Eppur

What Eppur does

Eppur is a Lille-based French medical device company that designs, manufactures, and distributes the first integrated braking systems for manual wheelchairs. Founded in 2020 by Colin Gallois and Lancelot Durand around a concept originated in 2015 at the Université de Technologie de Compiègne, the company sells two product lines — DREEFT and SKEED — both of which embed a patented braking mechanism inside the wheel hub, eliminating the need for users to brake by friction against the rotating handrim. DREEFT uses a handrail-actuated coaster-brake principle reducing braking effort by approximately 80% and is registered on the French LPPR (Code No. 4904626) for 100% Sécurité sociale reimbursement; SKEED, launched in 2025, uses a dedicated lever-and-cam mechanism that preserves full two-wheel maneuverability and is reimbursed via DAP. Both products are CE-marked Class I medical devices, manufactured in-house in Lille, compatible with around 200 wheelchair models via dedicated adapters, and validated for use alongside powered add-on systems such as Smoov, Smartdrive, and Yomper+.

The company operates a channel-led go-to-market model: it does not sell direct to consumers but routes every transaction through authorized resellers — 250+ in France and 300+ points of sale across 20+ countries — with regional distributors handling the UK/Ireland (Decon), DACH/Nordics (Decon), Australia (Muve Tech), New Zealand (CustomTech), Japan (LAC Healthcare), Argentina (Care Quip), and Canada (Blake Medical). Pricing is a one-time hardware sale (€1,940 TTC public price for DREEFT) supplemented by an LPPR-covered €74.82 per-wheel annual maintenance subscription. Demand generation is driven by healthcare professional referrals (MPR physicians, ergotherapists, physiotherapists), a dense trade show circuit (REHACARE, Autonomic, Handica, Naidex, Vivatech), extensive French press coverage, and high-profile ambassador programs (Paralympic athlete Yunier Fernandez at Paris 2024, para-badminton champion Milena Surreau). The company has raised €1.2M in seed funding (2022), operates with a team of seven, and carries only a minimal capital social (€20-21K), making it a small, founder-led hardware medical-device business whose unit economics are anchored by French reimbursement and whose growth depends on international reimbursement pathways and reseller productivity.

Name

Eppur

Legal name

EPPUR S.A.S

Website

https://eppur.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Eppur is a Lille-based French medical device company that designs, manufactures, and distributes DREEFT and SKEED, the first patented hub-integrated braking systems for manual wheelchairs. It sells exclusively through 250+ French resellers and 300+ points of sale across 20+ countries, serving individual wheelchair users, with full French LPPR reimbursement.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobility Aids and Wheelchair Equipment

NAICS

Motorcycle, Bicycle, and Parts Manufacturing (336991)

SIC

Motorcycles, Bicycles & Parts (3751)

akta.pro primary industry

Wheel Hubs, Bearings & Knuckles (Hubs/Bearings/Spindles/Knuckles) (IMACAIAI)

Keywords

• Wheelchair braking systems
• Mobility aids
• Manual wheelchair accessories
• Medical device equipment
• Assistive technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Lille

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wheel Sales (DREEFT and SKEED): Eppur generates revenue primarily through the one-time sale of its DREEFT and SKEED wheel pairs with integrated braking systems. DREEFT is listed at €1,940 TTC (public price) and is registered on the French LPPR (Liste des Produits et Prestations Remboursables), enabling full reimbursement by French national health insurance (Sécurité sociale) for eligible users. SKEED is available via a Demande d'Accord Préalable (DAP) on quote, with the public price not publicly disclosed. Both products are sold through a network of 250+ authorized resellers in France and internationally (300+ points of sale in 20+ countries). Customers include individual wheelchair users ( reimbursed through health insurance), healthcare institutions, and international distributors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

Eppur designs, manufactures, and sells integrated braking wheel systems for manual wheelchairs under two flagship product lines: DREEFT (push-to-lock hub-integrated brake wheels) and SKEED (lever-activated brake wheels). Both are CE-marked Class I medical devices sold primarily through a network of medical equipment resellers and healthcare professionals, with DREEFT registered for reimbursement under France's LPPR (Liste des Produits et Prestations Remboursables).

Product overview

Eppur offers two distinct braking wheel systems for manual wheelchairs, both manufactured in Lille, France. DREEFT uses a reverse-handrim activation mechanism (pulling the hand rim backward) to engage internal hub braking, while SKEED uses a dedicated lever fixed to the wheel for lever-action braking. Both eliminate friction burns and reduce braking effort by 80-95%, and both are compatible with powered add-on wheels (Smoov, Smartdrive, Yomper+). DREEFT is the flagship product (first launched, LPPR-listed at €1,940 with 100% French social security reimbursement); SKEED is the newer, lighter model launched in 2025, designed for active users who want to preserve two-wheel maneuverability. Together they constitute Eppur's complete product portfolio for wheelchair mobility, safety, and autonomy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DREEFT: The first integrated braking system for manual wheelchairs, inspired by Dutch bikes, using a 'backpedaling' mechanism where the handrail activates internal drum brakes when pulled backward. Eliminates friction burns, reduces braking effort by 80%, and is compatible with motorized wheelchairs. Public price: 1,940 EUR TTC. LPPR code: 4904626.
• SKEED

