What Interactive Wear does

Interactive Wear AG is a privately held German technology company founded in May 2005 in Starnberg near Munich through a management buy-out of Infineon Technologies' wearable electronics division. The company designs and manufactures embedded hardware and software platforms for wearable electronics, smart textile components, and edge-AI sensor systems, serving B2B customers that integrate its technology into their own products across sports, fitness, rehabilitation, fashion, workwear, and smart PPE segments.

Its core technology stack is built around the modular MicroHub, NanoHub, and MicroHubPro development platforms (running the open-source Zephyr RTOS for hardware-independent application development), the MHX sensor family for motion and physiological sensing, the iThermX/iThermFlex heating platform, the iLightX L20 LED system, NFMI communication technology for body-area networks, and proprietary e-textile sensors, textile cables, and connectors. A proprietary "Enhanced Features" feature-extraction layer enables neural network inference for motion classification at >99.5% accuracy on resource-constrained ARM M0+ microcontrollers, supporting real-time edge-AI without cloud infrastructure.

The company generates revenue through hardware component and platform sales (development kits, modules, sensors, heating elements, LED systems, textile cables, connectors), custom product development services from concept through volume production, consulting and engineering services, data science collaborations, and workshops/feasibility studies. It distributes via direct enterprise sales supported by a worldwide network of partners in electronics and textiles. The company has no public listing, no disclosed venture or private equity backing, and operates as an independent AG with Executive Board member Andreas Roepert and an Advisory Board led by Chairperson Awa Garlinska.

Name

Interactive Wear

Legal name

Interactive Wear AG

Website

https://interactive-wear.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Interactive Wear AG is a German B2B technology provider that designs embedded hardware, smart textile components, and edge-AI sensor platforms for wearable electronics, serving enterprise customers across sports, fashion, medical, industrial safety, and smart PPE segments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wearable Electronics and Smart Textiles

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

Electronic Components & Accessories (3670), Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)

akta.pro primary industry

Wearable Computers (Industrial Smart Glasses/Wrist/Arm-Mount) (HDACALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wearable-Integrated & Smart Performance Apparel (CRAAAEAL), Cold-Weather Accessories Manufacturing (Thermal Sets/Arm & Leg Warmers) (IMAOAFAJ), Fitness Wearables & Training Tech Retail (Heart-Rate Monitors, GPS Watches, Sensors) (CRAMADAH)

Keywords

• Wearable electronics
• Smart textiles
• Edge AI sensors
• Textile integration
• Wearable platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Starnberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Components and Systems Sales: Sale of hardware components and platforms including MicroHub, NanoHub, sensor modules, textile cables, connectors, heating elements (iThermX), LED systems (iLightX L20), and power solutions. Products are sold to garment manufacturers, fashion brands, and medical device companies for integration into their products.
2. Custom Product Development: Customer-specific wearable product development from idea to manufacturing, delivering systems for demonstrators, prototypes, pre-series and volume production. Customers leverage existing platforms enabling fast time to market with reduced development risks.
3. Consulting and Engineering Services: Expert consulting on wearable electronics basics, product concept evaluation, and industrialization. Fast access to wearable electronics expertise and implementation. Leverages development know-how from over 130+ projects and R&D partner network.
4. Data Science Projects: Collaboration with customers on data acquisition and analysis for body and environmental data. Preconfigured systems ready-to-use for data science projects. AI experts and data scientists work on domain-specific data processing and labeling challenges.
5. Workshops and Feasibility Studies: Customized workshops for organizations new to wearable electronics, covering basics like Ohm's law, heating power, connectivity, integration methods, and cost considerations. Feasibility studies for evaluating product concepts or components.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Interactive Wear builds embedded software and hardware platforms for wearable sensor data acquisition and Edge-AI analysis, including the scalable MicroHub/NanoHub/MicroHubPro development systems and the iThermX heating and iLightX L20 lighting textile-integrated modules. The company produces smart textile components such as conductive cables, snap-button connectors, e-textile sensors, and MHX motion electronics, and provides customer-specific product development, data science, and consulting services from concept through volume production across sports, rehabilitation, fashion, workwear, and smart PPE segments.

