The fully remotely organized Terkko Health X 2021 program is slowly coming to an end.
What has this year’s program included? 13 insightful workshops, sparring and mentorship from entrepreneurs and business professionals, tireless crystallization of business ideas and taking concrete steps towards new innovations in the health sector.
The long-awaited Showcase final is approaching and on Friday 26.11. the program culminates in the teams’ final pitches and the selection of the program’s winner. Now the program’s diverse and interesting teams get into the spotlight! It’s time to get to know this year’s participants and their thoughts on the Terkko health X program.
SpotMe
People affected with a genetic skin disease called psoriasis often feel too anxious or ashamed to undress in public spaces or in front of their loved ones, causing their mental and physical well-being to suffer. SpotMe is a mobile application that offers activities stimulating positive reinforcement in a community sharing the same struggles. The app features include polls, discover (map + stories), exercises, challenges, and a unique user profile, all which help users to keep track of their disease and promote well-being.
“SpotMe has and continues to enjoy the invaluable mentorship and guidance provided by Terkko Health X, both during and outside the workshops. During the workshops, we have asked many questions and received feedback from other teams and mentors, but when have felt that we need additional support we can go to Advicera and ask. In addition, we have enjoyed the inspirational talks, networking opportunities with other teams, and all the insightful workshops.”
Contact SpotMe
Kasia Wojdalska, Business Developer: kawojdalska@gmail.com
The team from left to right: Kaili Ordiz, Rachhek Shrestha, Dominik Łasiński, Ryan Qian and Kasia Wojdalska.
AutonomousSpark
AutonomousSpark focuses on reducing healthcare-associated infection through autonomous dispenser technology and laboratory testing. The team feels that the mentors in the program have helped them to focus their offerings and inspired the team to create new inventions.
Contact AutonomousSpark
Mark Skews, Founder CEO: mark.skews@autspark.com
Andy Taliadoros, Co-Founder: andy.taliadoros@autspark.com
The team from left to right: Jo-Anne Pillay, Mark Skews and Andy Taliadoros.
73
73 is working on an idea of a therapeutic fusion protein of CD73 for patients who are either preparing for systemic inflammation (e.g., major surgery) or those already in the Intensive Care Unit. This would not only save and improve the lives of patients admitted to the ICU, but greatly reduce the socio-economic burden caused by ICU admissions.
“The highlight of Terkko Health X has been the SHA workshop given by Peter Hänninen since it included an incredible amount of valuable information. I wish we could have that info as a book or a slideshow.”
Contact 73
Elina Louramo, Drug Discovery and Development MSc student: elina.louramo@gmail.com
Biomedical Spectroscopy Lab
The team has developed a novel optical sensor (JEDI) for real-time assessment of connective tissue quality during arthroscopic surgery. JEDI provides quantitative tissue diagnostics as opposed to the traditional diagnostic approach that is based on subjective visual assessment of superficial tissue properties. Globally, about 10M knee arthroscopies are performed annually; the team believes that integration of JEDI into the arthroscopy routine will result in more accurate tissue diagnostics and better clinical outcomes, for example, faster recovery time after ACL reconstruction.
“As a group of researchers with little experience in entrepreneurship, Terkko Health X provided us with crucial information such as such as VC funding, regulatory procedures, IPR, pitch-decking, etc. via mentors with varying expertise. The support network available through this program has given us the capabilities to approach entrepreneurship with confidence. Furthermore, during this program we have developed a reasonable timetable for translating our research innovation into Start-up.”
The team from left to right: (Top row) Ervin Nippolainen, Iman Kafian-Attari, Juha Töyräs, Jaakko Sarin, (bottom row) Linus Awuniji, Isaac Afara and Jari Torniainen.
Contact Biomedical Spectroscopy Lab
Isaac Afara, Head of Biomedical Spectroscopy Lab: isaac.afara@uef.fi
Read more about the research team here.
Immunate
Immunate’s mission is to improve tools for cancer research and cancer drug discovery. Cancer researchers need models that can accurately mimic the human disease conditions in 3D cell cultures. Yet, each individual 3D cell culture is currently lacking repeatability. This makes the use of 3D cultures challenging in disease modeling, specifically, in the preclinical phase of cancer drug discovery. The use of current preclinical cancer models leads to a failure rate of more than 90% during the clinical trial phase.
Immunate is developing a microscope add-on device to overcome the repeatability issues, with the goal of enabling wide adoptability of 3D cell cultures in cancer research and cancer drug discovery. Immunate is currently a research to business project, funded by Business Finland, and led by an experienced multidisciplinary team from Aalto University and Helsinki University with spinoff ambitions in Q4 2022.
“Every workshop session brought new insights and valuable contacts to our team. The highlight of the program for us were the 1-1 mentoring sessions, as it gave us the opportunity to receive feedback from experienced entrepreneurs on our ideas to commercialize our innovation.”
Sven Lanens, Business Developer: sven.lanens@aalto.fi
Juho Pokki, Principal Investigator: juho.pokki@aalto.fi
Website: http://pokkilab.com/
Foodwaste to Burn Patch
Foodwaste to Burn Patch is tackling the issue of food waste, which is a vast problem in terms of land, air, and water pollution. Huge amounts of greenhouse methane emissions are linked to food waste degradation. There is also a great demand and need for affordable high end bandage material. Foodwaste to Burn Patch utilizes food waste to make hydrogel polymer bandages at affordable prices. The team is creating value for patients by providing cheap high-end products. Their product is also available for farmers, supermarkets, and restaurants.
“Being part of Terkko Health X helped us further our understanding of how to transform an idea into a business. Immensely valuable lectures from specialist and immeasurably enlightening sparing’s with experts. With opportunities in between to spread our pitching wings and sharpen our ideas. One highlight of the program that stand out most for us is to see others participants going through the same struggles and learning from their evolution through the program.”
Contact Foodwaste to Burn Patch
Sunil Shafqat, Materials Scientist: sunilshafqat@gmail.com
LucentMind
LucentMind takes a novel approach to bettering your mental wellbeing. Their platform provides you personalized ‘actionable insights’ that you can take on the basis of two scores they calculate: your short-term and long-term mental ‘reserve’ and ‘strain’. By taking up on their proposed actions, they motivate you to balance these scores, by doing the things that work for you.
“We were at a very early-phase when we got the chance to enter the Terkko program and luckily we did. In these short few weeks, we were challenged by the other attendees and Terkko’s excellent facilitators to develop our concept at record-rate. We feel know confident that we have the tools and training to push this idea to the next level.”
Contact LucentMind
Hidde Griek, Business Design: griekhidde@gmail.com
Now the countdown for the Showcase can begin! Friday’s online Showcase can be watched through this link from 5pm to 9pm. Hope to see you there!