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Methinks and the EIC Accelerator: Stroke AI Cleared in the US

September 30, 2026956 words5 min

Methinks AI, a Barcelona company led by CEO Pau Rodríguez, makes software that reads brain CT scans to find strokes. Its EIC project said evaluating all treatment options needs advanced imaging that about half of hospitals cannot offer around the clock, and that Methinks would do it "with standard medical imaging, which is available 24/7 in any hospital", saving up to 60 minutes to treatment, according to CORDIS.

The European Innovation Council granted €2,495,415 towards a €3.56 million project from February 2023 to January 2025. The final report says Methinks optimised its models, updated its CE mark, applied to the FDA, validated the software in European and US studies and built an app inside Microsoft Teams for stroke teams. It says a distribution agreement with Medtronic and "our first direct sales" followed just after the project ended. The FDA cleared Methinks NCCT Stroke in June 2025 and Methinks CTA Stroke in August 2025, according to the FDA's 510(k) database. In November 2023 the EIC Fund had joined €2.5 million of convertible loans with other investors.

€2.50MEIC grant, 70% of a €3.56M project
2FDA clearances, 2025
€2.5MConvertible loans with the EIC Fund, 2023
Not publicRevenue and hospital customers

Company file

Legal entity
Methinks Software S.L., VAT ESB66793993, Barcelona
CEO
Pau Rodríguez
Products
Methinks NCCT Stroke, Methinks CTA Stroke, Teams app
Approvals
CE mark (January 2023); FDA 510(k) K250685 and K251590 (2025)
Partner
Medtronic (distribution)
EIC project
Deepstroke-Acc, 1 Feb 2023 to 31 Jan 2025, closed
EIC funding
Blended finance: grant plus EIC Fund convertible loan

Where Methinks Stands Now

After its second clearance, Methinks said the two products together offer a stroke triage platform "compatible with both NCCT and CTA imaging", and CEO Pau Rodríguez said the clearances showed "our ability to deliver advanced, accessible stroke care solutions across US hospitals", according to its October 2025 release. Its website quotes clinicians at Advocate Aurora Health and Cooper University Healthcare in the US and Vall d'Hebron in Barcelona. When the EIC Fund invested in 2023, the company expected FDA clearance "mid next year", in 2024; it came about a year later.

"All of this has allowed us to validate our product-market fit, which was further confirmed just after the project's conclusion with the signing of a distribution agreement with Medtronic and our first direct sales."

Methinks, final report to the EIC

The Technology: Reading Plain CT for Clots

Non-contrast CT is the quickest scan for suspected stroke, but it usually does not show blocked vessels; that normally needs CT angiography, which requires injecting contrast and trained staff. Methinks trains AI to detect large vessel occlusions and haemorrhages on the plain scan. Its website gives a sensitivity of 76.4% and specificity of 91.1% for occlusions on plain CT, and its CTA product reached 98.2% sensitivity. The report says Methinks is the only company with a CE mark for occlusion detection on plain CT.

What the EIC Project Promised, and What CORDIS Shows

The project set out to optimise the product and AI models for market entry and scale. It delivered an updated CE mark, FDA submissions that led to two clearances, validation studies in Europe and the US and a Teams-based app. The commercial result, a distribution deal and first sales, arrived as the project closed. CORDIS lists the project as closed.

  1. Optimised AI and productDeliveredCE mark updated.
  2. FDA clearanceDeliveredTwo 510(k)s, 2025.
  3. Clinical validationDeliveredEU and US studies.
  4. Commercial scaleUnverifiedFirst sales; revenue not public.

The Money

The 2023 convertible loans, led by the EIC Fund, were raised "to prepare for its upcoming investment round", Catalonia.health reported. A larger round has not been announced. Methinks has not published revenue or the number of hospitals using its software.

What Cannot Be Checked

Questions for the EIC

How much of the €2.5 million came from the EIC Fund, how many hospitals pay for Methinks, what the Medtronic deal covers and whether the planned investment round closed are not public.

Why Europe Should Care

The report says only about 30% of European stroke patients get specialised stroke unit care, mostly in cities. Software that makes plain CT more useful could narrow that gap. The EIC's grant and loan helped a Spanish company get cleared in the US market first.

What the project promised

An optimised stroke AI ready for market entry and scale, working on standard imaging in any hospital.

What the record shows

Two FDA clearances, an updated CE mark, a Medtronic distribution deal and first sales, with revenue undisclosed.

