Harmonic Convergence of Technology and Humanity: Elitac Wearables Transforms MedTech through Intelligent Innovation

In an era where the boundary between technology and the human body is rapidly dissolving, Elitac Wearables has emerged as a pioneer redefining how medical technology integrates into everyday life. Established in 2012, the Netherlands-based company has built its reputation on seamlessly blending electronics with textiles to create intelligent wearables that are not only functional but life-enhancing. At the heart of its mission lies a bold commitment: to improve the daily lives of at least one million people by 2035.

This ambition is far from abstract. With expertise spanning medical, safety, and sports applications, Elitac Wearables has consistently translated research into practical, scalable solutions. From the BalanceBelt designed to restore independence for patients with balance disorders to haptic navigation belts for defense applications, the company’s portfolio demonstrates a consistent dedication to impact.

Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Merijn Klarenbeek, the company has grown into a multidisciplinary powerhouse of engineers, designers, and textile specialists, supported by a state-of-the-art Wearables Lab. Here, innovation thrives, informed by collaborations with universities, hospitals, and defense organizations. The company’s agile, research-driven approach ensures that wearable devices evolve beyond gadgets into meaningful tools that safeguard health, enhance performance, and restore quality of life. For Elitac Wearables, technology is not an end in itself, but a bridge to human potential.

A Philosophy Rooted in Functionality and Human Impact

The guiding principle at Elitac Wearables is deceptively simple: wearables must add tangible value. Every project is designed with functionality at the core whether it is aiding rehabilitation, enhancing safety, or elevating performance. The company’s unique integration of electronics with textiles allows wearables to remain lightweight, flexible, and comfortable, making adoption easier for end-users who demand both reliability and usability.

The emphasis on “meaningful wearables” distinguishes the company from many MedTech competitors. Rather than pursuing technology for its own sake, the team prioritizes solutions that address specific medical challenges or human needs. This pragmatic yet visionary approach has positioned the company as a trusted partner for healthcare providers, defense agencies, and innovators worldwide.

The Wearables Lab: From Concept to Market

One of the company’s most distinctive advantages is its 180m² in-house Wearables Lab. Outfitted with advanced tools such as 3D printers, laser cutters, and permanent testing setups, the Lab enables rapid prototyping and thorough validation at every stage of the product development cycle. By consolidating design, testing, and limited production under one roof, Elitac Wearables reduces time-to-market and mitigates risks for its partners.

The Lab not only accelerates development but also strengthens innovation. Here, the team experiments with new integration techniques printed electronics, conductive yarns, and elastic cables to push the boundaries of textile-electronic convergence. The result is a growing library of proprietary building blocks, including the ScienceSuit and TacOS operating system, which speed development while maintaining flexibility for customization.

Proven Solutions in MedTech

The company’s BalanceBelt exemplifies its impact-driven approach. Developed in collaboration with Maastricht University Medical Centre+, the wearable employs haptic feedback to provide spatial orientation for patients with severe balance disorders. Launched commercially in 2020, it has restored independence and mobility to individuals whose quality of life had been dramatically reduced.

Another innovation, the ScienceSuit, offers modular components that allow researchers and developers to prototype haptic feedback applications quickly and cost-effectively. By democratizing access to wearable experimentation, Elitac Wearables accelerates not only its own projects but the progress of the entire MedTech ecosystem.

Leadership That Inspires Transformation

The strategic vision of Merijn Klarenbeek, Chief Executive Officer, has been pivotal to the company’s trajectory. His leadership emphasizes collaboration, multidisciplinary problem-solving, and a relentless pursuit of solutions that genuinely matter to people’s lives. By fostering long-term partnerships with both commercial enterprises and research institutions, Klarenbeek ensures that the company remains at the forefront of MedTech innovation while staying grounded in human-centered design.

Klarenbeek’s philosophy is evident in the company’s partnerships with organizations like the Royal Netherlands Army and various hospitals and universities. These collaborations enable Elitac Wearables to test, refine, and validate technologies under real-world conditions, ensuring both performance and reliability.

Future of MedTech through Wearables

Looking ahead, Elitac Wearables envisions a future where smart clothing and wearable devices are seamlessly integrated into daily life. The company predicts that the boundary between form and function will continue to erode, with wearables becoming invisible yet indispensable companions in healthcare, safety, and performance optimization.

By continuously investing in research and maintaining agility in its development process, the company is well-positioned to scale its impact. The vision of reaching one million people by 2035 is not merely aspirational; it is grounded in a decade-long record of translating ideas into commercially successful, medically validated products.

The Elitac Wearables Advantage

What distinguishes Elitac Wearables is not just its technical expertise but its ethos: technology designed with empathy. Every wearable is conceived with the end user’s comfort, health, and dignity at the forefront. This rare balance of engineering rigor and human-centered design has made the company a standout in the MedTech sector, earning it recognition as one of the 5 Best MedTech Companies of the Year 2025.

 Merijn Klarenbeek, Chief Executive Officer

"At Elitac Wearables, we design for life first and technology second because only then can wearable innovation truly improve lives," says Merijn Klarenbeek, Chief Executive Officer of Elitac Wearables.