Kinematix used an investment of almost two million euros, assured by the venture capitalist Portugal Ventures, to open a branch office in Boston, in the United States. In the largest world economy, the Portuguese start-up believes that the ObamaCare programme will “benefit tremendously” from the company’s technology, which promises, for instance, to reduce costs with prolonged hospital stays.

The United States offer a greater regulatory stability in medical technology in the different states, and unlike Europe, the first two products developed by the company have already been certified by the Food and Drug Administration.” The Walkinsense monitors body movements and the distribution of weight on the soles of the feet, while the Movinsense measures the position and the time that bedridden patients stay in certain positions, avoiding sores or falls.

Close to 90% of the engineering is still being developed in Porto, while the hardware is being produced in Poland, Portugal, Spain and China. “We have a high productivity comparatively to companies competing with us,” the CEO explained clarifying that he’s referring to “multinationals in each of these countries,” where the company operates commercially.

In 2008, one year after the company was formed as part of the MIETE – Master in Innovation and Technological Entrepreneurship of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Portugal Ventures had already invested 2.4 million dollars. The investment obtained in October guaranteed the perfect conditions to install the branch in the U.S. and “allowed us start hiring high-level people who can help bring” commercial success in terms of marketing and development.

Furthermore, the 49-year-old CEO added that Kinematix shares with Portugal Ventures the common goal of “capturing other investors so that the company becomes truly global and can compete at a higher level.”

Jornal de Negócios, 19 March 2014