Charco Neurotech

Charco Neurotech, founded in Cambridge, UK, in 2019 by CEO Lucy Jung, is a medical technology company focused on improving the quality of life for people with Parkinson's disease. The company's creation was inspired by Jung's encounter with an individual with Parkinson's who had lost the ability to smile and by the 19th-century observations of neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot on the therapeutic effects of vibrations.

The company develops the CUE1, a non-invasive, wearable medical device that adheres to the sternum. It utilizes focused vibrotactile stimulation and rhythmic cueing to alleviate motor symptoms such as slowness, stiffness, and freezing of gait. The technology is designed to modulate overactive brainwaves that cause many Parkinson's symptoms and provide an external stimulus to help initiate movement. An accompanying app allows users to track their symptoms, quality of life measures, and set medication reminders.

Charco Neurotech operates on a direct-to-consumer (B2C) business model and is expanding into healthcare systems, with approvals for sale on the NHS in the UK and regulatory approval in Europe. The company has raised a total of $17.7M in funding over six rounds, including a significant $10 million seed round in 2021 co-led by Amadeus Capital Partners and Parkwalk Advisors. This funding supports product rollout, team expansion, and manufacturing processes. The company has established a strategic partnership with the European Parkinson's Disease Association to increase the availability of its solutions.

Keywords: Parkinson's disease, medical device, neurotechnology, wearable technology, vibrotactile stimulation, neuromodulation, motor symptoms, cueing therapy, digital therapeutics, quality of life, stiffness, slowness of movement, freezing of gait, symptom tracking, CUE1, medtech, non-invasive therapy, movement disorders, assistive technology, Cambridge UK startup