Disruption in the field of incontinence: MedTech startup inContAlert raises EUR 1.5 million

• The pre-seed financing round is joined by High-Tech Gründerfonds, Bayern Kapital, Carma Fund, and renowned business angels from Germany and the UK.
• The MedTech startup develops a wearable for measuring the bladder filling level for incontinence patients.
• The medical device is scheduled to be approved in early 2024.

The Bayreuth-based MedTech startup inContAlert receives pre-seed financing of 1.5 million euros. The round is led by High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), Bayern Kapital, and Carma Fund, with the participation of renowned business angels from the medical technology sector, such as the former CEO of Fresenius Biotech and Ovesco AG Prof. Dr. Thomas Gottwald and the former Siemens Healthineers manager Dr. Jörg Stein, the British Nialls Foundation, the software entrepreneur Richard Reiber, and the MedTech specialist Marcus Irsfeld.

In Germany alone, around 2.2 million people are affected who can be supported in their everyday lives by inContAlert's disruptive technology. The startup develops a sensor technology that supports incontinence patients in their daily bladder management. The device is worn above the pubic bone, roughly at the height of a belt, where it continuously captures data about the bladder. This data is analyzed using machine and deep learning algorithms. In an app, patients can access information about the optimal time to empty the bladder. The app also warns in good time of an excessively high bladder filling level.

inContAlert's initial target group comprises patients with neurogenic bladder disorders, including spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, bladder cancer, or Parkinson's. In the future, the technology can also provide relief for children who have problems with bedwetting. Through demand-oriented emptying at the right time, aids such as diapers or the consumption of catheters can be reduced, and the health risk of damage to the urinary tract and kidneys is lowered.

In addition to conducting further studies, the investment serves in particular to obtain the CE mark as a medical device and to prepare for market entry.

"Unlike common aids in the incontinence field, our technology starts one step earlier: inContAlert provides a discreet notification before it is too late. Those affected regain control over their own bladder. The positive feedback from patients and doctors continually drives us forward and shows the need for new solutions for contemporary and dignified urinary bladder management." – Dr. Jannik Lockl, CEO & Co-Founder of inContAlert

"The technology behind inContAlert is fascinating. You can tell how much dedication, passion, and out-of-the-box thinking the team has put into its development. They bring the best prerequisites for establishing a successful company. Their combination of scientific spirit and entrepreneurial pragmatism is exceptional." – Prof. Dr. Thomas Gottwald, Chairman of the Advisory Board

"inContAlert breaks the taboo topic of incontinence. With the help of their technology, a large group of patients can be helped on a daily basis and their quality of life brought back to a normal level. Patients and caregivers regain control over voiding management, which significantly increases the quality of care in the healthcare system." – Jakob Lilienweiss, Investment Analyst at HTGF

"In addition to the positive effects on the quality of care for incontinence patients, the economic effects achieved through efficient use of aids and personnel as well as the avoidance of secondary illnesses also demonstrate the overarching value of inContAlert. We are convinced of the potential of this technology to reorder the incontinence market." – Markus Mrachacz, Managing Partner at Bayern Kapital

"The excellently trained founders of inContAlert come from various fields and unite the bulk of the required skills within the team. Their passion is to revolutionize the market for incontinence. The motivation, commitment, and wealth of ideas of inContAlert's young team stand out and are the central factors of their past and future successes." – Christian Leikert, Managing Partner at Carma Fund

About inContAlert GmbH

inContAlert GmbH was founded in September 2022 in the ecosystem of the University of Bayreuth. The MedTech startup's sensor system enables patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction to manage their bladder as needed. After the startup was initiated in 2017 by Dr. Jannik Lockl and Tristan Zürl, Nicolas Ruhland and Pascal Fechner subsequently joined as co-founders. As its first major milestones, the team won the Medical Valley Award in 2019 and received the coveted spin-off funding "EXIST-Forschungstransfer" from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action in 2021. The startup now employs 13 people at its locations in Bayreuth and Trautskirchen.

Media contact: inContAlert GmbH, Dr. Jannik Lockl, Managing Director, +49 176 70320421, jannik.lockl@incontalert.de

About High-Tech Gründerfonds

The seed investor High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) finances technology startups with growth potential and has supported more than 700 startups since 2005. With the launch of its fourth fund, HTGF has around 1.4 billion euros under management. The team of experienced investment managers and startup experts supports the young companies with know-how, entrepreneurial spirit, and passion. The focus is on high-tech startups in the fields of Digital Tech, Industrial Tech, Life Sciences, Chemistry, and adjacent business areas. To date, external investors have invested around 5 billion euros of capital in more than 2,000 follow-on financing rounds in the HTGF portfolio. In addition, the fund has already successfully sold shares in more than 170 companies. The fund investors of the public-private partnership include the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, KfW Capital, and 45 companies from a wide range of industries.

Media contact: High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH, Tobias Jacob, Senior Marketing & Communications Manager, +49 228 82300 - 121, t.jacob@htgf.de

About Bayern Kapital

Bayern Kapital GmbH has been Bavaria's venture capital and growth investor for startups with innovative technologies since 1995. From its investment volume of around 700 million euros, Bayern Kapital finances innovative Bavarian founders and technology companies from the seed to the expansion phase, with ticket sizes ranging from 0.25 to 25 million euros. The focus is on startups in all technology fields, such as Life Science, biotechnology, medical technology, software & IT, materials & new materials, nanotechnology, and environmental technology. To date, Bayern Kapital has supported more than 300 Bavarian high-tech companies. As a result, more than 8,000 jobs have been permanently created in sustainable companies in Bavaria. The active portfolio currently comprises more than 80 companies.

Media contact: Bayern Kapital GmbH, Madeleine Guggenheim, Marketing Manager, +49 871 92325 - 46, guggenheim@bayernkapital.de

About Carma Fund

The CARMA FUND is a venture capital fund initiated by Ascenion GmbH and Goethe University Frankfurt am Main that focuses on supporting early-stage developments in the fields of life sciences and healthcare. CARMA FUND I is tailored to the specific time frame and needs of young companies and projects in these areas. The company is based in Munich and Frankfurt am Main. The fund launched with a first closing in June 2022 and has since managed approximately 50 million euros.

Media contact: Carma Fund Management GmbH, Christian Leikert, Managing Director, +49 173 391 3603, christian.leikert@carma-fund.com