Global Healthcare Company Sunstar has acquired a majority stake in leading Austrian health tech company Playbrush, company officials announced today. Sunstar says the acquisition is a joint mission to create a new smart prevention platform for personal care that aligns with their goal to become one of the world’s leading connected healthcare partners. “We are excited to be joining forces with Sunstar and are looking forward to this new chapter in the company’s evolution,” said Paul Varga, CEO of Playbrush. “The partnership with Sunstar complements our business and values, with a shared understanding of the need and opportunity for greater digitalization in the oral care market. We will continue to transform the industry and feel strongly equipped with Sunstar as a partner. We are also grateful for the support provided by our original financial investors who enabled us to reach this next stage of our development.” Sunstar, headquartered in Switzerland with nearly a century of experience in oral health, was one of the first companies to advocate for novel thinking about the holistic relationship between oral health and the body. The company is actively pursuing joint-research projects with leading world research institutions in cooperation with both dental and medical experts from around the world. The acquisition of Playbrush supports Sunstar’s ambition to continue setting new standards for the future of oral care. Masakazu Nakamura, chief operating officer of Sunstar, said that the majority stake in Playbrush will enable Sunstar to obtain digital growth opportunities through new data-driven business models in oral care. “Playbrush’s best-in-class technological innovation and business model platforms combined with our holistic oral care expertise and values, is a natural and complementary fit,” said Nakamura. “Uniting our traditional expertise in oral care, close relationship with dental professionals, and international network with Playbrush’s unique solutions and capabilities will enable us to become a world-leading, connected healthcare partner.” Based in Vienna and London, Playbrush was launched by university pals Paul Varga, Matthäus Ittner and Tolulope Ogunsina with a vision to become the number one smart tech platform in preventive oral care. Playbrush smart toothbrushes can be connected to mobile device apps for an innovative toothbrushing experience. The company’s use of AI, connectivity and gamification has since made it synonymous with a new level of dental care for children and adults. By merging smart and highly-personalized consumer feedback with a subscription model for oral health services, the start-up has pioneered a 360-degree approach to smart oral care. Playbrush has been funded by Venture Capital Fund Speedinvest, UNIQA Ventures GmbH, and Austria’s most recognized angel investor Hansi Hansmann, Swiss private investor Harold Primat, and German investment company SevenVentures GmbH.
