Each year, over 140 million infants are born globally, yet roughly 15 per cent of all pregnancies fall into the high-risk category, demanding ongoing clinical oversight. The necessity for repeated medical appointments strains both pregnant women and healthcare institutions, while workforce constraints and insufficient hospital resources compound the strain on modern healthcare systems.

Swiss medtech firm CHD (Connected Health Development) has landed approximately €160,000 (CHF 150,000) in backing from Venture Kick to accelerate development of its remote maternal and fetal monitoring platform. The startup's approach integrates wearable sensor technology with digital infrastructure, enabling clinicians to track pregnancies at elevated risk from outside traditional hospital environments.

The organisation is constructing an interconnected healthcare ecosystem that merges biosensors, software applications and algorithmic analysis to facilitate distance-based patient surveillance and aid healthcare decision-making. By doing so, the startup aims to broaden availability of maternal health services, enable faster identification of emerging health threats and minimise the frequency of in-hospital appointments.

MONI2: Textile Sensors and Clinical Insights

At the centre of CHD's offering sits MONI2, a system built around a machine-washable fabric belt embedded with sensors. This device gathers information on maternal and fetal heart rhythms, muscular contractions of the uterus, movements of the developing baby and positioning of the fetus. Expectant mothers gain access to fundamental wellness metrics via a mobile application, whereas medical teams obtain comprehensive sensor readings and algorithmic forecasts through an encrypted dashboard for clinical assessment and ongoing tracking.

CHD intends to roll out both consumer-oriented and clinical-grade iterations of MONI2 built on the same underlying hardware architecture. The startup projects distributing more than 30,000 units and subscription services throughout the following four years.

Funding and Next Steps

Laurent Vandebrouck, CHD's chief executive, characterised the Venture Kick contribution as a cornerstone of the company's initial seed-stage capital drive. According to Vandebrouck, "Venture Kick's support forms part of the company's initial seed fundraising effort." The startup has already secured pledges from private backers and philanthropic organisations, with additional commitments under consideration. CHD expects to finalise its fundraising round by October.

The capital injection will fund engineering work, laboratory testing and regulatory validation of MONI2 as CHD progresses toward bringing its remote maternal and fetal monitoring platform to market.

Source: Tech.eu