Reyedar (prev. Reperio Medtech) Secures € 3 Million Investment to Revolutionize Degenerative Disease Screening by combining Eye Tracking and Deep Learning

Groningen, 5 July 2023 – Reyedar, a deeptech startup developing a proprietary medical technology platform for early detection of age-related degenerative diseases, announced today that it secured a € 3 million investment to further advance its ground-breaking solution. Eye tracking technology combined with deep learning provides a unique window to the brain and to people’s health situations in which many age-related diseases can be detected. The funding round is led by Cottonwood Technology Fund, a leading venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology companies. The round was joined by NOM, Pupil Labs, Uneti Ventures, and existing investor Blue Sparrows MedTech Fund.

As the aging population grows rapidly, the number of people with degenerative diseases such as Glaucoma, Parkinson’s, and Multiple Sclerosis increases. Screening methods for these diseases are often invasive, unreliable, and time-consuming, leading to pressure on the healthcare system. Reyedar’s technology solves this problem by detecting early symptoms within minutes in a non-invasive way. Combining deep learning with eye tracking sensors on a user-friendly device, the company improves treatment outcomes and decreases healthcare costs.

Reyedar, previously known as Reperio Medtech, is a spin-off company of the Ophthalmology Department of the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands.

“This investment is a huge opportunity to accelerate the development and commercialization of our technology. Everyone in our team is really thankful and thrilled,” said Dr. Alessandro Grillini, Founder & CEO of Reyedar. “With this funding, we will grow our team, launch our first product in the eye care market, expand our product offering, and ultimately improve the lives of millions of people affected by age-related degenerative diseases.”

“It is very exciting to lead this investment in Reyedar and support the development of this ground-breaking technology,” said Patrick Claessen, Partner of Cottonwood Technology Fund. “Reyedar has an experienced team and developed an impressive technology platform that translates eye movement to actionable medical insights. The company has the potential to make a huge positive impact on human lives by healthier aging for millions of people.”

“We are delighted to participate in this funding round for Reyedar,” said Annemieke Wouterse, Senior Investment Manager at NOM. “The company’s innovative technology offers early detection of multiple degenerative diseases using the eyes as a window into one’s health. This technology significantly reduces waiting lists in the health sector, and we look forward to working with the team to bring their technology to market.”

Reyedar (www.reyedar.com)

Reyedar is a medical technology company on a mission to improve access to early diagnosis of life-impairing degenerative diseases. By using eye tracking sensors and deep learning, the company creates medical devices for diagnosing visual impairments, neurological diseases, and cognitive disorders. This unique hardware-software combination called SONDA (Standardized Oculomotor and Neuro-ophthalmic Disorders Assessment) allows for extremely fast, objective, and user-friendly testing. 

Nederlandse versie onderaan

DIAGNOSIS OF GLAUCOMA USING EYE-TRACKING TECHNOLOGY

Start-up developing diagnostic technology for glaucoma and neurodegenerative diseases raises investment

Delft, 5 November 2020 – Reperio, an UMCG spin-off company, accelerates the diagnostic process for glaucoma and neurodegenerative diseases using eye-tracking technology. Blue Sparrows is investing in the company and will support Reperio in the development path that will lead to market introduction of the technology.

Glaucoma permanently limits the visual field of patients suffering from this condition, while neurodegenerative diseases severely impact the overall quality-of-life of patients. To evaluate the severity of these conditions, patients generally have to sit still for a long time while following instructions to perform complex tasks. With the innovative technology of Reperio this process can be completed in minutes. This leads to a cost reduction. Additionally, the ease of the measurement makes it suitable to monitor patients repeatedly over time. This makes it possible to evaluate the effect of treatments, and adjust treatments when necessary.

This technology results from the Ph.D. research of Alessandro, which he will publicly defend on November 11th 2020. The investment allows Reperio to further develop the technology and create a marketable product. ‘The Blue Sparrows proved their great worth even before finalizing the investment. They immediately sharpened my business model and helped in solidify my IP position, both crucial aspects for the future of our company. The aspects that I like the most is their speed to act and laser-like focus’, says Alessandro Grillini, founder of Reperio.

‘We are convinced that Reperio will have a big impact on the diagnostic process in Ophthalmology and Neurology. This will lead to a reduction of costs and more effective treatments. We are more than impressed by the innovation capabilities of the company and we look forward to this collaboration’, says Peter Krekel, Blue Sparrow and coach of the Reperio team.

More information: www.reperio-medtech.com

DIAGNOSE VAN GLAUCOOM MET EYE-TrackingTechnologie

Start-up met diagnosetechnologie voor glaucoom en neurodegeneratieve aandoeningen haalt investering op

Delft, 5 november 2020 – Reperio, een UMCG spin-off, versnelt de diagnose van glaucoom en neurodegeneratieve aandoeningen door het volgen van oogbewegingen. Blue Sparrows heeft in het bedrijf geïnvesteerd en zal Reperio ondersteunen in het ontwikkeltraject dat zal leiden tot de marktintroductie van de technologie.

Glaucoom is een aandoening waarbij beperking of uitval van het gezichtsveld optreedt. Degeneratieve aandoeningen zijn aandoeningen die de neuronen in de hersenen aantasten. Voor de vaststelling en evaluatie van de ernst worden metingen gedaan waarbij de patiënt langdurig stil moet zitten en opdrachten moet uitvoeren. Met de innovatie van Reperio kan dit proces verkort worden tot enkele minuten. Naast de kostenbesparing maakt deze verbetering het mogelijk om vaker een meting uit te voeren, bijvoorbeeld om te evalueren of een behandeling effectief is.

De technologie komt voort uit het promotieonderzoek van Alessandro, dat hij op 11 november 2020 zal verdedigen. Met de investering kan de technologie tot een vermarktbaar product worden doorontwikkeld. “De Blue Sparrows hebben hun waarde al ruim bewezen voordat de investering rond was. Ze hebben geholpen bij het verfijnen van het business model en het verstevigen van de IP-positie, twee cruciale aspecten voor de toekomst van Reperio. Wat mij zeer aanspreekt is de snelheid en laserscherpe focus,” vertelt Alessandro Grillini, oprichter van Reperio.

“Wij zijn ervan overtuigd dat Reperio de diagnostiek zal versnellen voor veel aandoeningen binnen de oogheelkunde en neurologie. We zijn bijzonder onder de indruk van de innovatiekracht van het bedrijf en kijken dan ook uit naar deze samenwerking”, zegt Peter Krekel, Blue Sparrow en coach van het team.

Meer informatie: www.reperio-medtech.com