Y Combinator co-founder Paul Graham teases that an unnamed startup built an MRI machine in 101 days

@paulg

There's a startup in the current YC batch that built an MRI machine in 101 days.

@paulg their website is generically vibe coded.

@maximusgrave @dessaigne When I meet companies in the current batch I don't know whether they've launched publicly or not.

@paulg They're pretty straightforward. The ~3 month sourcing time is impressive tho

@rickasaurus

Traditional clinical MRIs take years to develop & cost $1-3M+ per unit (plus months for install + shielded rooms).

The YC startup (Spring 2026 batch) is Adialante. They built a compact mobile whole-body MRI prototype in 101 days during the batch.

It uses ~50% less hardware, is quieter/lighter, needs no special infrastructure, and runs on a per-scan fee model (hundreds per scan).

Highly cost-effective for access — first unit scanning by demo day. Big step toward affordable screening.

@paulg gonna be tough to compete with United Imaging Healthcare (out of China). very aggressive with product features, pricing and no charge upgrades.

@paulg I like the YC turn towards manufacturing

@paulg @ycombinator That’s incredible. MRIs should be widely available for cheap.

@paulg Someone in the yc batch working on quantum computing related problems or not ? (Also why would you built an MRI machine when it already exists)

Don't you mean 101 minutes now? I saw the originators of the first MRI presentation back about 1981. And it had been around a while then. My chemistry classroom in 1966 had NMR magnets for diy experiments. It is not rocket science or hard engineering. Just ask your AI.

I am saying that Paul is way too enthused by a group that took 101 days to make one. Today's competent AIs and just in time prototypes, simulations and SDR methods mean it is possible to throw an MRI together much faster now. 101 days would be SLOW.

https://x.com/i/grok/share/c384a9e91abd42a59a0692292f96cf5c

@paulg Can they do it without the helium?

@paulg 101 days to an MRI machine is one of those startup facts that sounds completely fake until you remember how much of "impossible" is just procurement, coordination, and old assumptions wearing a lab coat.

@paulg that sounds based af but need a lot more info to be convinced… of basedness

@paulg Faster than getting access to one in Canada

@paulg @dessaigne I’m curious @paulg whenever you post about these companies, what is the harm in mentioning them by name?

@paulg 101 days to build an mri machine... what are the rest of us even doing

@paulg 101 days is shorter than most companies take to pick a design agency

@broblas @paulg Ya, rare for me to post a meme, especially one so fresh, but same vibes as: