Anatomy Next
Anatomy Next was founded in 2015 in Riga, Latvia by Uldis Zarins, a sculptor and anatomy teacher at the Art Academy of Latvia, and CEO Sandis Kondrats. The company began as Anatomy for Sculptors, publishing bestselling anatomy reference books for artists that gained a 50,000-strong community organically. The team pivoted to medical education after feedback from the medical community, spending five years developing Anatomy.app: a web-based platform offering interactive 3D human anatomy models built from precise radiological data (CTs, CTAs, MRIs). The platform combines 3D models, articles, quizzes, and a media library for medical, dental, nursing, and physiotherapy students. University co-creation partners include the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, University of Washington, Riga Stradins University, and Queen's University Belfast (where Prof. Teodoro Forcht Dagi, consultant to the Mayo Clinic, serves as a company director). The free online anatomy encyclopedia has attracted over 900,000 users. The company has a Board member who is a Professor at Queen's University Belfast and consultant to Mayo Clinic. Anatomy Next operates from Latvia and the US (Beacon, NY) with 11-50 employees. The Anatomy for Sculptors book series remains a bestseller among both artists and medical professionals. In April 2024, the company signed an EU-funded export support agreement with Latvia's Investment and Development Agency (LIAA).
This is how we approached it and reached the numbers
US office in Beacon, NY. University partnerships in the US (Michigan, Washington), UK (Queen's Belfast), and Latvia (Riga Stradins). 900,000+ users on the free encyclopedia. EU-funded export support agreement signed April 2024. English-language platform accessible globally. However, the team remains small (11-50), commercial traction in institutional sales is unclear, and no evidence of dedicated sales presence beyond Latvia and the US.
Subscription-based SaaS for individual students and institutional licenses for universities. Revenue estimated at $1.8M (Kona Equity). 900,000+ users on the free platform, which serves as a funnel for paid subscriptions. University customers include Michigan and Riga Stradins. Books continue to generate revenue as bestsellers. Total funding is only €504K, suggesting the company is largely bootstrapped, which implies it generates enough revenue to sustain operations. Not higher because institutional penetration against competitors like Complete Anatomy, Visible Body, and BioDigital is unproven at scale.
3D anatomy models built from precise radiological examination data (CTs, CTAs, MRIs), not generic 3D modeling. Proprietary color-coding and annotation system for anatomical landmarks. Information design methodology developed by the founder over 25 years translating medical texts into visual formats. The platform combines 3D models, articles, quizzes, and progress tracking in a single tool. Not higher because the underlying technology is applied 3D visualization and web development rather than proprietary algorithms, novel imaging, or AI-driven features. The competitive advantage is in the quality and design of the content, not the technology infrastructure.
B2B (institutional licenses) + B2C (individual subscriptions) SaaS model. Additional revenue from bestselling Anatomy for Sculptors book series. Free encyclopedia with 900K+ users serves as acquisition funnel. EU export funding secured. The model is sound and capital-efficient (€504K total funding). Not higher because the 3D anatomy education market is dominated by well-funded competitors (Complete Anatomy raised $65M+), and Anatomy Next's pricing and market share relative to these players is unclear.
Anatomy Next started with a sculptor who could not learn anatomy from text-heavy books. Uldis Zarins, who teaches at the Art Academy of Latvia and has 25+ years of experience, developed a visual method for translating medical anatomy into intuitive visual information. A Facebook community grew to 50,000 members in a year without advertising. The bestselling book series that followed became popular not just among artists but among surgeons and medical students. The team then spent five years building Anatomy.app: a platform where every 3D model is constructed from real radiological data, not generic 3D meshes, with articles, quizzes, and progress tracking designed for medical curricula. University partners co-creating the product include Michigan's School of Dentistry, the University of Washington, and Riga Stradins University. A professor at Queen's University Belfast who consults for the Mayo Clinic sits on the company's board. The free online encyclopedia has attracted over 900,000 users. The company has raised only €504K in total funding and appears to be largely self-sustaining, which in a market where the leading competitor has raised $65M+ is either a disadvantage or a signal of capital discipline. Anatomy Next competes on content quality and information design rather than fundraising volume, and it does so from Riga, Latvia.