Products and services

• DREEFT

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% reduction in braking effort compared to traditional handrail friction braking
• +14 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Motion CompositescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMotion Composites is a key global distributor for Eppur's products, sharing exhibition space at Autonomic and Handica trade shows in France. They distribute both DREEFT and SKEED and represent Eppur at trade events. Motion Composites is a recognized wheelchair manufacturer, making this partnership highly strategic for product-customer matching.
• Decon (Decon Mobility)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDecon Mobility distributes Eppur products across Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands (via a single contact point). They have a dedicated website section for Eppur products and represent Eppur at REHACARE (Düsseldorf) annually.
• Muve TechcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuve Tech distributes Eppur's products in Australia. They visited the Eppur REHACARE stand in 2024 and continue to conduct product demonstrations with Australian wheelchair users. Their involvement was featured in Eppur's 2024 trade show recap.
• CustomTechcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCustomTech distributes Eppur's SKEED and DREEFT products in New Zealand, serving the Oceania market alongside Muve Tech in Australia.
• LAC Healthcare LtdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLAC Healthcare Ltd distributes Eppur's wheelchair braking systems in Japan, representing Eppur in the Asian market.
• Care QuipcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCare Quip distributes Eppur products in Argentina, marking Eppur's entry into the South American market as of 2025.
• Blake MedicalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBlake Medical distributes Eppur products in Canada, representing Eppur's North American market presence as of 2025.
• Toyota Mobility FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerToyota Mobility Foundation is listed among Eppur's partners. The partnership relates to Toyota's support for Yunier Fernandez, a Paralympic wheelchair basketball player who won gold at Paris 2024 equipped with DREEFT wheels and a Toyota motorization. The partnership appears to be a co-marketing association around Para-athlete support rather than deep product co-development. (Note: an April Fool's post about a 'Toyota YariSKEED' car product was confirmed as a joke by the company hashtag #PoissonDAvril.)
• SantélysminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSantélys is a health and social care organization in the Hauts-de-France region. As an Eppur partner, they likely support the product's clinical validation, referral pathway development, or healthcare professional network engagement in the northern France region.
• EurasantéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEurasanté is the health competitiveness cluster for the Lille metropolitan area. As a partner, they likely provide networking, clinical partnership facilitation, and visibility within the regional health tech ecosystem. Eppur received the Silver Surfer label from Eurasanté in 2025.
• CEREMHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEREMH (Centre de Ressources et d'Innovation sur le Handicap) is a French center focused on handicap innovation and resources. As an Eppur partner, they likely provide clinical expertise, user testing facilities, or validation support for Eppur's products.
• CERAH (Centre d'Études et de Recherche sur les Appareillages de Santé)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCERAH is a center specializing in health equipment research. Their partnership with Eppur likely involves product validation, clinical evaluation, or healthcare professional training related to wheelchair braking systems.
• Cowork'hitminorOthersCowork'hit is a coworking space in the Lille area. As an Eppur partner, they likely provide flexible office infrastructure or community membership for the early-stage startup.
• Les Lieux RacontentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLes Lieux Racontent is a content/storytelling platform. As an Eppur partner, they likely provide content creation, storytelling, or editorial support to help communicate user stories and product impact narratives.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Motion Composites: Canadian premium ultralight manual wheelchair manufacturer and a core global distribution partner for both DREEFT and SKEED. They co-exhibit with Eppur at Autonomic and Handica in France, making them both a commercial peer in the high-end manual wheelchair space and a structural channel partner.
• Küschall (Sunrise Medical brand): Premium ultralight manual wheelchair brand under Sunrise Medical. Their high-end active-user focus (rigid frames, custom configuration) directly overlaps with Eppur's SKEED target segment, making them the closest direct peer on the high-performance manual wheelchair side.
• TiLite (Permobil brand): Premium ultralight rigid and folding manual wheelchairs brand owned by Permobil. Targets the same active-user/para-athlete segment where DREEFT and SKEED compete for fitments.

Broad incumbents

• Sunrise Medical: Global manufacturer of manual and power wheelchairs (Quickie, Zippie, Küschall, RGK, Leckey) and seating solutions. They sell into the same manual wheelchair end-user base and could plausibly integrate a competing integrated braking system into a future ultralight frame, making them the most strategically important indirect incumbent.
• Permobil: Major manufacturer of power wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs (via TiLite) and powered add-ons. They overlap with Eppur's user base on the powered-assist segment and could become a competitor if they expand into the manual-wheel hub braking category.
• Invacare: Long-established global manufacturer of manual and power wheelchairs, seating, and home-medical equipment. They serve the same medical-equipment distribution channel and end-user population as Eppur, and represent the kind of broad-line incumbent that could enter Eppur's niche via acquisition or in-house R&D.
• Shimano: Dominant global bicycle component manufacturer, including coaster brakes, roller brakes and disc brake systems. Their hub-integrated coaster and roller-brake architectures are the direct technological reference points for Eppur's DREEFT and could be replicated into the wheelchair market by them or by a partner OEM.
• SRAM: Major bicycle component manufacturer (brakes, drivetrains, hubs, including hydraulic and mechanical disc systems for bikes). Relevant as a hub-brake technology parallel and a potential adjacency if cycling-component players consider medical-mobility licensing.

Emerging players

• Alber (Smoov): German manufacturer of power-assist add-ons for manual wheelchairs, including the Smoov — explicitly listed as a motorization compatible with Eppur's braking wheels. Sells through a similar medical-device distribution channel and to the same active-user population, making it both an ecosystem partner and an adjacent peer.
• Batec Mobility: Spanish manufacturer of front third-wheel power add-ons for manual wheelchairs (Batec Sirocco, Batec Electric). Listed by Eppur as a compatibility partner, they target exactly the same end-user population and trade-show circuit (REHACARE, Naidex), making them a close emerging peer in the powered-assist wheelchair add-on category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eppur_dreeft
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQy6T6iB0tS-tkQQZpzZOEQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/eppur.eu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dreeftbyeppur
• Instagraminstagram.com/eppur.eu

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Eppur