Bio
- Age of business: 14 months
- Name of business: Viomedo
- Location: Berlin
- Team: Stefan Nietert, Tim Seithe, Alexander Puschilov
- ODINE funding: €100,000
What does Viomedo do?
Viomedo develops an online platform that offers patients simple access to matching clinical trials. By connecting patients in need with clinical trial opportunities, Viomedo accelerates the process of developing new therapies. Consequently, new cures can reach all patients faster.
How did you meet?
We share mutual friends and the passion for using digital technologies to improve people’s lives. After discussing the need to digitise healthcare in Europe with our friends we were introduced to each other. We then started working together on the side of our day jobs and eventually founded Viomedo.
Where did the business idea come from?
While developing a digital therapy, we were confronted with the problem of conducting clinical trials ourselves. We felt that too few patients knew about our work and started interviewing patients, investigators and the industry on clinical trials. That’s when we discovered the problem of providing patients access to clinical trials.
Are you working with any other partners?
We were able to attract several leading patient advocacy groups as partners in Germany. They have helped us tremendously to make the platform more patient centric. We’ve also been part of the Bayer Grants4Apps accelerator, the OpenAxel program, Profund Innovation XL incubator and are supported by three business angels.
How has ODINE helped you so far?
ODINE has provided us with funding and mentors. We’ve already started using the funding in order to improve the Viomedo platform and build out the patient-trial matching technology. The mentors gave us great input on topics such as pricing and strategic development, which we’re also implementing at the moment.
What advice would you give to other companies pitching to ODINE?
I’d like to point out two areas to focus on: impact and differentiation. You should make it really clear how your solution will help improve the lives of many people. Additionally, you have to point out how you’re different from existing solutions and where your innovation is.
How would you encourage big business to buy into the open data movement?
Opening up data can improve the efficiency of a business. The transportation sector provides several great examples where open data improved planning and capacity utilisation.
What’s the key trend in open data at the moment?
Germany is lagging when it comes to open data. While some local governments such as Hamburg have opened up, overall the key trend is to rally for the open data movement throughout Germany.
(This article first appeared on The Guardian)
