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Magic Shields develops innovative flooring products designed to prevent injuries from falls. The company's core offering utilizes advanced shock absorption materials and mechanical metamaterials to create surfaces that are firm enough for daily use yet effectively dissipate impact force. This specialized flooring significantly reduces the risk of fractures and other serious injuries when a fall occurs.
The company was established in 2019, with Hiroshi Shimomura serving as Chief Executive Officer. The foundational insight stemmed from the critical issue of falls among older adults, which are a leading cause of severe injuries such as hip fractures and traumatic brain injuries. This pressing concern motivated the development of a flooring solution that could proactively address and mitigate these risks.
The product primarily serves senior living and healthcare facilities, aiming to create safer environments for vulnerable populations. Its applications also extend to other settings like gyms and children's play areas where fall protection is paramount. Magic Shields envisions enhancing overall safety and well-being through its innovative flooring solutions, continuously working to set new standards for fall injury prevention.
Magic Shields has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round.
Magic Shields has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Magic Shields has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in May 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2023 | $2M Seed | — | Alliance OF Angels, Carbide Ventures, DNX Ventures | Announced |
Magic Shields is a Japanese technology company founded in 2019 that develops innovative flooring solutions to prevent fall-related injuries, primarily targeting the elderly in healthcare and home settings.[1][2][5] Their flagship product, Coroyawa® (ころやわ®︎)—a mechanical metamaterial floor—is firm for normal walking but softens on impact to absorb shock, reducing fall injury risk by about two-thirds compared to conventional floors.[1][5][6] It serves care facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, childcare centers, sports facilities, and home renovations, addressing the global challenge of elderly falls, with over 1,000 facilities worldwide (including 560+ in Japan) already using it.[1][6] Recognized by awards like Good Design Award, J-Startup, and Microsoft for Startups, the company is expanding to the US market.[1][4]
Growth momentum includes US availability since recent expansion, adoption in a US university hospital (as of August in the article's context), and new thinner 1.2 cm versions for homes.[1][6]
Magic Shields was founded in 2019 in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka, Japan, by Hiroshi Shimomura, an inventor and CEO with a background in robotics from university and engineering at Yamaha Motor's factory racing team.[1][2][6] Inspired by developing shock-absorbing tech for motorcycle racers and ancient ninja "Mizugumo" principles of weight distribution, Shimomura shifted focus after losing a friend in a racing accident, pivoting to protect vulnerable people like the elderly from falls.[1][6] Early R&D produced Coroyawa in 2020, blending automotive engineering for variable rigidity; pivotal traction came from rapid adoption in Japanese medical/welfare facilities and global awards.[1][4][6]
Magic Shields rides the aging population trend, where falls cause devastating injuries amid rising elderly care demands—Japan's super-aged society exemplifies this, with global parallels in the US.[1][3][6] Timing aligns with healthcare tech shifts toward prevention over reaction, leveraging material science (metamaterials) from automotive/racing to eldercare and home improvement.[2][6] Market forces like labor shortages in nursing and home retrofits favor easy-install, non-intrusive solutions; it influences ecosystems by enabling freer patient movement, reducing healthcare costs, and inspiring impact-focused startups.[1][6]
Magic Shields is poised for US growth with recent market entry and hospital pilots, potentially scaling via home adoption amid booming senior living demand.[1][6] Trends like AI-integrated care and sustainable materials will shape it, evolving influence toward global standards in fall-prevention tech. For California purchases, no specific distributor is named in available data—contact Magic Shields USA directly via magicshieldsusa.com for local sourcing, as they're expanding stateside with over 1,000 global users.[1] This engineering "magic" from racing roots could redefine safe spaces worldwide.
Magic Shields has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Magic Shields's investors include Alliance of Angels, Carbide Ventures, DNX Ventures.
