This is a guest post by Richard Armstrong who is an early stage investor in many startups in both SE Asia and globally. Plus Richard has cofounded several companies.
Guest Author: Richard Armstrong
Impress, known as Smile2Impress, is one of our portfolio companies at the global fund that I am at.
They are pretty radically innovating in the orthodontic space and have grown explosively around the world.
The company was founded in 2019 in Barcelona with the idea of making orthodontics more affordable. And it was roughly 60% cheaper than most traditional teeth straightening methods at that time.
So what exactly is Impress doing different?
Well, first off they’ve created technology that customizes treatment to each patient unlike some other more ‘cookie cutter’ approaches. This ensures that the results are more precise and effective.
Also the treatment is much faster than traditional aligners.
They are better at handling more complex cases than other aligners.
To do this they are leveraging AI and learning from the outcomes of all of their past patients.
Additionally they have a really impressive team of orthodontic experts that are contributing to the technology.
And similar to other aligners, they are far more aesthetically pleasing to wear than fixed braces.
What is the experience like?
Patients seem to consistently be very impressed with the Impress experience as it is very easy, fast, and technologically-enabled.
First, you come in for your consultation and they ask some questions. They also look at your mouth and take photos.
Then they do a full scan using this cool scanning device, which creates a 3d visual on the screen of what your mouth looks like.
Next, they take an X-ray to help complete their understanding of your situation. And this then helps them make a diagnosis.
Finally, they make a treatment plan and give you an estimate of how long it would take as well as how much it will cost.
With your treatment plan you get this 3d render of your teeth.
If you decide to go forward with treatment, they mail you your set of aligners when its ready and you get access to their app. On the app you can message them 24-7 and you get support.
If you’re interested in finding out more, I highly recommend checking out this video.
Just how fast are they growing?
The short answer is…. very very fast.
In 2022 they raised a series B round of $125m, not long after raising a $50m Series A only a year or so prior.
And they are using all this funding to improve the technology, improve the customer experience, and grow out the business geographically.
After less than five years since their founding, they are already operating over 160 clinics across 8 countries.
Most likely Impress with be a unicorn in the near future if they are not already.
