Building digital tools for better elderly healthcare lands $7 million in Patronus kitty

The global healthcare system is confronted with new challenges due to the demographic shift. In Germany, for example, people aged 65+ are the fastest-growing group and their share of the total population will increase to 30% in the next 10 years. There’s an urgent need for digital tools to make elderly care more efficient.

Enter Berlin-based healthcare startup Patronus. Founded in 2021 by Ben Staudt and Tim Wagner, the healthcare startup is developing digital tools to improve elderly care and wellbeing. The company currently offers a digital watch software for the elderly as well as a mobile app for carers and family members.

The company has now raised $7 million to boost its digital products for the elderly. The oversubscribed seed funding round was led by Berlin-based early-stage investor Cavalry Ventures with participation from UVC Partners and DN Capital as well as angel investors, including Hanno Heintzenberg and Lukas Pieczonka (co-founders of McMakler and MAYD), Emanuel Pallua (founder of Foodora), Johannes Roggendorf (co-founder of Medwing) and Christopher Muhr (COO of AUTO1, founder of Patient21). 

The watch software offers 24/7 access to the emergency call centre which has access to the user’s health record and caregiver contacts. It can be used both at home and on the move through a wide-ranging collaboration with Deutsche Telekom.

Patronus cooperates with a large number of care providers including the Malteser Aid Service to provide their users with local assistance.

“How we care for the elderly has changed practically zero in the last 50 years. We want to provide seniors with the best possible care and make the daily lives of caregivers miles easier and free from worry by adding a tech component to human interaction," said Ben Staudt, co-founder of Patronus.

Tim Wagner, co-founder of Patronus added: “The need for better digital connectivity goes beyond the elderly users and their family members. It also includes professional caregivers, stationary nursing homes, physiotherapists, and physicians. Patronus’ vision is to build a collaborative software where all parties operate and interact with each other.”