uPATCH Secures Seed Investment
uPATCH secures Seed Investment from INZET (a fund managed by Shaping Impact Group) to advance its mission to “make drug delivery available to every person on earth by unlocking the potential of microneedles”
uPATCH, the innovative health-tech startup pioneering applicators for microneedle array patches, is excited to announce the successful completion of its seed investment round, led by Shaping Impact Group. This investment and strategic partnership provide uPATCH with the financial support and expertise to accelerate product development and expand its presence in the global market.
Innovative Drug Delivery System
Microneedles represent an innovative drug delivery system with numerous advantages over traditional hypodermic needle-based methods and are recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the next generation in drug delivery. They offer a painless experience, require significantly less active pharmaceutical ingredient, can be self-administered, and do not rely on "cold-chain" distribution. However, microneedles' effectiveness can be highly dependent on the application technique, making them susceptible to inconsistent results. To address this, uPATCH is developing a range of applicators designed to ensure consistent and complete microneedle penetration through the skin's outermost layer, enabling reliable intradermal delivery of drugs and vaccines.
Making Drug Delivery Available For Everyone On Earth
This investment will play a pivotal role in enabling uPATCH to expand its network of partnerships, grow its R&D capabilities, and implement an ISO13485 quality management system to create a sustainable business.
Paul Bromberg, CEO of uPATCH, stated: "This investment is a crucial milestone for uPATCH as we continue our mission to make drugs and vaccines accessible to everyone on earth. Shaping Impact Group’s vision for supporting impactful innovation aligns perfectly with our goals, and their backing will accelerate our efforts to unlock the potential of microneedles."
Jelena Jakulj, Partner at Shaping Impact Group, commented: “The team is on a mission to contribute to the future of vaccine administration and (re-) distribution; a mission closely aligned with our impact investing goals.”
About uPATCH
uPATCH was founded in 2018 by two high school friends: Koen van der Maaden, a leading expert in microneedles in the Netherlands, and Bart van Oorschot, an industrial design engineer. Together, they aimed to tackle a critical challenge in microneedle technology— achieving consistent and complete skin penetration. To address this, they developed innovative, universal applicators designed to optimize microneedle performance. Originally based in the Yes!Delft incubator, the company recently moved to the Leiden BioScience Park. uPATCH has since formed several partnerships with microneedle companies, working collaboratively to drive advancements in this emerging field.
About Shaping Impact Group
Shaping Impact Group is an impact first Venture Capital fund. Our mission is to direct capital towards impact creation and generate the highest possible societal return. We help impact investors and philanthropists maximise the social or environmental impact of their resources. We do this through our impact investment funds, our consulting services and by building a thriving impact community. Our INZET fund invests in social enterprises that improve the daily lives of people in need of care, or contribute to prevention of chronic health issues.
For inquiries about uPATCH, please contact:
Paul Bromberg CEO
paul.bromberg@upatch.nl
