Japan's Whill closes $17.5m Series B

Other investors included Mirai Creation Investment and Golden Asia Fund II. According to a statement, the capital will be used to expand operations across Europe and the US, where the company already maintains an office and runs an airport rental program.

"Whill is one of those companies you come across every now and then as an investor which inspires you at a core human level," said David Milstein, a partner and head of Japan at Eight Roads. "It's a genuinely innovative mobility product offering a universal solution to a problem faced by people around the globe."

Founded in 2012, Whill develops wheelchairs and scooters with a focus on aesthetics and lifestyle compatibility. This business model brings technology and design capacities to both medical and non-medical personal mobility markets. The company's Model M wheelchair has recently received regulatory clearance in the US and is being marketed as a stylish alternative to devices with more clinical appearances.

The investment brings the company's total funding to date to $30.2 million. Innovation Network Corporation of Japan led an $11 million Series A round in 2014. This followed a $1 million seed round that attracted participation from Itochu Technology Venture, 500 Startups and Sun Bridge Global Ventures.

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• Topics
• North Asia
• North America
• Europe
• Expansion
• Healthcare
• Consumer
• Japan
• USA
• Eight Roads