Du Zhijiang
• 2018: Completed world’s first 5G remote endoscopic surgery robot animal experiment
• 2020: First human cholecystectomy procedure
• 2022 June: KangDuo SR1000 receives NMPA Class III certification (urology)
• 2022 October: First commercial installation at First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine
• 2023 June: IPO application passed STAR Market committee review
• 2024 April: KangDuo SR1500 receives NMPA approval (urology)
• 2024 July: KangDuo SR2000 receives NMPA approval (urology)
• 2025 January: IPO registration review resumed
• 2025 April: First overseas clinical procedure in Kazakhstan

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sagebot publicly traded?

Sagebot’s IPO application is under review by relevant authorities.

What is unique about Sagebot’s technology?

Sagebot differentiates through 5g-enabled remote surgery capabilities, combined with rigorous clinical validation.

What is Sagebot’s market position?

The company has deployed systems to 13 sites as part of its commercial expansion.