The European Investment Bank has signed a €40 million venture debt loan with digital orthodontics company Impress to scale its clinical artificial intelligence platform and support expansion in Northern Europe.
Impress operates more than 110 clinics worldwide and is active in nine European markets, the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced on Tuesday.
The funding will be used to increase investment in AI and strengthen Impress’s technology for diagnosing and treating patients using clear aligners — transparent orthodontic devices that straighten teeth.
Impress’s platform combines in-clinic patient scanning, treatment planning and ongoing monitoring, including through the company’s mobile app.
The company said it plans to target northern European markets after consolidating in Southern Europe, naming Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
InvestEU backing and digital health focus
The loan is backed by InvestEU, an EU programme intended to mobilise public and private investment, the EIB said.
The deal reflects the bank’s work to support technological innovation and digitalisation in Europe, including in health technology, said María Romano, Head of the EIB Group Office in Spain.
Impress’s artificial intelligence engine is powered by a database of 500,000 patients.
The company said the system allows it to increase clinic efficiency tenfold and reduce in-person visits by 80%, according to Vladimir Lupenko, co-founder and chief executive of Impress.
