Amsterdam-based Kepler Vision Technologies, a healthcare software developer, announced on Thursday that it has received a €1.5M investment from ROM InWest.
The Dutch company will use the funds to accelerate the production of its ‘Kepler Night Nurse’ solution. This smart sensor technology can be used in various fields, including elderly care, to reduce the workload of healthcare professionals while improving the quality of care.
The company will also utilise the funds to expand its reach with plans to enter the UK and US markets, among others.
Currently, Kepler Night Nurse has already been distributed internationally in 26 European countries, including Spain, Belgium, and Norway, and has been implemented in several nursing homes and hospitals.
Harro Stokman, CEO of Kepler Vision Technologies, says, “The healthcare industry has been struggling with acute staff shortages for years. This problem is only exacerbated by the aging population. A quarter of the current workforce will retire in the next five years while the number of elderly people continues to grow. Elder care, therefore, needs more support than ever. Thanks to ROM InWest’s investment, we can scale up our Kepler Night Nurse production to help more healthcare professionals in their work. My goal is for our software to be accessible around the world, and with great support like this, we are getting closer to that goal.”
Kepler Vision Technologies: Optimising the efficiency of healthcare delivery
Led by Harro Stokman (CEO), Kepler Vision Technologies develops an AI that looks after the well-being of humans, particularly in eldercare centers.
The company’s proprietary computer vision technology allows staff to respond immediately to patients in distress and virtually eliminates false alarms.
The Kepler Night Nurse solution is a computer vision-based detection system designed to monitor patients’ body position and posture.
By utilising machine learning training and computer vision, Kepler Night Nurse can detect falls, patient discomfort, and abnormal behavior and immediately notify the nursing staff.
Recently, the company has added a new lying position detection feature that can help prevent pressure ulcers.
Compared to current motion sensors, bed mats, and portable monitoring systems, this technology is more advanced and reduces false alarms, preventing unnecessary burden on nursing staff.
Kepler Vision Technologies is a spin-off company from the University of Amsterdam.
The investor
ROM InWest is the regional development agency of the Dutch province of North Holland.
It focuses on the societal transitions essential in energy, circular economy, food, and digitalisation.
Through various accelerator programmes, ROM InWest supports these entrepreneurs in scaling up and making their solutions fundable and helps them find external financiers.
ROM InWest also invests in these companies from the SME Fund and the Transition Fund
Janet Nieboer, CEO of ROM InWest, says, “We are proud to contribute to Kepler’s healthcare solution. The Kepler Night Nurse offers a smart and reliable alternative to existing home automation systems. It contributes to good patient care and makes the work of healthcare professionals more efficient. Smart care solutions like this are essential to maintaining the quality and affordability of our health care system.”
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