Medical robotics company Wandercraft receives €25 million in financing from EIB to advance self-balancing exoskeletal technology
Medical robotics company Wandercraft receives €25 million in financing from EIB to advance self-balancing exoskeletal technology
• Wandercraft receives €25 million in financing from European Investment Bank
• Support for the acceleration of development of Wandercraft’s personal exoskeleton, the first and only self-balancing exoskeleton designed for everyday use
• Deal benefits from guarantee under European Commission’s InvestEU programme
PARIS, France – 3 April 2024 – French medtech company Wandercraft receives €25 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to develop their new Personal Exoskeleton, the first and only self-balancing exoskeleton designed for everyday use for individuals with severe mobility impairments.
Funding will also be used to accelerate patient access to Atalante X, the world’s first self-balancing robot designed for use with patients in rehabilitation commercialized by Wandecraft since 2019. Atalante X is in nearly 100 rehabilitation institutions and clinical research centers across Europe and the United States. Atalante X has been evaluated in hundreds of patients around the world, including clinical trials and real-world evidence.
Ambroise Fayolle, EIB Vice-President, commented, “Wandercraft’s exoskeletons have the potential to forever change the lives of people with walking impairments. We are proud to support emerging innovations in the healthcare sector and enhance the quality of life and welfare of patients on a global
scale.”
Matthieu Masselin, CEO of Wandercraft, added, “At Wandercraft, our focus is on improving patient outcomes and creating a world where everyone can stand up and walk. From restoring a parent's ability to walk their child' down the aisle to the simple act of standing and shaking hands after a meeting, we are eager to provide patients with the full range of experiences that life has to offer. This commitment from the EIB allows us to further accelerate our already rapid advancement in achieving this mission and furthers our ability to impact more people faster than ever.”
In December 13, 23, Wandercraft received confirmation from the United States Food and Drug administration (FDA) for their clearance of Atalante X for individuals with spinal cord injuries at levels T5 to L5. This follows Atalante X’s previous clearance for stroke, making it one of the few FDA-cleared exoskeletons on the market today, and the only FDA cleared exoskeleton with a powered ankle mechanism mimics a natural human gait.
The EIB’s new €25 million loan benefits from a guarantee under the European Commission’s InvestEU programme.
About Wandercraft
Wandercraft is a global manufacturer developing and commercializing advanced robotic solutions to enable people with walking impairments to stand up and walk again. The Company has used its engineering expertise to design Atalante X, the world's first self-balancing walking exoskeleton which emulates human walking and provides hands-free multi-directional locomotion. Atalante X is already used by many hospitals and healthcare facilities in Europe and the USA. Several different walking programs are designed to support rehabilitation and greater independence.
For more information, please visit https://en.wandercraft.eu/#hero-demo.
About European Investment Bank
The European Investment Bank (EIB)’s mission is to contribute to the integration, balanced development and economic and social cohesion of the European Union. It borrows large volumes of funds on the capital markets and lends them on very favourable terms to support projects furthering EU policy objectives. The EIB is working to put the European Union at the forefront of the next wave of innovation, especially in the health sector. As the EU climate bank, the EIB is one of the main providers of finance in the green transition towards a more sustainable, low-carbon growth model.
About InvestEU
The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investments for the European Union's policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. The InvestEU programme brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments currently available to support investment in the European Union, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners that will invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment.
Media contacts
Wandercraft
Lilly Kofler
Global Head of Marketing & Communications
lilly.kofler@wandercraft.health
ICR Consilium (for Wandercraft)
Andrew Stern, Jack Bissett
Wandercraft@consilium-comms.com
+44 (0)20 3709 5700
EIB
Christophe Alix
C.alix@eib.org
+33 6 11 81 30 99
European Commission
Flora Matthaes
Flora.matthaes@ec.europa.eu
+32 229 8395