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Scewo is a leading provider of innovative wheelchairs that help users overcome daily obstacles, combining mobility with independence.
Scewo has raised $9.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Scewo's investors include Verve Ventures.
Scewo AG is a Swiss medtech company that develops advanced electric wheelchairs, primarily the Scewo BRO, a self-balancing, all-terrain power wheelchair capable of climbing stairs, navigating uneven surfaces, and operating indoors or outdoors without requiring user torso stability[1][2][4][5][6][7]. It serves individuals with mobility impairments, solving key barriers like stairs, curbs, and accessibility limitations through intelligent sensors, app-based controls, joystick operation, adjustable seating, and features like seat height adjustment for eye-level interaction[1][2][5][7]. Launched commercially around 2020, Scewo has gained traction with approvals as a medical aid in Germany (2021), availability in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, partnerships with medical supply stores, and a recent CHF 9.2 million Series A extension in 2023 to drive profitability and US market entry; the company has grown to about 50 employees and earned awards like Swiss Medtech Award 2021 and design honors[3][5][6].
Scewo originated as a 2014 student project named "Scalevo" at ETH Zurich and ZHdK (Zurich University of the Arts), where ten students, including co-founder Thomas Gemperle, built a prototype stair-climbing wheelchair in nine months[4][6]. A 2015 demo video went viral, attracting global interest and leading Pascal Buholzer to join; the team competed in the 2016 Cybathlon, refining the technology[6]. In September 2017, Bernhard Winter, Pascal Buholzer, and Thomas Gemperle formally founded Scewo AG in Winterthur, Switzerland, evolving from the prototype toward the Scewo BRO[1][4][6]. Early milestones included serial production by 2020, with first customer deliveries in oversized gift boxes to long-time supporters, and rapid team growth to 50 by 2022 alongside market entries in Europe[6].
Scewo rides the wave of AI-driven assistive robotics and medtech digitization, addressing mobility disabilities affecting ~20 million people annually worldwide by merging sensors, self-balancing tech, and app integration—trends amplified by aging populations and post-pandemic accessibility demands[1][5]. Timing aligns with regulatory approvals (e.g., German medical aid listing) and funding for scalability, fueled by market forces like EU expansion needs and US entry potential amid rising demand for independent living tech[3][5]. It influences the ecosystem by pioneering "lifestyle solutions" that shift perceptions of wheelchairs from limitations to enablers, inspiring similar innovations in digital health and robotics while partnering with supply networks[2][6].
Scewo's path forward centers on US market penetration, profitability via the CHF 9.2M raise, EU-wide rollout, and enhancements like full autonomy, building on BRO's proven adoption[3][5]. Trends in AI personalization, regulatory streamlining for medtech, and inclusive design will propel growth, potentially expanding to new models or integrations. Its influence may evolve from niche innovator to ecosystem leader, redefining accessibility and amplifying startup impacts in mobility tech—echoing its origins in a viral student prototype that promised, and now delivers, barrier-free movement[6].
Scewo has raised $9.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $9.0M Series A in September 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2021 | $9.0M Series A | Verve Ventures |
