Japanese startup creates the world’s most futuristic-looking wheelchair

Satoshi Sugi, the founder and CEO of Whill, was inspired to create a high-tech wheelchair by a neighbor. “He used a wheelchair, and he told me he had given up even going to the grocery store two blocks away. He didn’t like being seen in public as weak or crippled. I wanted to make a wheelchair that would make the user feel confident and cool, while also using technology to improve the experience and capabilities.”

Last summer we looked into Whill, a Japanese startup that makes an e-wheelchair that promises to be the next big thing in personal mobility. At that time, the team had raised $1 million in funding. This week the Whill team revealed another round worth $750,000.The new investment comes from Vegas Tech Fund, 500 Startups, and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital. US-based 500 Startups also put money into the previous seed round.