Product overview

Interactive Wear offers a modular platform strategy built around the NanoHub, MicroHub, and MicroHubPro development systems, which serve as the core hardware/software foundation for sensor data acquisition and Edge-AI real-time analysis. The platform is complemented by the MHX electronics family (MHX Motion One single-sensor unit and MHX Fusion multi-sensor system), the iThermX/iThermFlex heating platform (Flex-S, Flex-M, Flex-L variants and sample kits), the iLightX L20 LED lighting system, compute and communication modules (BLE, WIFI, LoRa, Narrowband-IoT, NFMI), power systems (including solar harvesting and wireless charging), and a range of textile cables (TWC series with 2–10 litz wires) and connectors (snap-button, USB, audio, DUR8 series). The company provides data science project services, product development (idea to production), and consulting/engineering services. Components and systems are used in over 200 commercialized products across sports, fitness, rehabilitation, fashion, workwear, and smart PPE segments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MicroHub Scalable modular development platform for wearable real-time sensor data applications supporting multi-sensor systems for body monitoring, motion tracking, and IoT. Applications can be developed hardware-independently using the open-source Zephyr RTOS. Sold to enterprise engineering teams building their own wearable products.
• NanoHub Compact wearable development platform for low-power sensor data applications. Part of the scalable NanoHub/MicroHub/MicroHubPro platform family targeted at IoT and wearable product developers.
• MicroHubPro High-end development platform featuring CortexM4/M0 processing up to 200MHz with two Highspeed USB 2.0 ports for high-end data streaming wearable applications.
• MHX Motion One Single-sensor motion tracking unit within the MHX portfolio, designed for single-point body monitoring applications such as lower-leg motion sensing in rehabilitation products like OPED Orthelligent.
• MHX Fusion Multi-sensor fusion system within the MHX portfolio enabling combined sensing from heterogeneous sensor arrays for advanced wearable applications.
• e-Textile Sensors Electronic textile sensors including electronics to digitize sensor values. Includes respiration sensors based on elastic textile cable that trigger inductive changes when stretched, and inertial motion sensor units (IMUs) with barometric pressure sensing for body monitoring applications.
• Haptic Feedback System Haptic feedback system using multiple cyclic and linear rotary motors integrated in textiles attached to the skin. The autonomous system measures, computes, and delivers different vibration patterns for immediate, intuitive user feedback in harsh environments.
• iThermX Modular heating platform for lightweight, flexible, breathable, and safe wearable heating applications. Combines heating elements, controllers, and power supplies supporting 5W to 30W heat power and temperature increases of +5°C to 50°C.
• iThermFlex-S Cost-efficient single/dual-zone heating solution for fashion, sports, and workwear that operates with off-the-shelf USB 5V/2A power banks, delivering approximately 8W thermal output and designed for large-volume cost-efficient production.
• iThermFlex-M Medium-format heating pad double the Flex-S size with a prospective interconnect line. Can be used as one compact heating area or cut into two interconnected heat pads for chest or thigh heating.
• iThermFlex-L High-power heating solution rated up to 12V/3A and compatible with 3-cell Lithium-Ion power banks (11.1V) or 12V automotive/motorbike batteries. Delivers up to 36W thermal output and can be cut into up to six heating zones.
• iThermFlex S Sample Kit Sample kit including the iTherm Flex-S heating element with XT5000 power bank (5V/2A max 8.5W) providing approximately 18Wh capacity for customer evaluation.
• iThermFlex L Sample Kit Sample kit including the iTherm Flex-L heating element with iPower Flex (9.2V/2A max 19W) providing approximately 18Wh capacity for customer evaluation.
• H60 Heating System Mobile heating electronics combined with sensor-controlled heating pads. Core technology used by AKMedTec for an innovative heated mattress for patient transport that prevents and regulates hypothermia.
• Infusion Warmer Mobile heating system for first responders that heats infusion liquids to allow application of warm infusions to patients with hypothermia, with an integrated control unit for temperature regulation.
• iLightX L20 LED System Modular, washable LED lighting system integrated into garments. Powered by 3.7V/1400mAh Li-Ion battery providing approximately 20 hours of operation at +25°C. LEDs integrate into YKK Stocko DUR8 snap buttons for modular removable installation, controllable via press button or optional BLE remote.
• LED Snap Buttons LED modules clickable into standard YKK Stocko DUR 8 snap eyelets. Modular and removable system compatible with L20 control unit and power banks via USB flat connector.
• Textile Cables (TWC Series) Flexible, lightweight, robust textile cables for data and power transfer in wearable applications. Available in 2, 4, 6, and 10 litz wire configurations with silver-coated copper strands (~0.30 Ω/m resistance). Washable up to 40°C and tumble-dry safe, including models 2B05-TWC3005, 4B07-TWC3005, and 6B10-TWC3005.
• Power Systems

Quantifiable outcome

• Motion detection accuracy of 99.5%+ with Enhanced Features neural networks compared to 85-93.2% with standard CNNs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and research.

