Nobi Raises $37m In Series B Funding For Ai-driven Fall Detection Technology
Belgian AgeTech innovator Nobi has successfully secured €35 million ($37 million) in an oversubscribed Series B funding round to advance its AI-powered smart light designed for fall detection and prevention among the elderly.
The financing round was co-led by Angelini Ventures and Nexus NeuroTech Ventures, with participation from Japanese investor 15th Rock and existing investors, including EQT Health Economics, EQT Dementia Fund, Belgian investment company PMV and Nobi’s co-founders Roeland Pelgrims and Bert De Haes. Co-founding business angel Balz Halter also reaffirmed his commitment by contributing to the Series B funding round.
In a news release, Nobi said that the securing of “outstanding new partner-investors” will support Nobi in strengthening market leadership in the UK and the US and enhance the platform with new features to improve care home workflows.
The new series funding comes just a few weeks after the announcement of Nobi’s partnership with Frontier Management, one of the largest senior care providers in the US.
Nobi’s smart light integrates optical care sensors and AI to monitor environments continuously, detecting falls in real-time and alerting caregivers promptly.
According to England’s National Health System (NHS), the prevalence of falls among the elderly is high, with the potential to cause significant injury, disability and even death.
More than half of individuals over the age of 80 experience at least one fall annually. These incidents can result in broken bones, potentially triggering a series of more severe health complications.
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With a rapidly aging global population, fall prevention is an important public health and patient safety concern.
Nobi explains that timely intervention after a fall is critical, as prolonged time periods on the floor (lie period) of over an hour significantly increase the risk of complications and even death. Research shows that waiting more than an hour raises the six-month mortality risk to 50%.
At first glance, Nobi appears to be a simple light hanging in the center of a room. However, it houses a powerful AI system that operates in real time, processing data locally to ensure enhanced privacy and reliability.
Developed over six years by leading AI experts, Nobi says the model has been trained on more than 250,000 real-life scenarios with the aim of making a meaningful impact on the lives of elderly individuals and their caregivers.
Beyond fall detection, the lamp offers features such as automatic lighting to prevent disorientation and circadian rhythm support to promote natural sleep patterns.
Clinical evaluations have demonstrated the lamp’s efficacy in enhancing elderly care.
In a study conducted across five care homes over nearly 3,000 resident days, Nobi’s technology enabled caregivers to respond 94% faster to falls, reducing average intervention times from over an hour to just four minutes.
Additionally, the implementation of Nobi’s smart lamps led to a 51% reduction in falls immediately after installation, with some facilities reporting reductions as high as 84% following the activation of additional prevention measures.
According to Nobi, the NHS has begun implementing the lamps in care homes across Lancashire and South Cumbria. This decision followed a successful pilot study at Hartland House in Milnthorpe, where eight lamps detected 100% of falls and helped prevent four out of five incidents.
“This funding milestone is yet another proof of the overwhelming need for AgeTech solutions that combine gold standard technology with award-winning design,” said Pelgrims, who also serves as Nobi’s CEO, in the news release. “Having such a diverse group of world-class investors and an all-star board reaffirms the global potential of our mission.”
The AgeTech industry — featuring technology designed to address the challenges and opportunities associated with aging — is experiencing significant growth, driven by demographic shifts and increased demand for solutions that support older adults.
According to an estimate by 4Gen Ventures, a VC fund specializing in AgeTech, the market could expand to $2 trillion. Innovations in this sector include smart appliances, connected in-home devices, wearable robotics and digital care companions designed to support older generations.
A 2023 report estimates that the AgeTech market could reach $2.7 trillion by 2025, reflecting an annual growth rate of 21%.
In the area of fall prevention, SafelyYou is the developer of an AI-driven fall detection system for senior living communities. Apple Watch also has fall detection and emergency SOS features that help connect individuals to emergency services when necessary. Vayyar Care offers a touchless system consisting of fall detection sensors using radar technology.
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