Amsterdam’s Pulse4all secures €5M to boost AED access and cardiac arrest survival across Europe

Amsterdam-based Pulse4all, a provider of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), has raised €5M in funding to fund its mission of increasing AED accessibility across Europe.

This round includes contributions of €1M from founder equity, €2M from angel investors, and €2M from small-scale investors, all accumulated over the past 15 months.

Investors backing Pulse4all not only contribute to a life-saving initiative but also benefit financially, with an effective annual interest rate of 8.5 per cent on their investment.

What is an AED?

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are portable devices that play a critical role in saving lives during cardiac arrest, an event where the heart stops suddenly, cutting off blood flow to vital organs.

AEDs analyse heart rhythms and, if needed, deliver a shock to restart the heart, significantly improving survival rates when used quickly with CPR. AEDs, now common in public areas, businesses, schools, and homes, are proven to be effective and essential tools in emergencies.

Sustainable subscription-based AED access

Pulse4all was founded by Peter Houtzagers to make AEDs more accessible and reliable for individuals and small businesses. With years of experience in the European AED market, he noticed that many AEDs sold were not always ready for use when needed. 

Pulse4all aims to improve access to functioning Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in the Netherlands, where 50 people suffer cardiac arrests daily, with 35 often fatal due to lack of nearby, ready-to-use AEDs.

The company’s all-inclusive €35 subscription model provides individuals and small businesses with AEDs that are always maintained and ready for use, removing the hassle and cost of ownership. 

Pulse4all also promotes sustainability by tracking AED components, arranging for prompt exchange of devices needing maintenance, and ensuring all parts are recycled or responsibly disposed of.

The company aims to provide widespread AED availability in homes, workplaces, and public spaces. Currently, Pulse4all serves thousands of customers in the Netherlands, the UK, and France.

Focus on expansion and community health

Pulse4all plans to use recent funding to acquire, place, and maintain thousands of AEDs to aid in cases of sudden cardiac arrest. It has already deployed 2,000 devices in its primary markets and aims to place over 6,000 AEDs by 2025. 

To support this expansion and entry into eight additional European countries, Pulse4all will focus most of its funds on AED procurement, with the rest allocated to sales and operational expenses. 

The company also aims to raise €1M monthly from individual investors to sustain its growth.

Founder Houtzagers says, “The Netherlands is a leader in saving lives during cardiac arrests. We are the only country with so-called 6-minute zones, which raise the survival rate in the Netherlands to nearly 30 per cent, compared to 10 per cent across Europe.”

“It’s possible to increase the survival rate throughout Europe to 70 per cent by implementing 3-minute zones, potentially preventing 350,000 unnecessary deaths annually. With investor support, we can make a real difference. The more investors who back Pulse4all, the more AEDs we can deploy across Europe.”