© Feeligreen
Founded by Christophe Bianchi, an electrical engineer, the company develops dermo-medical devices that combine microelectronics, chemistry, nanotechnologies and life sciences. Combining microelectronics with these specialities and on this market makes complete sense today: « The lack of fine control over a current applied to the skin limits the effectiveness of these techniques, although recognized by the medical profession, through a poor appreciation of the penetration depth of the current and therefore the area to which the active molecules are delivered », explained Christophe Bianchi in L’Embarqué in late 2013. In partnership with the CNRS, Feeligreen has developed a secure autonomous system to deliver the active molecules into the skin through the implementation of a controlled current, locally and in complete safety. A first on the market. Its first product line, which promotes the regeneration of collagen through electro-stimulation, the Feeligold anti-ageing patch and is sold in partnership with the largest pharmaceutical and cosmetics companies, has demonstrated its ability to implement new technologies with significant results. Current developments are extending the field of applications, targeting both the cosmetics and medical industries.
Created in 2012 and recognised by the Sophia Business Angels club and the Entrepreneurial 06 Venture Capital Fund (FCPR) as one of the most promising projects in 2012/2013, Feeligreen is based in Grasse in the Innovagrasse incubator where it works in partnership with the analytical chemistry laboratory of the CNRS and Nice Sophia Antipolis University. This foundation together with support from the PASS (Perfumes, Aromas, Scents, Flavours), Eurobiomed and Secured Communicating Solutions competitiveness clusters as well as the Cosmed association, accelerated the validation of its technology and enabled it to begin manufacturing the first prototypes with local SMIs. The next stage is to begin negotiating partnerships with laboratories that specialise in dermatology and which are interested in its technology and in creating an industrial facility for the mass production of its medical devices. Christophe Bianchi, who wants to set up locally in the PACA region, believes that the first pilot production facility could be operational by the end of 2015.
« Our new devices offer a safe and effective way to monitor the transcutaneous transfer of active ingredients for a wide variety of applications ranging from eliminating wrinkles to skin cancer treatment. After demonstrating the benefits of its microcurrent technologies with its health and beauty partners, Feeligreen will now speed up its industrial development. The market for our products is in billions of units and we are now focusing on increasing agile production capacities to produce profitable, medical-grade devices », says Christophe Bianchi, CEO and Founder of Feeligreen.
Vincent Deltrieu, a partner at Innovacom, highlights: « The Internet of Things applied to the medical field and more particularly the personal care market is a promising business sector facilitated by the convergence of electronics and health. One of Feeligreen’s strong added-values is that it enables its partners to benefit fully from the promises of this technological revolution ».
For SEB Alliance, François-Xavier Meyer, Director of Investments, says that « the personal care and beauty market demands safer and more effective products to improve the daily lives of their users. With its technology, Feeligreen offers a real solution for this need ».
Feeligreen has also received one of the five awards in the « PACA 2014 Innovative Digital SMEs » competition presented during the Top TIC trade show in Marseille: the award for the strongest ambition for a socially responsible company. It was awarded to the young Grasse-based company for developing a safe medical device for detecting and preventing the formation of bed sores. This smart device incorporates microelectronics and nanomaterials for long-term use on the skin.
