Sardinia-based IntendiMe raises €2.3 million for its hearing technology

Italian startup IntendiMe, which has created technologies for the deaf and hard of hearing, has closed a round of €2.3 million. The round was led by VV3TT (Vertis Venture 3 Technology Transfer), a venture capital fund focusing on technology transfer, which is managed by Vertis SGR and advised by Venture Factory. 

IntendiMe, founded in 2017, is improving the lives of deaf and hard of hearing people, making them feel independent, free and safe. Their technology detects household sounds, monitors them, and notifies the user, all via auditory vibration sensors, which are sent directly to the user’s wrist on their smartwatch. This allows real time detection, and allows the user to stay alert to what is happening around them.

The startup was created by a team working on the 2nd edition of the ContaminationLab at the University of Cagliari. Together, Alessandra Farris, Giorgia Ambu, Antonio Pinese, and with the support of Leonardo Buffetti, a deaf electronic engineer since birth, came up with the prototype, which is now a fully formed product called KitMe. It has since grown by adding new managers, favouring the hiring of both deaf and hearing team mates. 

The funding will be used by the startup to enter the market, increase R&D activities, and hire more team members.

Alessandra Farris, CMO and co-founder of IntendiMe, commented: “We are very happy with this milestone that comes after years of intense work, research and prototyping. When we talk about deafness, like any other sensory deficit, the terrain is always very delicate: we must completely put ourselves in the shoes of those who will have to use the technologies to ensure that they respond as closely as possible to their real needs. This round of investment will help us accelerate the company, by supporting us in the best way throughout the go to market phase of KitMe, expected later this year”.

Nicola Redi, Managing Partner of Venture Factory and partner of the VV3TT fund, commented: “KitMe, the IntendiMe solution, demonstrates how our university system is capable of enhancing innovative technologies that respond to real needs. Intercepting these technologies and supporting them to transform them into a commercial product is part of the technology transfer activities of the VV3TT fund”.