Willo launches its tooth-brushing robot for kids – TechCrunch

Are you 100% sure that your children are brushing their teeth properly? A New York based startup called Willo has been working for several years on a device that is supposed to change the way children brush their teeth.

Willo is not a new toothbrush – electric or not. It’s an oral care device that doesn’t look like a toothbrush at all. The startup partnered with dentists to start over with an eye on oral care.

The device can be quite intimidating when you’re not seeing it in action as it takes up a lot of shelf space and you don’t know what to do. But when you see it in action, it looks easier than expected. Willo is specifically aimed at children because they have difficulty reaching and brushing each tooth properly.

Have children grab the handle and put the mouthpiece in their mouths. You can start brushing by pushing the button and that’s it. You don’t have to do anything else. The silicone-based mouthpiece also features soft bristles. It starts vibrating in your child’s mouth when they press the button.

The handle is connected to a larger home station that contains a water tank with a special rinsing liquid. Children do not need to use toothpaste or rinse their mouths. Everything is done by the device.

Finally, Willo is a connected device, which means parents can track oral care in a mobile app. You can also set up multiple users – your children will need to swap out the mouthpiece before you can use the device.

Credit: Willo

If you’re considering buying a device for your kids, Willo is $ 199. You’ll then have to pay $ 13 a month to get rinsing capsules, as well as new mouthpieces that will always fit.

While the product goes live today, the startup has already tested it with real families. These children rated the device with a 4.73 / 5 and the parents gave an NPS of 70+. They all continued to use Willo after the test phase.

Behind this product is a team of 33 employees in France and the USA. You have registered over 50 patents in the last 7 years – 30 of which have been granted so far. The company raised a total of $ 17 million from Kleiner Perkins, Bpifrance and Matt Rogers’ Fund Incite.

It is true that the concept of a toothbrush has not changed at all. It’s an ambitious bet to make a device that will change the way you brush your teeth. However, it is clear that the startup went to great lengths to address this challenge. Now let’s see if they can convince the parents.

Credit: Willo