Mobility Designed raises nearly $900K from iiM, local investors

The seed round for Kansas City-based Mobility Designed is approaching seven figures following the support of a local investment firm.

Overland Park-based Innovation in Motion (iiM) recently joined the medical device startup’s round, which is approaching $900,000 and comprised mostly of individual investors. Led by CEO Liliana Younger, Mobility Designed created the M+D Crutch, a comfortable ergonomic crutch.

Younger said that the firm is regularly shipping its product and plans to use the capital for sales, marketing and development of its next products.

“We’re very excited,” Younger said of the funding round, which is not yet closed. “It’s overwhelming. I feel a huge responsibility and want to be a good steward of their investments and make the most of it. It puts even more passion into this whole thing.”

iiM invests in agriculture, animal and human health firms around the U.S., with a focus on “middle America,” iiM managing director Lydia Kinkade said. The firm dishes out $50,000 to $300,000 in seed stage companies where the founder has personally invested in the company, raised money from individuals and has a plan to scale the company.

iiM has made five investments in four firms thus far, including deals in Agrisync, Maven Animal Health, New Planet Technologies and Mobility Designed.

Kinkade said iiM was attracted to Mobility Designed for a few reasons, especially its leaders, who are also spouses, Lilianna and Max Younger.

“From a team perspective, they have strong co-founders,” she said. They have everything we look for: Passion; ability to succeed; a vision; they’re very coachable, and they look for feedback. … From an industry perspective, they’re addressing a big problem.”

In 2016, Mobility Designed enjoyed a wildly successful viral video featuring their first product, the M+D Crutch. Published across a variety of websites, the video snagged more than 40 million views and with it hundreds of interested clients. The company’s crutch allows a user to apply the bulk of her weight on her elbows — as opposed to the armpits or wrists — offering a more comfortable experience. It accommodates users from 4’11” to 6’8” and up to 300 pounds.

Mobility Designed has tapped a variety of area resources to grow, including Digital Sandbox KC and the LaunchKC grants contest. Learn more about the company’s crutches below.