Dutch Startup Raises €1.5 Million to Give Fighter Pilots a Sixth Sense Through Touch
Delft, Tuesday, 13 January 2026.
Touchwaves secured funding to develop wearable haptic technology that communicates critical flight information through touch rather than overwhelmed visual displays. The breakthrough addresses a major aviation safety issue where pilot cognitive overload contributes to most non-combat incidents, offering NATO air forces a revolutionary human-machine interface solution.
Strategic Defense Investment Led by Ministry Partners
The €1.5 million pre-seed funding round, announced on January 12, 2026, was led by SecFund, which operates in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and Regional Development Agencies under ROM-Nederland [1][2]. Additional investors included TNO Ventures, Brabant Startup Fonds, imec.istart, and Joanna Invests, with support from the Dutch Research Council’s NWO Take-off 2 program [1][2]. This investor composition reflects the strategic importance of the technology for national defense capabilities, with SecFund specifically targeting startups that address innovation needs of the Dutch Ministry of Defence [2]. The funding represents a significant validation of Dutch deep-tech research translating into commercial defense applications, positioning the Netherlands as a leader in next-generation combat system technologies [4].
From TNO Research to Combat-Ready Innovation
Touchwaves was founded in Eindhoven in 2023 by Charlotte Kjellander and Martin Romero as a spin-off from TNO and the Holst Centre [3]. Kjellander brings a PhD in Materials Science and a decade of leadership experience at TNO, including previous contributions to the development of the Flight Sensing Shirt, and has received the Women TechEU grant [3][6]. The company emerged from extensive research into human factors in aviation, addressing the critical issue that a large share of non-combat incidents are linked to human error [2]. This background positions Touchwaves uniquely to bridge the gap between advanced research and operational military applications, leveraging years of TNO’s expertise in human-machine interface technologies.
Revolutionary Touch-Based Communication Technology
Touchwaves develops wearable haptic systems that use flexible electronics embedded in garments to deliver tactile cues, creating what the founders describe as a ‘tactile language’ for decision-making and physiological regulation [3]. The technology communicates information directly to the wearer’s somatic sense, bypassing the overwhelmed visual and auditory channels that typically saturate first in high-stress environments [3]. As Charlotte Kjellander explains, ‘In high-stress environments, visual and auditory channels tend to saturate first; screens, alarms, and radio traffic quickly become overwhelming. Tactile communication, however, remains remarkably robust under stress’ [3]. This approach represents a fundamental shift from traditional cockpit design, which has historically focused on adding more visual displays and audio alerts rather than utilizing the human body’s untapped sensory channels.
Current Testing and Operational Validation
The company is currently testing and validating its technology with defense partners, including the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Forces and the Center for Man in Aviation, though the systems have not yet reached operational deployment [3]. These partnerships provide crucial real-world testing environments where pilots can evaluate the haptic feedback systems under actual flight conditions. Martin Romero emphasizes the human-centric approach, stating: ‘Modern aircraft are incredibly advanced, but the human remains the decisive factor. Our technology is designed to complement existing systems by enhancing situational awareness and resilience under high workload and stress’ [1]. The validation process focuses on refining both software and hardware components while ensuring reliable performance under operationally relevant conditions [3].
Expansion Plans and Broader Applications
Touchwaves plans to use the new funding to accelerate product development and expand its team from six to approximately ten people by March 2026, focusing primarily on engineering hires [3]. Beyond military aviation, the technology has applications in elite sports for breathing guidance, body awareness, and recovery; ground operations for fatigue and workload management alerts; and healthcare and wellbeing for developing focus, awareness, and resilience [1][2]. These dual-use applications align with the company’s long-term objective of establishing haptics as a core interface for enhancing human performance in high cognitive load environments [2]. The company believes that wearable haptics will become a fundamental layer in future combat systems, supporting not just pilots but various operators when traditional sensory channels become saturated [4].