The Verdict

Cleared and on sale

Methinks did what the EIC paid for and reached the US market with a major distributor. How many hospitals use it, and how much it earns, has not been disclosed.

Methinks and the EIC have not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on public records and published statements, linked throughout.

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Eureka Network

Eureka Network offers multiple international collaborative R&D programs including Network Projects, Clusters, Eurostars, Globalstars, and Innowwide, with funding ranging from €50K to €6.75M per project depending on the specific program. The network focuses on market-driven innovation and deep-tech development across diverse technology sectors including ICT/Digital, Industrial/Manufacturing, Bio/Medical Technologies, Energy/Environment, Quantum, AI, and Circular Economy. Applicants include SMEs, large enterprises, research organizations, universities, and startups, with Eurostars specifically targeting R&D-performing SMEs.

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EIC Transition provides up to €2.5 million in funding to bridge the 'valley of death' between laboratory research and market deployment, focusing on technology maturation and validation. The program supports single legal entities or small consortia of 2-5 partners including SMEs, start-ups, spin-offs, and research organizations. Technology areas include Health/Medical Technologies, Green/Environmental Innovation, Digital/Microelectronics, Quantum Technologies, and AI/Robotics.

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EIC STEP Scale-Up offers substantial equity investments of €10-30 million for established deep-tech companies ready for hyper-growth and large-scale expansion. The program targets SMEs or small mid-caps with up to 499 employees who have secured pre-commitment from qualified investors. Focus areas include Digital & Deep Tech (Semiconductors, AI, Quantum), Clean Technologies for Net-Zero goals, and Biotechnologies.

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EIC Pre-Accelerator is a pilot program providing €300,000-€500,000 in funding for early-stage deep-tech development and preparation for the EIC Accelerator program. The initiative is exclusively available to single SMEs or small mid-caps from 'Widening countries' to support regional innovation development. The program covers deep-tech innovations across physical, biological, and digital domains.

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EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges is a new pilot program offering €300,000 (Stage 1) and up to €2.5 million (Stage 2) for breakthrough deep-tech solutions through ARPA-style staged funding with demand-side integration. The program targets single entities or small consortia (2-3 partners) including SMEs, start-ups, and research organizations. Focus areas include Physical AI for autonomous robotics and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for animal-free biomedical testing, requiring TRL 4 entry with end-user commitment.

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EIC Pathfinder offers up to €3 million for Open calls and up to €4 million for Challenge-based calls to support early-stage research and development with proof-of-principle validation. The program requires research consortia with a minimum of 3 partners from 3 different countries, including universities, research organizations, and SMEs. Technology focus areas include Health/Medical, Quantum Technologies, AI, Environmental/Energy, and Advanced Materials.

EIC Accelerator

EIC Accelerator provides flexible funding options including blended finance (€2.5M grant + €0.5M-€10M equity), grant-only (up to €2.5M), or equity-only arrangements for scale-up and market deployment of breakthrough innovations. The program targets SMEs, start-ups, and small mid-caps with up to 499 employees, with MedTech/Healthcare representing 35% of funded projects. Other technology areas include Biopharma, Energy, AI, Quantum, Aerospace, Advanced Materials, and Semiconductors.

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The EU Innovation Fund provides substantial funding of €7.5 million to €300 million for large-scale demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies. The program targets clean energy, carbon capture, renewable energy, and energy storage technologies to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Applicants include large companies, consortia, and public entities capable of implementing large-scale demonstration projects.

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Industrial Partnership provides €2-10 million in funding for industrial research and innovation partnerships focusing on manufacturing, industrial technologies, and digital transformation. The program supports industrial consortia and research organizations in developing collaborative solutions for industrial challenges. Projects aim to strengthen European industrial competitiveness through strategic partnerships.

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Eurostars is a joint EU-Eureka program offering €50K-€500K for international R&D collaboration specifically led by SMEs. The program takes a bottom-up approach, accepting projects from all technology fields without predefined thematic restrictions. R&D-performing SMEs must lead the consortium and demonstrate significant R&D activities.

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Neotec is a Spanish program offering €250K-€1M in funding for technology-based business creation and development, supporting the growth of innovative Spanish SMEs and start-ups. The program covers all technology sectors and aims to strengthen Spain's technology ecosystem. Funding is specifically targeted at Spanish technology-based SMEs and start-ups to enhance their competitiveness and market presence.

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EIC AcceleratorBeneficiary Deep Dive#Methinks#stroke#artificial intelligence#medical imaging#FDA#Spain
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