DayOne accelerates six digital health start-ups

The DayOne Accelerator has the goal of boosting startups that can have an impact on children and adolescent health to bring them closer to market and make them more investible for a sustainable and long-term impact. The accelerator supports companies with access to an ecosystem of potential collaborators and customers that includes the special partner University Children’s Hospital Basel (UKBB), tailored coaching and shared collaborative space. In addition, four companies will receive a non-dilutive grant of 50,000 Swiss Francs. The next round will take run from January – June 2020.

The four selected companies that will receive both funding and a place in the program are:

Zoundream (Basel) – developed BabyT the first portable device translating newborn cries into babies needs, thanks to advanced tools/latest technologies and skills.

Rekonas (eTomo) – founded by graduates from the University Basel, Rekonas is developing a solution that will allow for improved bedside monitoring of epilepsy and other diseases through electric source imaging.

Haako (Basel) – is developing mobile application solutions to help parents of children with Asthma to better manage their condition and get personalized asthma predictions. Its Asthma tracker App acts as a diary which makes it easy to track patients’ peak flow values, asthma medication intake and asthma-related symptoms.

Wello Health (Romanian) – offers an artificial intelligence platform helps families with overweight children to improve nutrition and overall health.

A Special prize for two companies
In addition, two more companies will participate in the mentoring program with coaching and connections to the healthcare innovation ecosystem:

Nutrix (Basel) – is developing a high-tech nanosensor for glucose monitoring in saliva. The solution will help in disease prevention such as diabetes.

Virtual Doctors (Zambia) – the telemedicine company developed a mobile application solution to support healthcare professionals working in remote areas. The solution is currently being used in Zambia where doctors are supported by doctors from the UK through the app.

The companies were chosen from over 120 applications of whom a shortlist of 14 were invited to develop their ideas further at the DayOne Conference and through discussions with UKBB. A group of experts from the region then chose the final ventures to participate in the program.

“We understand that the process of taking a venture from a good idea to a viable venture in digital health is challenging and that these entrepreneurs need support and that we can also learn from them over the six months and beyond. We also believe that the best way to support entrepreneurs is to bring them into an ecosystem that we along with others are helping to build” explains Fabian Streiff, Director of Healthcare Innovation - DayOne at BaselArea.swiss.

The accelerator is part of the initiative DayOne that is managed by BaselArea.swiss and which is building an ecosystem for healthcare innovation.
(RAN)