WeWALK secures £2m from Nesta Impact Investments and others to advance smart cane technology.
The funding round was led by Nesta Impact Investments to support product development and international growth.
WeWALK builds assistive mobility technology for blind and visually impaired people. Its flagship smart cane uses ultrasound and artificial intelligence to detect obstacles and provide audio feedback.
WeWALK has secured £2m in a seed funding round to advance its smart cane technology and expand its international presence. The investment was led by Nesta Impact Investments, alongside participation from KHP Ventures, APY Ventures, Vestel Ventures, crowdfunding participants on Crowdcube, and angel investor İlkay Gündoğan.
The fresh capital will be directed towards product development, including the creation of new computer vision features in partnership with Imperial College London and the Royal National Institute of Blind People. These enhancements aim to provide users with detailed environmental awareness, such as reading road signs and recognising approaching acquaintances.
From the founder
"WeWALK’s products are already transforming the lives of visually impaired people across the world by improving their mobility, but there’s so much more to be done. We want to scale our business to reach a wider global audience and advance our technology to offer better, more meaningful information to visually impaired people, older people, and anyone that faces mobility challenges. This VC-backed round will enable us to unlock that next phase of development and transform mobility for millions."
Gökhan Meriçliler
Co-founder & CEO at WeWALK
Investor perspective
"One of our core missions at Nesta is to help people live longer, healthier lives – and together with Innovate UK, we are able to put both grant and equity investment into some of the most exciting companies tackling health in later life. We’re huge admirers of the WeWALK team and really excited about the potential of the product to enrich the lives of those with visual impairments. We’re looking forward to working with them to bring their products to a much wider audience."
Tolly Humphreys
Investment Manager, Nesta Impact Investments
Use of funds
- 01Continue product development
- 02Expand into international markets
Investors
Tolly Humphreys
Nesta Impact Investments
Daniel Dickens
KHP Ventures
APY Ventures
Vestel Ventures
Crowdcube
İlkay Gündoğan
Categories
About the company
WeWALK
WeWALK provides smart navigation technology and mobility solutions for blind and visually impaired people.