• BIONIC Project ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023EU-funded BIONIC project for personalized body sensor networks with built-in intelligence for real-time risk assessment. Interactive Wear led development of modular sensor network for acquiring and synchronizing sensor data from distributed wearable sensors.
• BEAUTIFUL Project ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BMBF-funded project for ergonomic assistance systems in critical infrastructure. Interactive Wear implements distributed wearable sensors and sensor fusion algorithms to measure physiological data of operators for cognitive load and mental fatigue assessment. Partners include Avacon Netz, Fraunhofer FIT/FKIE, RWTH Aachen, and others.
• EGHI Project ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021BMBF-funded EGHI project for AI-based health assistance system. Interactive Wear develops overall system design from sensor integration to evaluation in neural networks, and business models.
• Technical University of Dresden - Chair for Molecular Functional MaterialsresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partnership for molecular functional materials research in smart textiles.
• Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Geriatrics Research Group)researchStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare research collaboration for motion detection research using neural networks and Interactive Wear's MicroHub development system.
• DFKI German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence - Augmented VisionresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerAI research partnership for augmented vision and machine learning applications in wearables.
• Deutsche Institute für Textil- und Faserforschung Denkendorf (DITF)researchStrategic or Co-development PartnerTextile research institute partnership for functional textiles and fiber research.
• Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg - Machine Learning & Data AnalyticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead university partner in EGHI project coordinating AI-based health assistance system development. Key partner for machine learning and data analytics in wearable applications.
• Fortiss - Neuromorphic Computing ResearchresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeuromorphic computing research partnership for third-generation artificial neural networks in wearable applications.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZMresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerMicroelectronics reliability and integration research partnership for advanced packaging and integration technologies.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IISresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntegrated circuits research partnership for signal processing and sensor electronics.
• RWTH Aachen University - Institute of Textile Technology (ITA)researchStrategic or Co-development PartnerTextile technology research partnership for textile integration and manufacturing processes.
• TITV Greiz - The Institute for Special Textiles and Flexible MaterialsresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial textiles and flexible materials research partnership for smart textile development.
• Technical University Munich - Chair for Applied Software EngineeringresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoftware engineering research partnership for embedded systems and application development.
• Roessingh Research and DevelopmentresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare technology research partner in BIONIC project developing gamification apps for worker monitoring.
• Bodymed AGresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth behavior company partner in EGHI project for personalized health assistance systems.
• Avacon Netz GmbHresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrid operator partner in BEAUTIFUL project for ergonomic assessment of control center personnel.
• Ergoneers GmbHresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuman factors engineering partner in BEAUTIFUL project for ergonomic assessment systems.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Empatica: Empatica builds wearable biosensors with on-device edge AI for health monitoring (stress, seizure detection), overlapping directly with Interactive Wear's edge-AI wearable sensor platforms for medical and rehab use cases.
• Clim8: Clim8 specializes in intelligent heated apparel with embedded textile sensors and closed-loop temperature control, making it a direct functional peer to Interactive Wear's iThermX/iThermFlex heated garment platform.
• Notch Interactive: Notch delivers wearable motion-capture sensors with edge processing for sports and clinical motion analysis, directly comparable to Interactive Wear's MHX Motion One and Enhanced Features motion-classification stack.
• Wearable X: Wearable X (formerly Bend) builds smart apparel with embedded sensors and actuators (posture, heating, vibration), overlapping with Interactive Wear's combination of textile-integrated sensing, heating, and haptic-feedback products.
• Myant Inc. Myant produces textile-integrated wearable platforms with embedded sensors and heating/actuation, operating as a B2B smart-textile platform across health, fitness, and apparel segments, closely comparable to Interactive Wear's textile-cable and iThermX heating integrations.
• Shimmer Research: Shimmer develops wireless wearable sensor platforms and accompanying software for research, clinical, and enterprise applications, directly mirroring Interactive Wear's MicroHub-style offering of configurable sensor hardware plus analytics toolkits sold B2B to research and clinical customers.
• AiQ Smart Clothing: AiQ manufactures smart textile garments with embedded electronics for sports, healthcare, and workwear, comparable to Interactive Wear's components-and-systems approach to garment-integrated sensing, lighting, and heating.

Broad incumbents

• Garmin: Garmin is a global incumbent in fitness, outdoor, and wearables with broad sensor and edge-compute capability; while vertically integrated rather than platform-focused, it competes for design wins in sports, fitness, and worker-safety adjacent markets.
• Polar Electro: Polar is an established sports/fitness wearable brand with sensors and analytics for heart rate, motion, and training load, broader and brand-led versus Interactive Wear's B2B platform play, but competing for the same end OEMs and use cases in sports and fitness.

Others

• imec / Holst Centre: imec (with Holst Centre) is a large applied-research organization in flexible electronics, textile integration, and edge AI, serving as both a potential partner and competitive R&D source for the same smart-textile and wearable-platform capabilities Interactive Wear develops.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/interactive-wear-ag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Interactive Wear