The Ukrainian startup ComeBack Mobility, which develops smart crutch tips, has raised $1 million in seed funding. The startup received support from Ukrainian MedTech investment Fund Fison – represented by Dmitry Tomchuk, Former CEO of largest Ukrainian telecommunication operator Kyivstar – Peter Chernyshov, the pharmaceutical giant Farmak, as well as the Ukrainian diaspora in Chicago and a number of angel investors.
About ComeBack Mobility
ComeBack Mobility Crutch Tips is a tool to instruct correct weight-bearing on a limb after an injury or surgery. Ilya Popov and Liza Voronkova founded the project. Also, Dmitry Savenkov joined the team later and serves as COO now.
As representatives of the startup told AIN.UA, the development and assembly of the devices are carried out in Ukraine, except for some parts that are manufactured and shipped from China.
Smart Crutch Tip product testing began in August 2020, with three physicians participating in the clinical case studies. Within three days, the number of physicians enrolled in product testing grew to forty-four. Soon the team also intends to begin testing in Australia and the US.
The company will spend the money to produce 10,000 crutch tips for use by patients with fractures and musculoskeletal abnormalities. In the future, CMB also plans to release a product line for rehabilitation after hand injuries.
“According to the International Orthopedic Foundation, nearly 60 million people worldwide suffer lower extremity fractures annually. Statistics in the US show that 65.8 million people are injured annually, with nearly 8.5 million getting lower extremity fractures, and 2.1 million need to rehabilitate more than six weeks,” said Ilya Popov, CEO of ComeBack Mobility.
How it works
The Smart Crutch Tips have built-in force sensors that record the peak pressure a patient puts on the crutches as they step forward. In real time, data is processed through an algorithm that determines the amount of weight a patient places on their injured limb.
“Our smart crutch tips are an effective tool for monitoring how the patient loads the involved leg throughout the entire rehabilitation process,” Ilya Popov, CEO of ComeBack Mobility, comments.
The app analyzes how much load corresponds to the rehabilitation program. If the weight exceeds or fails to meet the prescribed weight-bearing status, the patient receives instant feedback to adjust the weight for the next step. Feedback is provided through light, sound, or vibration signals.
“One of the many advantages of the Smart Crutch Tips product is that, unlike insoles or sandals, it fits the reusable model. After a patient has recovered, the smart crutch tips can be used by another patient,” Liza Voronkova, CTO at ComeBack Mobility, said.