Welcome to the fourth article of our X-Europe startup interview series. We have virtually sat down with a number of our founders from past cohorts to hear all about their solutions, vision for the future, and what made them tick during our X Europe programme. So whether you are a deep tech founder looking for startup support, an eagle-eyed investor, or simply interested in the possibilities that technology can bring to society, then we welcome you to take a read. This time, we take a look at Popit, a startup that makes medication connected and improves adherence.
Hi, what's your name? Hello, I am Timo Heikkilä, co-founder of Popit.
Can you briefly explain what your solution is all about? What’s unique about it?
Popit makes medication connected with a simple solution that's attached to a medication package. It detects automatically when a medication is taken so the patient can seamlessly track how pills are taken. The solution is clinically validated and we're working with the world's largest pharmaceutical companies.
How can your solution impact the Health sector?
Popit improves medication adherence, a major problem that costs lives and needlessly increases healthcare expenditure. Patients' medication-taking data is also accessible to healthcare professionals in real-time.
Since the foundation of your company, what has been its biggest milestones? What challenges are you still trying to overcome?
Raise seed funding, get the world's largest pharmaceutical company as our customer, launch a 3-part product, get the medical certification. Challenges: slow-moving pharma, regulatory landscape.
What was the status of your product before joining X-Europe? How has your original product vision evolved?
Roughly the same before and after. Product vision has evolved more towards working through pharmacies.
After joining and benefiting from the services X-Europe has provided to you, what next steps do you envision?
Raise more capital, get more B2B customers.
What tips do you have for entrepreneurs trying to succeed in the HealthTech/BioTech field?
Know your regulatory requirements, truly understand the customer's value drivers (they may not be what you think).
What’s unique about the X-Europe programme?
It's combined with the TNW media outlet so that provides press and event exposure. Broad partnership network with the bigger players in Europe.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------