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The Cionic Neural Sleeve aims to help people living with multiple sclerosis, stroke, cerebral palsy and other mobility impairments. | Source: CIONIC

CIONIC, a bionic clothing company, brought in $12.5 million in Series A funding, bringing the company’s total funding to date to $23 million. The company’s first product, the Cionic Neural Sleeve, recently received FDA clearance. 

The Cionic Neural Sleeve combines movement analysis and augmentation into a wearable device with a sleek and comfortable design that can be operated by a smartphone. The sleeve analyzes, predicts and augments a person’s movements, helping to reduce pain and increase mobility in users. 

It works by first using a dense array of sensors to measure how the user’s body is positioned and how their individual muscles fire during movements. It then predicts intended movements by measuring electrical signals from the brain, and algorithms analyze this data in real-time to decide optimal muscle activation patterns. The sleeve then delivers Functional Electrical Stimulation to sequence proper muscle firing for natural movement. 

Multi-site trials with the Cionic Neural Sleeve found that 94% of participants showed improved mobility while wearing the sleeve. Additionally, another study that aimed to test the sleeve’s effectiveness over time found that the number of participants who experienced moderate to severe pain reduced by 60%. The study also found that the number of participants experiencing moderate to severe anxiety or depression also dropped by 75%. 

“We are on the precipice of a global mobility crisis, as twenty percent of the world’s population is projected to have a movement disability by 2050. It’s time to bring technological innovation to this growing problem. Forward-looking investors realize that we need to take action today, and we are proud to be backed by a group of investors who recognize the need for better solutions and have joined us in our mission to redefine human mobility,” Jeremiah Robison, Founder and CEO of CIONIC, said.

Robison was recently a guest on The Robot Report Podcast. He told the story about how his daughter’s diagnosis of cerebral palsy led to the founding of CIONIC in 2018. You can listen to that episode of the podcast here.

BlueRun Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm, led the round. John Malloy of BlueRun Ventures will be joining CIONIC’s Board of Directors. Caffeinated Capital, EPIC Ventures, JobsOhio Growth Capital Fund and LDV Capital also participated in the round. 

CIONIC plans to use the funding to manufacture and deliver CIONIC’s mobility technology. It will also be used to accelerate research trials and the commercialization of additional indications. CIONIC hopes to achieve a robust product pipeline across the spectrum of mobility. 

“There are more than thirty-five million individuals with mobility challenges in the United States alone. I’m privileged to have known Jeremiah and the team for many years and have seen the passion, innovation, and excellence they have brought to market in the Cionic Neural Sleeve. The team has a bold vision and the ability to execute it, and we are thrilled to continue to help drive this vision forward and revolutionize human mobility as we know it today,” Malloy said.