Atalante is a lower-body exoskeleton used for rehabilitation. | Source: Wandercraft
Wandercraft, a Paris-based developer of exoskeletons, raised $45 million in Series C funding. The company plans to use the funding to develop and launch a personal exoskeleton for outdoor and home use, as well as to accelerate the deployment of Atalante, Wandercraft’s rehabilitation exoskeleton, in the United States.
Atalante is a self-balanced, lower-body exoskeleton that emulates the way humans walk. The company began clinical trials for the exoskeleton in 2017. It was CE marked in 2019.
The exoskeleton is designed to allow the wearer to freely move their upper body and torso with the company’s hands-free feature. The exoskeleton is used to help physical therapy patients walk faster and with more ease.
“We are super excited to have attracted world-class investors from the USA and Europe to advance the development program of the company,” Matthieu Masselin, CEO of Wandercraft, said. “With the support of patients, medical professionals and the DeepTech community, Wandercraft’s team has created a unique technology that improves rehabilitation care and will soon enable people in wheelchairs to regain autonomy and improve their everyday health.”
The funding round was led by Quadrant Management, an investment firm based in New York. It included participation from Bpifrance, SofiOuest, XAnge, Eurazeo, LBO France and Cemag Invest. Part of the funding also came from health insurance companies like MACSF, Malakoff Humanis, AG2R La Mondiale and Mutuelle Impact.
“Wandercraft has succeeded in developing a revolutionary exoskeleton for the treatment of patients whose daily autonomy has been impaired,” Stanislas Subra, head of investments at MACSF Group and a member of Wandercraft’s board of directors, said. “It is only fitting that we are delighted to participate in the rapid development of a French innovation alongside healthcare professionals.”
Wandercraft also announced that Alan Quasham, the chairman and CEO of Quadrant Management, is joining Wandercraft’s board of directors.
This is amazing news. I have a 26 year old son who was in a motorcycle accident and has spinal cord injuries and is paralyzed from waist down and no movement of left arm and left hand. So making life normal has been challenging. Do they have clinical studies that my son can be a part of? Or any finicial funding to be able to purchase one? Please let me know . Thank you for this.
I had a back injury when I was doing a Powerlifting movement (Deadlifting) when I was 25 years old. Since that incident I noticed my Spine deteriorating. I have undergone a Laminectomy, a Cervical Fusion, a Lumbar Fusion, and a Back surgery in an attempt to to stretch the Sciatic nerve and remove scar tissue to alleviate the stenosis and psin. All of the procedures were unsuccessful. I am now 67 years old and rapidly losing my ability to walk.! am Stubborn and have been enduring excruciating pain for years and have have also tried physical therapy, water therapy, pain shots,radio frequency ablation, acupuncture, Biofeedback,meditation and medications but have been unsuccessful at improving my gait or releaving my pain symptoms. I have been watching the progress with Exoskeletons and would like to try this technology. I have also been diagnosed with having s “TIA” about ten years ago.