This walker from Motivo is designed to reduce pain
This isn’t an ordinary walker. The 2018 Motivo Tour Walker from New Berlin-based Motivo Inc. is more like a chariot. The Tour has a flip-out tray with multiple cup holders, a large storage compartment and a stow-away padded seat.
But that’s not what its creators say really sets it apart. The design allows users to walk upright inside the walker, rather than holding the aid out in front. The walker reduces pressure on the back and neck by up to 60 percent, compared with a traditional walker, the company said. The Tour starts at $499.99.
Motivo is now developing its inhouse manufacturing capabilities and launching a national advertising campaign for the product with the completion of a $950,000 Series A round of financing. Motivo announced the new round of financing in a news release Tuesday.
The round was led by the former CEO of Mortara Instrument, Justin Mortara, who sold the company for $330 million last year. Motivo has raised $4.8 million from individual investors, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. and Milwaukee Economic Development Corp. business development loans.
“The more time I’ve spent with the Motivo team, the more impressed I became with their design philosophy, manufacturing and marketing acumen,” Mortara said in the news release. “The Tour is a solution to a real issue that impacts so many, and I’m pleased to lend my support to assist in develop-
ing the scale and reach this solution deserves.”
The company’s patent portfolio has been independently valued at around $22.5 million, according to the release.
With the aging baby boomer population, the market for personal mobility devices is expected to increase. The market will reach around $7.55 billion by 2022, according to a Crystal Market Research study.