The Portuguese EIT Health-supported start-up, SWORD Health, is a virtual musculoskeletal care provider, supporting people with chronic and post-surgical pain.
Sword Health has made history in Portugal by becoming its first health Unicorn - a term commonly used for start-ups valued at over USD 1 billion. It finds itself part of an emerging list of digital health Unicorns coming out of Europe such as Babylon Health, Virta Health, and Kry.
Supported by EIT Health since 2018
The team started work with us on SwitHome, an EIT Health Innovation project which helped post-stroke patients undergo rehabilitation at home. The SWORD Health team benefited from EIT Health's accelerator programmes, including Bridgehead, which helped the start-up go global. EIT Health also provided Sword Health with innovation support as well as smart financing, in-depth mentorship, expansion know-how, and public visibility.
The growth rate of SWORD Health has been truly impressive. Less than three years ago, the team raised a USD 7.8 million Series A round. Now, they close 2021 with USD 320 million in funding and the current round valuation at USD 1.8 billion. We’re proud to have supported SWORD Health on their journey and wish them the very best of luck in their continued success.
Kurt Höller, Director of Business Creation at EIT Health
Fighting for a pain-free world
Virgilio Bento, founder and CEO of SWORD Health launched the company after a traumatic personal experience during which he personally witnessed how challenging it is for families to recover from a health event.
The company’s clinical-grade virtual therapy platform pairs expert physical therapists with wearable technology to deliver a personalised treatment plan that is easier, less expensive, and more effective than traditional physical therapy. SWORD Health allows people to recover at home without resorting to imaging, surgeries, or opioids.
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