Koalaa - prosthetics reimagined and redesigned

by Startacus Admin

The lowdown on Koalaa, the London-based startup that's innovating soft prosthetics for babies, children and adults

With startups like The Open Hand Project and Open Bionics, we have written in the past about the need to bring affordable, usable prosthetics to people. In the UK, there are around 45,000 people who use prosthetics, and the NHS spends £60 million per year on prosthetic services, so there are plenty of people who could benefit from high-quality prosthetics that allow them to perform everyday activities that would otherwise be a lot harder.

London-based soft prosthetics startup Koalaa provides soft, comfortable prosthetic arms and personalised support for babies, children, and adults. The startup’s prosthetics are the first of their kind in the world, reimagined and redesigned. These prosthetics are lightweight and designed for early rehabilitation to aid recovery, and beyond. The design has wearers put on a comfortable material sleeve that can be fitted with different attachments for different tasks or activities. This makes it easier to use a pen or cutlery, paint, ride a bike, play an instrument, hold a glass, or whatever else someone wants to do. Koalaa’s virtual clinic allows people to be measured, fitted, and supplied with prostheses remotely, letting them reach people further away than their physical location could ever allow.

Koalaa founder Nate Macabuag has been named in Forbes’ ‘30 Under 30’ for social impact; a list which, as the name suggests, highlights the most influential people under 30 years old from around the world. This goes nicely alongside the startup’s honourable mention in the Design Intelligence Awards 2020 and their Special Prize in the 2020 Techstyle Apparel and Textiles awards.

In May, Koalaa announced that it had secured £125,000 in funding from the British Design Fund, which will be used to increase manufacturing capacity at their west London facility in order to meet the rise in demand. It will also help with the startup’s plans to launch its products and services in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and North America.

Seeing Koalaa’s promise and inspiring social good, Metro Bank has named them as one of their ‘Start-up Stars’ and had them take part in a special campaign that champions ambitious startups, which has them featured in a range of videos, radio adverts, and press articles.

You can read more about the #ProjectLimitless campaign that Koalaa is part of, which aims to provide children across the UK who need one with a free prosthetic arm, here.

 

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• #prosthetics
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• #design

Published on: 24th June 2021