Our take
CMR is the most established of the smaller soft-tissue robot makers. Versius has been used in 45,000 cases, and the company calls it the second most used robotic surgical platform in the world. Its modular carts move between rooms, so a hospital needs no dedicated robotic operating room.1
The October 2026 Stryker deal changes the buying picture. Stryker becomes the exclusive US sales agent and holds an option to buy all of CMR, so US buyers will deal with Stryker, and CMR's independence is no longer assured.2
Scores by criterion
Each criterion is defined on our methodology page.
Who uses CMR and what it's for
Versius Plus is FDA 510(k) cleared in the US for cholecystectomy, with a submission filed for benign gynecologic indications. Outside the US it is used across a broad range of soft-tissue procedures.1,2
CMR says the system is designed to expand access to robotic surgery across all care settings, since hospitals can switch between robotic and non-robotic procedures in the same room.1
Versius Plus
Versius Plus is a second-generation, modular system with separate arm carts, integrated vLimeLite fluorescence imaging, and two apps: Versius Connect, a procedure logbook for surgeons, and Versius Team, a dashboard of usage and case volume for hospital teams.1
Flexible port placement lets surgeons choose the setup that fits the patient and their technique.1
The Stryker alliance
Stryker will make a preferred equity investment of about $400 million, or £300 million, subject to closing conditions. The investment carries an exclusive option to acquire 100% of CMR in the future, and Stryker serves as exclusive US sales agent, while CMR keeps leading development and sales outside the US.2
CMR's group accounts for 2025, filed with Companies House on October 1, 2026, report turnover of £51.7 million, up from £38.1 million in 2024.4
Competitive landscape
| Company | Product | Pricing model | Deployment footprint | Where CMR wins or loses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMR Surgical (Versius) | Versius Plus modular surgical robot1 | Not published; Stryker to act as US sales agent2 | 45,000 cases worldwide; no dedicated OR required1 | Modular and high volume; prices not published |
| Intuitive (da Vinci) | da Vinci multi-port and single-port surgical systems6 | Sales plus leases, many with usage-based payments6 | About 12,094 systems installed at September 30, 20266 | Intuitive wins on installed base and procedure range. CMR wins on modular carts that need no dedicated OR. |
| Distalmotion (DEXTER) | DEXTER soft-tissue surgical robot with a small, mobile footprint14 | Not published15 | More than 3,000 cumulative procedures in Europe and the US; focus on ASCs16 | CMR wins on case volume and Stryker's US reach. Distalmotion wins on a design built for ASCs. |
| Medtronic | Hugo robotic-assisted surgery system8 | Not published8 | FDA cleared in December 2025 for urologic procedures8 | Medtronic wins on scale and hospital relationships. CMR wins on case volume with a modular design. |
| SS Innovations | SSi Mantra modular surgical robot10 | Less than a third of a da Vinci's price in a 2022 report11 | 224 systems in twelve countries by June 30, 2026; not yet FDA cleared12,13 | SS Innovations wins on low price in India. CMR wins on case volume and a US clearance. |
Limits
CMR publishes no system price, and US pricing will now come from Stryker.2
Stryker's option to buy the whole company means CMR may become a Stryker business, which could change service terms and product plans.2
US clearance covers one procedure so far, which narrows near-term US use.1
What customers say
Where it helps
CMR's homepage lists peer-reviewed studies, including a review of the first 100 robotic cholecystectomies at a tertiary care center and a cohort of 106 first cholecystectomies on Versius.1
The 45,000-case count is the main evidence of daily use outside the US.1
Where it falls short
We found few independent buyer accounts of Versius in the US, where its launch is recent. Buyers should ask Stryker for international reference sites and instrument costs per case.2
Leadership
Massimiliano Colella
Chief executive officerColella previously ran Evercare Group and led regional businesses as a president of Smith & Nephew. He joined CMR in 2023 and became CEO in January 2025.3,5
Sources
- CMR Surgical, Homepage, accessed November 2, 2026
- CMR Surgical, Stryker and CMR Surgical announce strategic alliance, October 12, 2026, accessed November 2, 2026
- CMR Surgical, Management team, accessed November 2, 2026
- Companies House, CMR Surgical Limited filing history (group accounts for 2025), accessed November 2, 2026
- CMR Surgical, Massimiliano Colella, accessed November 2, 2026
- Intuitive Surgical, Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, accessed November 1, 2026
- Distalmotion, Distalmotion raises $150 million, November 18, 2025, accessed November 1, 2026
- Medtronic, FDA clearance of Hugo robotic-assisted surgery system, December 3, 2025, accessed November 1, 2026
- Medtronic, Sphere-9 and PulseSelect registry results, October 22, 2026, accessed November 1, 2026
- SS Innovations, Investor overview, accessed November 1, 2026
- Business Standard, SSI Mantra costs one-third of global price, September 15, 2022, accessed November 1, 2026
- SS Innovations, Second quarter 2026 financial results, August 13, 2026, accessed October 31, 2026
- SS Innovations, Response to FDA request for additional information on the SSi Mantra 510(k), October 13, 2026, accessed October 31, 2026
- Distalmotion, Distalmotion accelerates US commercial momentum in ASCs, May 21, 2026, accessed November 2, 2026
- Distalmotion, Homepage, accessed November 2, 2026
- MedTech Dive, Surgeries are moving to ASCs. Distalmotion wants its robot to drive the shift., accessed November 2, 2026
