i-Virtual

High-Level Overview

i-Virtual is a deep-tech company specializing in remote, touchless vital sign measurement using AI and rPPG (remote photoplethysmography) technology. Its flagship product, Saphere, is an API that extracts vital signs like heart rate from video inputs, serving industries such as wellness, consumer health, insurance, insurtech, and connected devices/SaaS platforms.[1][3][4] Saphere solves the problem of inaccessible, contactless health data by enabling seamless integration for real-time insights, with applications in lifestyle underwriting, risk assessment, and personalized services; it has demonstrated growth through clinical validation (over 1,200 patients), CE Class IIa certification as the first such medical device, two patents (third pending), and a team of five PhDs, a medical doctor, and scaling experts.[1][3]

Origin Story

i-Virtual originated from academic research in 2010 at the University of Lorraine in France, where pioneers developed rPPG technology to assess emotional states in individuals with physical and mental impairments.[1] Founded formally around 2014 in Metz, France, the company evolved from this deep-tech foundation into an API-driven solution amid rising demand for seamless health insights in wellness, consumer health, and insurance.[1][3] Key founders include Benoît Georis, a serial entrepreneur with successful exits, deep-tech VC experience, and a PhD in AI, serving as CEO; the core team blends AI, signal processing, software development, and business strategy expertise.[1][3]

Core Differentiators

• Scientifically validated technology: Backed by two clinical studies (1,200+ patients across diverse skin types and conditions), CE Class IIa certification, and over a decade of rPPG research.[1][3]
• Patented deep-tech innovation: Two patents granted, third pending, enabling precise AI perception of invisible human signals via video.[1]
• Seamless API integration: Self-serve with customer success support for easy embedding into apps, devices, and platforms, processing video inputs into actionable vital signs data.[1][4]
• Privacy and security focus: Prioritizes compliance, data protection, and user trust in human-centered applications.[1]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

i-Virtual rides the wave of AI-driven health tech and contactless biometrics, capitalizing on post-pandemic demand for remote monitoring in wellness, insurtech, and consumer devices. Timing aligns with maturing rPPG and edge AI, enabling scalable, privacy-compliant vital sign capture amid regulatory pushes for data security (e.g., GDPR) and market growth in personalized health (projected insurtech expansion).[1][3][4] It influences the ecosystem by democratizing access to human signals, empowering innovators in underserved areas like automated underwriting and smart devices, while setting standards through clinical validation and patents.[1]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

i-Virtual is poised to expand Saphere's adoption via API partnerships, targeting insurtech for underwriting and wellness for real-time apps, with potential in telehealth and AR/VR health overlays. Trends like multimodal AI and edge computing will amplify its rPPG edge, while regulatory tailwinds for certified devices boost scalability; influence may grow through acquisitions or ecosystem integrations, solidifying its role in human-AI interaction. This builds on its academic roots, transforming invisible signals into ubiquitous insights for a connected future.[1][4]