The most growth-hungry health and welfare companies were selected

The selected companies include Adusso Oy, Auntie Solutions Oy, Disior Oy, KAMU Health Oy, mfore, Physilect Oy, Sanoi Oy, Sanoste Oy, Timespace Cloud Oy and Triumf Gamification from Helsinki, Nindux Oy, Popit, SE Innovations Oy and Yanisan Air from Espoo, BrainCare Oy and LivingSkills Oy from Tampere, Edevent from Turku, Family Support House Oy, Onerva Hoivaviestintä Oy and Fitverstas Oy from Kokkola, Hallaus Architecs from Heinola, Healthfactory Oy from Lempäälä, Medanets from Oulu, Quha Oy from Nokia, and SimLabIT Oy from Kuopio.

The business ideas of the selected companies are related to, for example, medical data systems, employee welfare services, epilepsy self-care, digital diagnostic tools, nutrition and health guidance, spatial planning, training software, self-care services for asthma patients, various healthcare mobile solutions, indoor air quality control, services for the elderly and people with disabilities, virtual and remote rehabilitation services, medical care, and virtual solutions.

The judges were expecting digital solutions related to the welfare and healthcare industry, which would be beneficial for both ordinary people as well as professionals. Growth plans were assessed with strict criteria. In addition to digitalization, the judges emphasized business scalability and internationalization potential.

According to the judges, “the selected companies presented various products, services and innovations for improving the industry. The companies consisted of both familiar actors as well as new and surprising challengers”.

The panel of judges included Tiina Arpola from the Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Miikka Kiiski from IBM, Kari Halinen from the City of Jyväskylä, Teuvo Antikainen from the Central Finland Health Care District, Arto Holopainen from the City of Kuopio, and Jouko Kuisma from Salivirta & Partners.

Brain implant for epilepsy monitoring

One of the companies selected for the Growth Track was BrainCare Oy from Tampere. The company is currently developing an implant for long-term epilepsy monitoring which will function in a similar way as an airplane black box. The implant will record data from epilepsy seizures and send it directly to the patients' doctors. In addition to the epilepsy monitoring solution, the company has also developed an application that provides patient's perspectives on their seizures and shares this data with the medical personnel.

According to BrainCare’s CEO Katrina Wendel-Mitoraj, the company’s biggest development objectives come down to financing and marketing.

“So I’m thinking of doing a crowd-funding campaign and to grow it to where we can actually do the real R&D to get to the implant,” states Wendel-Mitoraj.

To build on her own R&D expertise and legislative knowledge, the entrepreneur hopes to receive sparring especially on marketing.

“I’m an engineer and I’ve been learning all this business stuff on the fly! So, I need business help, marketing help. Hopefully someone who’s “been there, done that”, knows what am I not saying or what am I failing to mention.”

The contents and schedule of the Growth Track program

The 25 companies selected for the Growth Track will be sparred during two Runway Days; 10 companies will participate in the Runway Day in Jyväskylä on February 22, and 15 companies in Helsinki on February 27. The second Runway Day aimed at all 25 companies will be arranged in Espoo on March 3. At these events, experts in different subjects (growth, internationalization, sales, financing, marketing, management) aka ’Millers’ will challenge and help the companies to reach their individual growth goals. In addition to individual meetings with the companies, the second Runway Day consists of expert-led workshops, aimed at all companies. Each company will meet 9 Millers during 35-45-minute confidential meetings. After the Runway Days, the judges will select 4 companies, which will proceed to the Kasvu Open Carnival, the national finals held in October 2018. The winners will be announced on June 1st in the Upgraded Life Festival.