Vantari, a virtual reality company developing training software modeled after aviation simulators for medical professionals, has completed its headquarters relocation to Seattle while expanding partnerships with healthcare organizations and medical device manufacturers throughout North America.
Co-founder and CEO Nishanth Krishnananthan made the move from Australia to Seattle two years ago, with the company now formally establishing its main operations in the city. The concept for Vantari emerged from Krishnananthan’s background as a surgical physician in Australia, where he observed significant gaps between procedural training and the realities of emergency medical situations. This led him to question why medical training hadn’t adopted methodologies similar to those used in aviation.
Since its establishment in 2017, Vantari has grown its client base to over 50 institutions spanning North America, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The company counts prestigious academic medical institutions among its customers, including Harvard, Yale, and Mount Sinai. Recent partnerships have created specialized “centers of excellence” at Seattle University and within the University of Washington’s anesthesiology program.
The platform operates through commercially available Meta/Oculus headsets paired with laptop computers. Medical professionals access the system, choose their area of expertise and specific procedures, then execute the steps within a completely virtual setting aligned with educational standards and industry best practices. An artificial intelligence guide within the virtual environment provides
step-by-step instruction, responds to queries, and evaluates performance. Supervisors can subsequently analyze recorded session information.
The VR controllers replicate the physical sensations of medical procedures, including catheter insertion, tissue penetration, and equipment manipulation. Virtual vital signs respond dynamically based on user actions during training scenarios.
Vantari has developed a comprehensive procedure library covering specialties from anesthesiology to critical care and cardiology. The company holds a patent for an integrated ultrasound system within the VR environment, enabling trainees to conduct imaging and guidance procedures. Multiple scenarios have been created in collaboration with medical device companies including Boston Scientific, JNJ, and Sonosite.
The company operates on a business-to-business software-as-a-service model, providing annual licensing agreements and bundled hardware packages. Additional revenue comes from contracts with medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers who jointly develop platform modules and create virtual replicas of their products. A third income source involves partnerships with industry organizations and accreditation bodies for content creation.
Vantari has secured approximately $7 million in funding to date, primarily from Australian venture capital firms, family investment offices, and individual physicians and healthcare professionals. The company raised $2 million last year from Seattle-based investors SpringRock VC and Alliance of Angels.
According to Krishnananthan, relocating to Seattle provides improved access to U.S. customers and increases opportunities for securing investment from American funding sources. He highlighted the advantages of proximity to major technology companies and healthcare institutions, including Amazon, Microsoft, Seattle University, and the University of Washington, along with regional medical device manufacturers.
The company maintains a workforce of approximately 18 employees distributed evenly between Australia and the United States, with the majority working in remote arrangements.
For future development, Vantari plans to move beyond pre-programmed content by creating an AI-powered scenario builder that would enable healthcare institutions to generate customized protocols and procedures within the platform. Krishnananthan’s ultimate vision involves leveraging collected interaction data to develop what he describes as a “Google Maps of surgery,” providing real-time, mixed-reality guidance during actual procedures. This would deliver step-by-step assistance to clinicians during patient care rather than solely during headset-based training sessions.
“That’s like the big North Star that I want to get to,” Krishnananthan stated. “It’s a lot more accessible now with the technology
advancements that are happening.”