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Founded in 2011 by Matteo Lai, Simone Tognetti, Maurizio Garbarino, and Rosalind Picard, Empatica develops medical grade wearable devices and artificial intelligence platforms for the continuous monitoring of physiological signals like electrodermal activity. Backed by over 32 million dollars in venture capital funding, the Cambridge enterprise operates with a workforce of more than 100 employees distributed across three continents and generates approximately 21 million dollars in annual revenue. The firm supplies digital biomarker and neurological research technology to more than 3000 institutional clients in over 40 countries. Its proprietary hardware, including the Embrace smartwatch, has secured first of its kind regulatory clearance from the FDA for pediatric and adult epilepsy monitoring applications. Furthermore, the organization has established strategic research partnerships with the United States Government DRIVe initiative and clinical researchers affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Empatica has raised $31.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Empatica has raised $31.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Empatica is a technology company specializing in medical-grade wearable devices, AI-powered software, and algorithms designed to collect and interpret physiological data for healthcare applications, particularly in neurological conditions like epilepsy. Their flagship products, such as the Embrace2 and EmbracePlus smartwatches, serve patients, clinicians, and researchers by enabling continuous, remote monitoring of vital signs and neurological activity to detect seizures and other health events. Empatica’s solutions address critical problems in early detection, monitoring, and management of chronic and acute conditions, with a strong growth trajectory marked by multiple FDA clearances and global adoption in over 160 countries[1][3][5][7].
Founded as an MIT Media Lab spinoff in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Empatica was born from interdisciplinary expertise in architecture, AI, biomedical engineering, and affective computing. The idea emerged from a desire to create unobtrusive, wearable technology that could improve patient outcomes by providing real-time physiological insights. Early traction was achieved through a successful Indiegogo campaign in 2014 for the Embrace device, developed in partnership with The Epilepsy Foundation, which later became the first FDA-cleared medical wristwatch for epilepsy monitoring in 2018. Since then, Empatica has expanded its product line and regulatory approvals, including pediatric use and continuous health monitoring platforms[1][3][6].
Empatica rides the growing trend of digital health transformation, leveraging AI and wearable biosensors to shift healthcare from episodic to continuous, personalized monitoring. The timing is critical due to rising chronic disease burdens, increasing demand for remote patient management, and advances in sensor technology and cloud computing. Market forces such as regulatory support for digital therapeutics and telehealth expansion favor Empatica’s solutions. By enabling early detection of seizures and other physiological anomalies, Empatica influences the broader ecosystem by improving patient safety, reducing hospitalizations, and accelerating clinical research[1][2][8].
Empatica is poised to expand its influence by advancing AI-driven predictive health monitoring and broadening applications beyond epilepsy to respiratory infections, sleep disorders, and general wellness. Trends such as personalized medicine, integration of wearables into healthcare workflows, and regulatory acceptance of digital biomarkers will shape their journey. Future innovations may include enhanced forecasting algorithms, smaller form factors like the recently unveiled EmbraceMini, and deeper partnerships with healthcare providers and research institutions. Empatica’s continued growth will likely reinforce its leadership in medical wearables, driving improved outcomes for millions of patients globally[7][9].
Empatica has raised $31.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Empatica's investors include Noga Yerushalmi, Sanofi Ventures, Section 32, Vertex Ventures Israel, Sigalit Klimovsky, Dalus Capital, Endeavor Catalyst, Kaszek Ventures, Mindset Ventures, Oikos Innovation Capital.
Empatica has raised $31.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $26.0M Series B in August 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2022 | $26M Series B | — | Noga Yerushalmi, Sanofi Ventures, Section 32, Vertex Ventures Israel, Sigalit Klimovsky | Announced |
| Nov 1, 2016 | $5M Series A | — | Dalus Capital, Endeavor Catalyst, Kaszek Ventures, Mindset Ventures, Oikos Innovation Capital | Announced |
