Wisdom announced it has secured more than $1.3 million in pre-seed financing to advance its smart home platform designed to help older adults live safely and independently. The funding includes a $315,000 social-impact investment from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, alongside $925,000 in previously unannounced capital raised through crowdfunding and angel investors. The new investment will support platform development and real-world deployment of Wisdom’s Smart Home system, which leverages ambient sensing and edge AI technology to support aging in place.
Wisdom’s system is designed to operate without requiring older adults to wear traditional medical alert devices or to actively engage with complex technology. Instead, it uses private, sensor-based tools to identify falls, detect changes in activity patterns, alert caregivers and family members, and escalate to emergency services when needed.
The announcement comes amid significant demographic and workforce shifts in the U.S. population. According to the Population Reference Bureau, the number of Americans aged 65 and older is projected to rise 42%, from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050. At the same time, the Home Care Workers Association of America has reported a crisis in the home care workforce, noting that the supply of aides and nursing staff is insufficient to meet the growing needs of older adults.
Research from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University indicates that older adults in underserved urban and rural areas are more likely to age in place out of necessity due to cost constraints and limited alternatives. Wisdom plans to begin serving under-resourced communities in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, supported by the Foundation’s Social-Impact Investment Program, which funds for-profit startups aligned with its philanthropic strategy.
Wisdom partners with home care agencies, home modification providers, aging-in-place organizations, and other stakeholders to deploy its secure, non-invasive platform. Data is stored and analyzed locally on the Wisdom Home Hub to maintain privacy and enable real-time response. The system uses AI-powered computer vision and machine learning to detect falls and identify changes in daily routines that may indicate emerging risks.
The company said its open architecture integrates with existing intelligent sensors and is designed to support future smart sensor integrations, including lights, appliances, and doors, expanding a home’s ability to monitor and support safety.
In October 2025, Wisdom also announced a collaboration with Samsung Health to expand its connected device ecosystem. By integrating its AI-powered smart home system with the Samsung Galaxy Watch, Wisdom aims to extend monitoring beyond the home environment and incorporate additional data points such as gait speed, a biomarker associated with functional performance and overall health.
Wisdom operates as a B2B2C company, partnering with home care agencies, nonprofits supporting older adults, and 55+ home developers. Through its MyWisdom app, families receive real-time updates and insights, while professional caregivers gain shared visibility into daily patterns and safety indicators.
KEY QUOTES
“Helping older adults remain safe and independent in the homes they love will become increasingly difficult as the gap widens between caregivers and the number of older adults who need support. We noticed a lack of innovation designed to support the older adult when no caregiver is present and that’s why we created Wisdom. Without requiring any lifestyle changes or technical know-how from users, Wisdom provides families with continuous insight into safety and well-being, 24/7/365. For professional home care companies, Wisdom provides data that supports communications with families and improved overall care. The investment from the Richard King Mellon Foundation will accelerate our momentum refining and delivering a comprehensive solution not currently found on the market today.”
Cathy Minter, Co-founder And CEO, Wisdom
