French robotics startup Wandercraft raises $75M to help wheelchair users walk again with world’s first self-balancing exoskeleton

For millions of people who rely on wheelchairs, the promise of walking again has long felt out of reach. Traditional mobility aids like crutches and walkers offer limited independence, and existing exoskeletons often require external support or bulky assistance. It’s a space that’s seen plenty of prototypes but few breakthroughs—until now.

Wandercraft, a French robotics startup that’s spent over a decade building AI-powered exoskeletons, just raised $75 million in Series D funding to try to change that. The company is developing Eve, the world’s first self-balancing personal exoskeleton, aiming to bring it to market by 2026. The goal: let wheelchair users stand and walk, without needing crutches, walkers, or constant external help.

The funding round was led by a mix of institutional and strategic backers, including Renault Group, the PSIM fund managed on behalf of the French government by Bpifrance (as part of the France 2030 plan), Teampact Ventures, and Quadrant Management.

This fresh round of capital will also support the wider rollout of Wandercraft’s clinical exoskeleton, Atalante X, already in use at more than 100 rehab centers across four continents. It’s used by people recovering from strokes, spinal cord injuries, and neurodegenerative diseases to relearn how to walk, step by step, often without holding on to anything.

The company is also getting serious about humanoid robotics. Wandercraft is developing Calvin-40, a European-made humanoid robot built to handle physical work in factories and industrial settings. Renault isn’t just an investor—it’s also the first customer. Calvin-40 is named after the short timeline it took to bring the robot to life: just 40 days. The partnership with Renault is expected to help Wandercraft scale production and industrial deployment of its robotics platform.

Credit: Wandercraft

“The momentum we’ve achieved over the past few years is extraordinary,” said Matthieu Masselin, CEO and co-founder of Wandercraft. “We’ve expanded globally, launched pivotal clinical trials, readied the commercialization of Eve, our personal exoskeleton, and entered a landmark partnership with Renault. This funding allows us to continue our mission of transforming how people live, move, and work across rehabilitation, home environments, and soon on factory floors.”

Founded in 2012, Wandercraft first gained attention for developing the Atalante X, a self-balancing walking exoskeleton used in medical facilities for physical therapy. Unlike most other exoskeletons, it doesn’t rely on crutches to keep the user upright. It’s completely hands-free, thanks to its AI-driven stabilization system. The tech has been refined through more than a million real-world steps every month and billions of simulated ones.

Calvin-40 builds on the same tech stack. The robot is equipped with NVIDIA Isaac technologies, including the Isaac GR00T N1 foundation model and Jetson edge AI platform, giving it enough intelligence to handle physical tasks autonomously in industrial settings. Wandercraft believes Calvin and future iterations could eventually support caregivers or relieve workers from repetitive, physically taxing labor.

The new round brings Wandercraft’s total funding to more than $120 million. Investors from its previous Series C round—including LBO France, Mutuelles Impact (managed by XAnge), Cemag Invest, Martagon Capital, and AG2R LA MONDIALE—also participated again.

Paul-François Fournier, Executive Director of Bpifrance Innovation, said, “We are delighted to renew our support for Wandercraft, which has been supported by Bpifrance since 2017. This D-series, alongside Renault Group, will enable the company to accelerate the industrial deployment of its unique robotics technology and make the Eve exoskeleton accessible to as many people as possible. Access to health and mobility for all is indeed a strategic focus of Bpifrance and France 2030.”

With the new funding in hand, Wandercraft is moving full speed ahead. The company plans to bring Eve, its personal-use exoskeleton, into real-world settings—homes, streets, and public spaces—giving wheelchair users the ability to stand and walk in everyday life. At the same time, it’s deepening support for Atalante X, expanding its use in rehabilitation centers worldwide. On the industrial front, Wandercraft is ramping up production of Calvin-40 and preparing to roll out a full line of humanoid robots built for physical labor and assistive tasks.

With over 30 patents and a mission rooted in mobility and independence, Wandercraft has carved out a meaningful space in robotics. And with this new capital, it’s hoping to bring its technology to more people, whether they’re recovering from injury, living with disability, or building the factories of the future.