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28
Sep. 2017
Venture

Wandercraft raises 15m

Wandercraft, world leader in autonomous exos

Wandercraft leverages the most advanced robotics to let wheelchair users walk again.

Founded in 2012, Wandercraft is the first company in the world to master the technologies required to design and control autonomous exos capable of human-like walk.

Wandercraft has built a disruptive technological advantage in the algorithms of dynamic robotics that allow to mimic a human walker by creating a balanced gait from permanent unbalance, and in mechatronics and bio-mechanics.

These breakthroughs have been achieved by one of the world’s best walk robotics team, gathering in Paris 30 experts in robotics, algorithms, clinical trials, quality, regulation and marketing. Wandercraft is actively hiring new talents in these fields.

The company will communicate soon on the successful clinical trials of the exo’s version designed for rehabilitation centers. Other clinical trials are planned to prove that exos delivering a realistic walk should enable more effective treatments in rehabilitation centers, and provide mobility-impaired persons with autonomy in their daily living.

Autonomous exos will change the lives of millions of wheelchair users and of their physicians, physios and carers.

Top-notch investors to break the disability barrier

After a 5-year stealth period, Wandercraft’s team announces the closing of a Series B round of €15 million with five top-tier investors : XAnge, IDinvest, Cemag Invest and Bpifrance, followed by the company’s historical shareholder LBO France.

The funds raised will contribute to scaling Wandercraft’s team, obtaining the exo approval from healthcare authorities, entering the global rehabilitation center market and developing the exo’s personal version.

Nicolas Simon, CEO and one of the three founders of Wandercraft, has declared: « We are proud to have built a fantastic investor team around our mission, to bring autonomy to wheelchair users. They do not only bring funding but a unique combined experience in robotics, medical technologies and global growth. With the success of the first clinical trials and after 5 years of development on the leading edge of robotics and medicine, we now have all the resources needed to enter the market and contribute to breaking the disability barrier.”

Wandercraft

Wandercraft’s job is to let walking-impaired persons walk again. Wandercraft develops and commercializes the first autonomous walk exo. With this exo, persons with Spinal Cord Injury stood up and walked, with a realistic gait , autonomously and without crutches in world premiere clinical trials.

Wandercraft’s team works on the edge of walk robotics, with the best academic labs in dynamic robotics and reputable medical teams, in Europe and the USA. The company plans to soon distribute its exos to rehabilitation centers and is developing a personal version. It received many prestigious awards and is supported by ambitious investors.

Wandercraft makes real the promise of robotics to offer an ordinary life to extraordinary people.

Jean-Louis Constanza, Chief Business Officer – jean-louis.constanza@wandercraft.eu – www.wandercraft.eu

About LBO France

As a key player in private equity with €3.6bn of capital under management, LBO France is an independent company which has been supporting French companies in their growth for more than 30 years. Its strategy is based on 4 investment approaches in non-listed companies, managed by dedicated teams: (i) Mid Cap buyout via the White Knight funds and Small Cap buyout via the Hexagone funds, (ii) Venture Capital via the Innovation Capital funds, (iii) Real Estate via the White Stone and Lapillus funds, (iv) Debt. www.lbofrance.com

SISA fund, dedicated to digital healthcare and autonomy, includes 9 investments : Voluntis, FittingBox, Zesty, Wandercraft, Biomodex, H4D, Kayentis, OpenHealth Company and BioSerenity.

Contact : Valery Huot, Partner – Head of Innovation Capital – valery.huot@lbofrance.com

Contact Presse: Citigate Dewe Rogerson – Robert Amady – +33 6 72 63 08 91 – robert.amady@citigate.fr / Daiana Hirte – +33 7 60 90 89 12 – daiana.hirte@citigate.fr

About XAnge

XAnge is a Franco-German Venture Capital team with €400m under management, investing in Software, Internet, Hard tech and Impact entrepreneurs. XAnge is part of Siparex, a leading French private equity group.

www.XAnge.fr

About Idinvest Partners

With more than €8 billion under management, Idinvest Partners is a leading pan-European private equity firm focused on the mid-market segment. Idinvest Partners has developed several complementary areas of expertise including: investments in innovative European startups; mid-market direct lending (unitranche, senior loans and junior financing); primary and secondary investments in unlisted European companies, and private equity consulting. Founded under the name AGF Private Equity in 1997, Idinvest Partners was formerly part of Allianz until 2010 when it became an independent firm.

www.idinvest.com

About Cemag Invest

Cemag Invest is a family office created following the divestiture of the pharmaceutical company HRA. It focuses on early dev and cap dev minority investment in healthcare companies and BtoB services, always alongside institutional investors.

Catherine Dunand, President – c.dunand@cemag-invest.com

About Bpifrance

Equity investment are operated by Bpifrance Investissement. Bpifrance, a subsidiary of the French state and the Caisse des Dépôts and the entrepreneurs’ trusted partner, finances businesses from the seed phase to IPO, through loans, guarantees and equity investments. Bpifrance also provides operational services and strong support for innovation, export, and external growth in parnertship with Business France. Bpifrance offers to businesses a large range of financing opportunities at each key step of their development, including offers adapted to regional specificities. With its 50 regional offices (90% of decisions are made locally) Bpifrance represents a strategic tool for economic competitiveness dedicated to entrepreneurs. Bpifrance acts as a back-up for initiatives driven by the French State and the Regions to tackle 3 goals:

· Contributing to SME’s growth

· Preparing tomorrow’s competitiveness

· Contributing to the development of a positive entrepreneur ecosystem.

With Bpifrance, businesses benefit from a powerful, efficient and close representative, to answer all their needs in terms of financing, innovation and investment.

www.bpifrance.fr Twitter: @bpifrance / @bpifrancepresse

Nicolas Jehly – nicolas.jehly@bpifrance.fr – 01 41 79 95 12

 

 

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