Virtuleap, a startup at the intersection of healthtech and edtech, has successfully raised $2.5 million in a funding round led by GED Ventures Portugal. The investment is expected to propel the development and commercialization of Virtuleap’s innovative VR (virtual reality) cognitive solutions, particularly its flagship product, Enhance VR.
Enhance VR: A Revolutionary Approach to Brain Health
Virtuleap has pioneered the development of Enhance VR, a groundbreaking program that utilizes virtual reality and artificial intelligence to enhance brain health. The startup’s focus on neuroscientifically designed VR games sets it apart, providing a platform to assess and improve cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, motor control skills, and spatial orientation.
The short, intense, and enjoyable games, created by neuroscientists, serve as translations of neuropsychological assessment tools. These games are then analyzed using AI learning tools, offering essential clinical findings for brain health screening and profiling. The comprehensive approach involves collecting data on a single platform, streamlining the process for both users and healthcare professionals.
Enhance VR aspires to be a “gym for the mind,” accessible to a broad audience. Beyond its current applications, the startup envisions its VR solutions as potential therapeutics for learning challenges such as ADHD and other cognitive disorders.
Cogniclear VR: A Future Cognitive Screening Tool
In addition to Enhance VR, Virtuleap is actively developing its second product, Cogniclear VR. This virtual reality-based cognitive screening tool, set to launch in 2024, is designed in collaboration with partners like Lusíadas Saúde and Roche Portugal. Cogniclear VR aims to be sensitive enough to detect cognitive disorders, including subjective cognitive decline, enabling early intervention for better health outcomes, particularly concerning cognitive illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease.
Virtuleap is not only focused on creating engaging VR experiences but also on leveraging AI learning algorithms. The startup aims to use volumetric datasets encompassing psychometric, physical, and physiological data to potentially correlate cognitive performance with mental health. With 250,000+ data points every 3 minutes, Virtuleap is on a mission to contribute valuable insights to the field of brain health.
Investor Confidence and Strategic Vision
The funding round, led by GED Ventures Portugal, showcases investor confidence in Virtuleap’s mission to make a positive impact on people’s lives, particularly in the realm of mental health. Bibi Sattar Marques, a partner at GED Ventures Portugal, emphasized the strategic approach of investing in technology that positively impacts well-being, paving the way for a new era in accessible mental health solutions.
Virtuleap’s flagship product, Enhance VR, has garnered significant recognition with over 60,000 early registered users, achieved without extensive marketing efforts. The product’s global reach is evident through its availability in major VR app stores and translations in five languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, and Chinese. The company plans to expand its language support further by adding German, French, and Dutch by Q1 2024.
As Virtuleap continues to innovate at the intersection of VR, AI, and brain health, the funding injection will play a crucial role in advancing its mission to address the impending “cognition crisis” and contribute to the evolution of mental health solutions accessible to everyone. The commitment of GED Ventures Portugal reflects a shared vision for the positive impact of technology on people’s lives and well-being.