From nearly every angle, med-tech financings in 2020 are at a four-year high, raising the industry a whopping $59.7 billion, a 47% increase over the prior year. The records were set despite the deadly SARS-CoV-2 virus that shut down global economies throughout 10 months of the most disruptive year in a lifetime. The pandemic highlighted a widespread need for med-tech technologies, such as diagnostics, for which the industry delivered hundreds of options. Likewise, ventilators, personal protective equipment, telemedicine capabilities and wearables were in high demand.

Liquid biopsy startup Delfi Diagnostics Inc. scooped up $100 million in a series A round led by Orbimed Advisors LLC. The company will use the funds to grow its team of cancer researchers and machine learning experts and to validate its next-generation blood-based testing technology in prospective clinical trials. Existing investors Menlo Ventures, Samsara Biocapital, Illumina Ventures, Av8 Ventures also participated in the round, along with new investors Foresite Capital, Northpond Ventures, Cowen Healthcare Investments and Rock Springs Capital.

What is the outlook for investment in digital health over the coming year? A group of investment experts tackled that question during a session of the Digital Medicine & Medtech Showcase, which is being held virtually this week. Although COVID-19 was disruptive, there was a huge increase in health innovation investment last year, with a jump of roughly 56%, said Logan Plaster, director and editor-in-chief at Startup Health.

Neuros Medical Inc., a company developing neuromodulation technology to treat intractable post-amputation pain, has raised $38.5 million in a series BB financing. The funds will be used to complete enrollment in its pivotal QUEST clinical trial and to submit a premarket approval application to the U.S. FDA. New investors Amzak Health and Sectoral Asset Management co-led the round.