venture capitalists cashed in on investments in medicaldevice startups in 2021 selling and taking a record number of them public industry data show globally medicaldevice startups—such as developers of roboticsurgery systems or instruments to treat heart disease—staged 24 ipos last year the highest number on record according to silicon valley bank acquirers purchased 22 venturebacked device startups in 2021 also a new high according to svb