Empatica is an Italian medical technology company headquartered in Milan, specializing in the development of AI-enabled wearables, software platforms, and digital biomarkers for continuous health monitoring. Founded in 2011 as a spinout from the Polytechnic University of Milan, Empatica has emerged as a leader in digital health technology, particularly for neurological disorders.
The company's mission is to improve the lives of people with chronic conditions through continuous, objective health monitoring. Empatica's flagship product—the EmbracePlus wearable—has been validated in clinical studies and received regulatory clearance for use in monitoring Parkinson's disease motor symptoms[empatica; @espay2020].
Empatica operates from its headquarters in Milan, with additional offices in Boston, Massachusetts, serving the North American market. The company collaborates with leading academic medical centers, pharmaceutical companies, and research institutions worldwide.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Milan, Italy |
| Founded | 2011 (spinout from Politecnico di Milano) |
| Focus | AI wearables, digital biomarkers, health monitoring |
| Employees | ~100 (as of 2024) |
| Stage | Commercial |
Empatica was founded by a team of engineers and neuroscientists with the vision of bringing hospital-grade monitoring capabilities to everyday life. The company has raised over $50 million in venture funding and established partnerships with major pharmaceutical and technology companies.
Empatica develops medical-grade wearable devices equipped with advanced sensors:
The EmbracePlus is Empatica's flagship multi-sensor wearable:
EmbracePlus has received FDA clearance (510(k)) and CE MDR certification for Parkinson's disease monitoring, making it one of the first wearables with regulatory clearance for this indication.
Embrace2 is Empatica's earlier-generation device:
Empatica's software platform processes raw sensor data into clinically meaningful digital biomarkers:
The Personal KinetiGraph is Empatica's proprietary algorithm for Parkinson's disease monitoring:
Empatica provides cloud-based data infrastructure:
Empatica offers a comprehensive Parkinson's disease monitoring solution that combines wearable hardware with clinical software:
Empatica's Parkinson's monitoring solution has been validated in multiple clinical studies:
Empatica's devices have been FDA-cleared for epilepsy monitoring:
Empatica provides wearable devices and data infrastructure for clinical research:
Empidata competes in the digital health and wearable monitoring space:
| Company | Product | Focus | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rune Labs | StrivePD | PD monitoring app | Commercial |
| Verily | Study Hub | Digital health platform | Commercial |
| Biogen | CogniFit | Cognitive training | Commercial |
| Great Lakes Neurotech | Kinesia | PD monitoring | Commercial |
| Empatica | EmbracePlus | Wearable + PKG | FDA cleared |
Empatica differentiates through:
Empatica collaborates with leading institutions:
Empatica has achieved significant regulatory milestones:
| Product | Indication | Regulatory |
|---|---|---|
| Embrace2 | Epilepsy | FDA cleared |
| EmbracePlus | PD monitoring | FDA 510(k) cleared |
| EmbracePlus | PD monitoring | CE MDR certified |
| PKG software | PD analysis | FDA cleared |
Empatica operates through multiple channels:
| Round | Year | Amount | Lead Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seed | 2012 | $2M | Italian angel investors |
| Series A | 2015 | $8M | Italian VC funds |
| Series B | 2019 | $20M | Mundi Ventures |
| Series C | 2022 | $20M | Zebra Ventures,Mundi |
Total raised: $50M
Empatica's strategic priorities include:
Ossig C, et al. Levodopa-induced dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease: Clinical features and management. 2016. ↩︎
Rodriguez-Labrada R, et al. Real-world gait monitoring in Parkinson's disease. 2015. ↩︎
Postuma RB, Berg D. Sleep and movement disorders in Parkinson's disease. 2019. ↩︎
Maetzler W, et al. Motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease: Assessment and therapy. 2019. ↩︎