SedMed Raises $4M From 108 BioCapital for Non-Electric Toilet Lift
The Connecticut company is betting that a simple mechanical device can reduce bathroom falls and help older adults stay in their homes.
SedMed, Inc., a Connecticut company that makes non-electric mobility aids for older adults, has secured a $4 million investment from 108 BioCapital. The firm led the financing, which was announced by 108 BioCapital and will fund the commercial expansion of SedMed's flagship product, a toilet lift that helps people sit down and stand up safely.
The round targets one of the most common and least discussed risks of aging at home: the bathroom, where many falls among older adults occur.
What SedMed Makes
SedMed, based in Milford, Connecticut, develops mobility products for older adults and people with limited mobility. Its core product is the SedMed Toilet Lift, a device that attaches to a standard toilet and provides adjustable sit-to-stand assistance.
The defining feature is what it leaves out. The lift uses no electricity and no batteries, and installing it does not require remodeling the bathroom. That removes several obstacles that keep assistive equipment out of homes, including installation cost, the need for a nearby outlet and concern about running powered devices in a wet room.
For families and caregivers, the appeal is practical. A device that fits an existing toilet can be in place quickly after a hospital discharge or a change in a relative's condition, without waiting on a contractor.
How SedMed Will Use the $4M
The company plans to put the capital toward four priorities: accelerating commercial expansion, growing its distribution and channel partnerships, advancing its intellectual property portfolio and conducting hospital-based studies.
The hospital studies stand out. Clinical evidence gathered in care settings can support adoption by health systems, rehabilitation facilities and senior living operators, which buy in volume and increasingly look for data before standardizing on a piece of equipment.
What the Investor and CEO Said
"SedMed is addressing an important and often overlooked challenge for older adults," said Sasha Bakhru, managing partner at 108 BioCapital, in the announcement.
SedMed CEO Jeremy Bronen called the financing a turning point for the company. "This investment represents an important milestone for SedMed as we work to make safer bathroom mobility accessible," he said.
Why the SedMed Funding Matters
The United States is aging quickly, and most older adults say they want to remain in their own homes as long as possible. That preference is driving demand for products that make a home safer without turning it into a clinical space.
Much of the investment in aging technology has gone to software, sensors and remote monitoring. SedMed represents a different approach: a mechanical product that solves a physical problem and needs no connectivity, app or power source to work. Simplicity is part of the pitch, both for users and for the caregivers who support them.
It also speaks to a staffing problem. Helping someone on and off a toilet is among the most physically demanding tasks for home health aides and nursing staff, and a frequent cause of caregiver injury. A device that lets a person manage the movement more independently eases that strain while preserving dignity.
With new capital and a plan to build clinical evidence, SedMed is positioned to move from an early product into wider distribution across home care and institutional settings.
Source
PR Newswire — "108 BioCapital Leads SedMed, Inc. Financing with $4 Million Investment"