AUCKLAND, New Zealand--(BUSINESS WIRE)--StretchSense, a wearable sensor company based in Auckland New Zealand, today announced that it has secured Series A funding from Japanese corporation Start Today Co., Ltd. (3092:Tokyo, referred to as ‘StartToday’)
StartToday owns ZOZOTOWN, Japan’s Largest Online Retailer of Apparel and Accessories, and wear.jp, Japan’s largest fashion coordination app.
StretchSense is a manufacturer of soft stretchy sensors and generators for wearables. The company’s products are ultra-soft and precise, making them ideal for sporting, AR/VR, animation, and healthcare applications. StretchSense sells to over 200 customers in 28 countries.
The company is a spinout from the Auckland Bioengineering Institute’s Biomimetics Lab, and has previously raised funds from the Flying Kiwi Angels and the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund.
CEO Ben O’Brien says: “We are very excited to be working with StartToday as we enter this new phase of growth. StartToday’s access to the Japanese market as well as deep expertise in fashion, distribution, and e-commerce makes them a perfect strategic investor for StretchSense.”
StretchSense will use the funds to upgrade its pilot production and R&D capabilities in New Zealand, and to expand its marketing, sales, and support capability offshore.
Ultimately StretchSense has the goal of developing unobtrusive self-powered sensors for wearables that scavenge energy from their environment.
