- Neubond, a spinout from Imperial College London, has secured £1.5 million in seed funding from Waseda University Ventures, SFC Capital, and New Wave Ventures, to bring its at-home stroke rehabilitation wristband to market.
- Waseda University Ventures, a deeptech venture capital fund based in Tokyo and backed by one of Japan’s leading private research universities, says this is its first investment in a UK company.
- In a pilot study with 15 patients, users improved their range of motion by 30% after one month. The new funding will help the device get MHRA certification and support a key clinical study at Charing Cross Hospital.
After a stroke, patients often try to move but do not get any sensory feedback because the link between intention and action is broken. Neubond, a London spinout from Imperial College’s Department of Bioengineering, created a wristband to help restore this connection.
With £1.5 million in seed funding, the company aims to bring the device to patients at home. Waseda University Ventures, a deeptech fund from Tokyo, set up in 2022 by Waseda University, led the funding round.
This is the firm’s first investment in a UK company. The fund is managed independently and invests worldwide, focusing on opportunities that match Japanese interests. By choosing a British medtech spinout for its UK debut, rather than the software and semiconductor companies it usually backs, the fund highlights both the strength of the science and the growing importance of cross-border academic IP deals.
SFC Capital, the UK’s most active early-stage fund with over 500 portfolio companies, and New Wave Ventures, a privately owned London fund that invests long-term in UK companies, also joined the round.
How a prosthetic hand project led to a stroke wristband
Neubond was started by Dr Patrick Sagastegui Alva and Jumpei Kashiwakura, who met at Imperial while working on a prosthetic hand. As they worked to commercialise its technology, they saw that the neural signal detection interface could be used for more than just prosthetics.
They founded Neubond on this idea, working with Professor Dario Farina, head of Imperial’s Neuromechanics and Rehabilitation Technology lab and a company co-founder, whose lab spent over 10 years developing the core science.
The device is a bracelet worn on the forearm, with sensors that detect faint electrical signals from muscles, even if the patient cannot see or feel movement. When the bracelet detects a signal, the companion app shows the patient in real time that their muscle has activated. This sensory feedback helps the brain rebuild lost neural pathways, applying the concept of neuroplasticity to a wearable device.
“We have a strong base of evidence that neuroplasticity can be induced by detecting a motor command and applying artificial sensory feedback – guiding the brain to remake connections. Neubond has made rapid progress in translating this laboratory science into a simple device that patients can use at home,” says Farina.
The system works even when patients have no sensation, which is a major clinical benefit.
“Motivation is vital for stroke patients, and our mission is to give them hope. Our platform uses a simple and effective biofeedback mechanism so that patients can see the effect their rehabilitation efforts are having. After a stroke, a patient might struggle to know when their muscles are activating, but our platform helps to remake the connection between trying to move and muscle activation,” adds Kashiwakura.
Addressing a gap in NHS stroke care
NICE guidelines say stroke patients should get at least three hours of therapy a day, five days a week, but the NHS cannot always provide this. Neubond’s app allows clinicians to design and monitor rehab programs remotely, tracking repetitions, muscle contraction quality, and patient progress without needing in-person visits. This remote monitoring could help the NHS adopt the technology.
“The platform we have developed bridges a gap in healthcare provision. Stroke patients need lots of support, and our healthcare systems aren’t built to provide enough of it. By enabling patients and their doctors to monitor progress with high fidelity, we hope not only to encourage patients during rehabilitation but also to ensure more patients get high-quality care,” adds Kashiwakura.
In a pilot with 15 patients, users saw a 30% increase in range of motion after one month. Neubond is now running a clinical feasibility study at Charing Cross Hospital in London. The results will help inform planning for a future randomised controlled trial, which is needed before making formal clinical claims.
A simpler device in a rapidly changing market
The global neurorehabilitation devices market was worth $2 billion in 2023 and could reach nearly $5 billion by 2030. Wearable devices are growing faster than any other segment in this field, and the neurorehabilitation wearables market is getting more competitive.
In April 2025, Kandu Health and Neurolutions merged to create Kandu Inc., combining the FDA-cleared IpsiHand brain-computer interface with telehealth services. The new company is backed by $30 million in funding co-led by Ally Bridge Group and AMED Ventures.
Kandu is focused on the US market, while Neubond is seeking MHRA approval in the UK to fit NHS priorities. It will take the next 18 months to see if this regulatory and commercial approach pays off.
Ted Yamamoto, general partner at WASEDA University Ventures, Inc, concludes, “Neubond’s groundbreaking technology is built upon deep scientific evidence and world-class research in neurorehabilitation, with the potential to transform the recovery journey of stroke patients around the world. We believe the company’s core technologies could extend into broader applications such as robotics, human-machine interfaces and next-generation assistive technologies.”
The fresh funding will go toward finalising the product, getting MHRA certification, and running the key clinical study. Ongoing research at Imperial is exploring the use of Neubond’s neural interface to control exoskeletons. It seems the investors are backing more than just a wristband.
