The CE approval opens Europe for Cornerstone Robotics as the company expands its global surgical robotics business
Updated
May 29, 2026 4:20 AM
A tray of surgical tools. PHOTO: UNSPLASH
As surgical robotics companies expand beyond domestic markets, regulatory approvals are becoming a critical part of global growth. Companies are no longer competing only on hardware and clinical performance. They are also competing on their ability to enter tightly regulated healthcare systems and build long-term hospital partnerships.
Hong Kong-based Cornerstone Robotics is now moving further into that phase of expansion after its Sentire Endoscopic Surgical System received CE Mark certification under the European Union’s Medical Device Regulation framework.
The approval allows the company to commercialize the system across European markets for minimally invasive procedures in general surgery, gynecology, thoracic surgery and urology. For surgical robotics companies, regulatory approvals often represent more than product validation. They also determine market access, hospital adoption opportunities and long-term commercial scale.
Cornerstone Robotics has already been building clinical operations in the UK ahead of the approval. Since 2025, the company has worked with Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust on clinical investigations involving the Sentire Surgical System. According to the company, the system has been used across procedures involving urology, gynecology and gastrointestinal surgery. The company says the clinical investigation helped generate real-world data to support physician training, research and future adoption efforts.
Alongside the regulatory approval, Cornerstone Robotics is also expanding its local operations in Europe. The company established a UK subsidiary in 2025 and has been developing training, clinical support and after-sales service capabilities for hospitals using the system.
That operational buildout reflects a larger challenge inside surgical robotics. Hospitals adopting robotic systems often require ongoing clinical training, technical support and workflow integration alongside the hardware itself.
Cornerstone Robotics says its strategy centers around vertically integrated development across engineering, software, imaging and robotics systems. The company argues that this structure gives it greater control over product development, supply chain management and long-term operational stability.
Professor Samuel Au, Founder and CEO of Cornerstone Robotics, said: "Receiving CE Certification marks a major milestone in Cornerstone Robotics' evolution from a technology innovator to a global clinical solutions provider. From our first clinical investigation in Portsmouth, UK, to achieving European regulatory approval, each step of the journey reflects our commitment to proprietary innovation, product excellence, and clinical value. Looking ahead, we will continue expanding into key global markets and partnering with leading medical institutions to bring high-quality surgical robotic solutions to more physicians and patients worldwide."
The CE approval also comes several months after the company completed an oversubscribed financing round of approximately US$200 million in November 2025.
The funding and regulatory expansion together signal how surgical robotics companies are increasingly entering a more commercially focused stage of growth. Beyond research and development, companies are now investing more heavily in regulatory approvals, hospital partnerships, physician training and international operational infrastructure as competition expands across global healthcare markets.
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Tencent’s latest solution simplifies cross-border payments for Weixin users and merchants.
Updated
January 8, 2026 6:33 PM
Tencent's large penguin statue in front of a building. PHOTO: UNSPLASH
In a world where digital borders are fading faster than ever, Tencent is betting on familiarity. With the launch of TenPay Global Checkout, the company wants to make paying across countries feel as seamless as paying at home.
The new service, unveiled today, allows Weixin Mini Program merchants outside mainland China to accept a variety of local payment methods. That includes digital wallets, real-time payment networks and credit and debit cards, all through a single integration. The launch starts in Singapore and Macao SAR, where merchants can now take payments via PayNow, BOCPAY(MO), and major cards. Japan, Australia and New Zealand are next, with more regions to follow soon.
This rollout builds on the growing reach of Weixin Mini Programs, known internationally through WeChat. These small apps are built right into the platform, letting users' shop, book services and make payments without downloading separate apps. Today, there are over one million monthly active users in key overseas markets, with Mini Programs available across 92 countries and regions.
Yet, for many users abroad, paying within Mini Programs hasn’t always been simple. Foreign card restrictions, currency conversions and limited local options often made checkout a frustrating step. TenPay Global Checkout aims to change that.
“TenPay Global Checkout marks an important step in enhancing the local consumer experience. By enabling overseas Weixin Mini Program merchants to accept trusted and diversified local payment methods through one unified solution, users benefit from a more convenient and efficient payment experience. This helps merchants improve payment conversion rates, expand their user base and scale their businesses to serve a broader range of customers”, said Wenhui Yang, CEO of TenPay Global (Singapore).
What makes this move interesting isn’t just its technical simplicity—it’s the cultural bridge it builds. For users in Singapore or Japan, paying with PayNow or a local card inside Weixin feels less like an international transaction and more like an everyday purchase.
For merchants, it’s an invitation into a market that values convenience and trust. Payment familiarity, after all, often decides whether a user completes a purchase or abandons it at checkout.
The company remains focused on creating secure, connected and user-friendly payment experiences that help merchants grow and allow consumers to pay with confidence, wherever they are.
If successful, TenPay Global Checkout could quietly redefine how cross-border commerce feels—not like a transaction across regions, but a familiar tap, scan or click. In an increasingly global marketplace, that kind of familiarity might just be the next frontier in digital trust.