A Dutch deeptech startup just secured significant capital to change how pilots fly during high pressure missions. Touchwaves raised €1.5 million to develop wearable tech that helps military personnel feel their surroundings when eyes and ears fail them. This fresh funding aims to cut down human error in the skies through advanced haptics.
Backing From Defense And Tech Giants
Touchwaves officially announced a successful pre-seed funding round of €1.5 million. The investment comes from a powerful mix of defense focused funds and tech innovators.
The round was led by SecFund. This group specifically supports startups that address the innovation needs of the Dutch Ministry of Defence. They work alongside the Ministry of Economic Affairs to modernize military capabilities.
Other key players joined the round to support this vision.
Here is the list of investors backing Touchwaves:
- SecFund: The lead investor focusing on security and defense.
- TNO Ventures: The investment arm of the research institute where Touchwaves began.
- Brabant Startup Fonds: A regional fund supporting local innovation.
- imec.istart: A leading tech accelerator program.
- Joanna Invests: An angel investment group.
The startup also received backing from the NWO Take-off 2 program. This grant helps turn scientific research into commercial products.
Touchwaves started as a spin-off from TNO. TNO is the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research. This background gives the company strong scientific credibility right from the start.
military pilot wearing haptic feedback vest in cockpit
Solving The Human Error Crisis
Modern warfare and aviation place immense pressure on the human brain. Pilots must process huge amounts of data from screens and audio alerts instantly.
Research shows that human error causes a large share of non-combat aviation incidents.
Visual and auditory systems often get overloaded during intense maneuvers. Touchwaves aims to solve this by using the sense of touch as a new communication channel.
Charlotte Kjellander serves as the co-founder of the company. She explained that most industry innovation focuses on the aircraft itself.
Her team takes a different approach. They prioritize the human inside the machine.
“By supporting pilots with intuitive, non-invasive haptic feedback, we help them operate more effectively in the most demanding environments.”
— Charlotte Kjellander, Co-founder of Touchwaves
The technology provides tactile cues directly to the pilot’s body. This helps them maintain situational awareness without needing to look at a dial or listen to a command.
Transforming Military Operations
The company is already working closely with the Dutch Ministry of Defence.
Partners include the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Forces and the Center for Man in Aviation. They are testing how wearable haptics can improve performance in fighter jets.
The system helps pilots understand their position in 3D space.
This is critical for preventing spatial disorientation. This condition creates a deadly illusion where a pilot cannot determine which way is up.
Haptic vests or belts can vibrate to indicate the horizon or threat direction. This bypasses the eyes and ears to send information straight to the brain.
The new funding will accelerate the development of this next generation gear. The goal is to make these systems standard for NATO allies and defense partners.
Beyond The Battlefield
Touchwaves plans to expand beyond military use. The founders describe their product as a dual-use technology.
This means it has valuable applications in civilian life as well.
Martin Romero is the other co-founder driving this vision. He stated that the tech complements existing systems to build resilience under stress.
Future applications for this haptic technology include:
- Elite Sports: Helping athletes with breathing guidance and body awareness.
- Ground Operations: Alerting workers to fatigue or heavy cognitive workloads.
- Healthcare: assisting patients with focus and stress management.
- Wellbeing: Providing tactile guidance for recovery and mental resilience.
The company envisions haptics becoming a core interface for humans. It connects people to complex systems when the pressure is highest.
The €1.5 million injection allows the team to refine these dual-use capabilities. They can now push the boundaries of human performance in both defense and daily life.
By focusing on touch, Touchwaves is opening a new frontier in how we interact with machines. This investment marks a major step toward safer skies and smarter wearable tech for everyone.
Do you think wearable haptics will become standard in our daily lives like smartwatches? Share your thoughts in the comments below. If you are excited about defense tech, use #DefenseTech and share this story!
