Fuel Asia’s first cohort developed early-stage digital healthcare solutions tackling Dementia, Mental Health and more
Fuel Asia, a healthcare innovation program launched by Futurize in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim, fostered cross-cultural collaboration among 45 teams and over 400 students across 12 universities in nine countries throughout APAC to ideate commercial solutions for prevalent healthcare challenges.
This year’s theme was to develop a patient-centric solution to digitally identify, monitor, and/or raise awareness for non-communicable diseases. Multi-disciplinary teams were asked to use digital biomarkers that can be leveraged in everyday environments to support the healthcare system and enhance the lives of patients.
“Fuel Asia is a great opportunity for us to explore ideas across regions and collaborate with creative talents. At BI X, we are pioneering for Digital Health and I was impressed by many interesting ideas to tackle digital health” Johannes Floecker, Head of BI X Shanghai
To enhance their sectoral knowledge and professional skills, participants had access to more than 36 hours of carefully selected learning resources, including workshops, seminars, and mentoring. The top three teams were selected at the Virtual Demo Day, where they pitched their ideas in front a distinguished panel of judges and were awarded seed funding and mentorship to continue building their solutions.
The Impact On Upskilling, Work Readiness, and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
Entrepreneurship education programs such as Fuel Asia are recognized not just for their ability to teach practical skills but to also obtain knowledge about how to help communities and promote an improved quality of life, therefore advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Over 70% of participants have confidently upskilled their leadership, communication, remote working, teamwork, design thinking, pitching, and healthcare knowledge.
Futurize’s mission is to train the next generation of changemakers to become entrepreneurs and leaders across various industries. 94% of participants have said they are better equipped for the professional workplace after the program better bridging the gap between the current labor markets. Whether they decide to continue building their startup or take another path, the participants are now embedded in a universal ecosystem of mentors, innovators, business partners, and like-minded peers that will stick with them throughout their lifetime.
“There have been over 14 start-ups that have emerged from our previous programs and have seen a big rise in the number of young entrepreneurs in Asia - all armed with fresh perspectives, creative thinking, the innate ability to navigate new technology, and the determination to make a positive impact on the world. We look forward to continuing supporting them on their journey and working with our partners to bring their solutions to market,” said CEO of Futurize Rhea Singhla.
The Winning Teams
First place went to an eclectic team from of doctors and engineers from the National University of Singapore, IIT Madras, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Hoola is a modular ring-based carrier device used for vitals monitoring and is customized based on the needs of the patients. In the hospital, Hoola can provide cost savings of up to $60,000/day in a hospital with 1000 beds.
Wong Jian Yao (Nicholas) mentioned: “Fuel Asia 2022 has captivated the attention of digital innovations in healthcare. Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic have taught us that we shall never underestimate the role of technology in the face of public health challenges. Non-communicable diseases have been a global burden and claiming many lives worldwide. Besides, the free 9-day virtual program connected people of various backgrounds from every nook and corner in Asia. Here, greenhorns like me received step-by-step guidance in design thinking, pitching skills training, and topic-focused brainteasers. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a worthwhile experience that I would recommend to anyone!”
The second runner-up was a team from the National University of Singapore who came up with imPATCH, a small patch-like device that comes with built-in GPS tracking, impact and tamper notification for Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients. imPATCH aims to empower diagnosed patients and provide them assurance and relief for their loved ones, and caregivers.
In third place, team Vision devised a ring that can predict and prevent diabetic patients from falling by monitoring physiological sensors such as blood glucose and heart rate. The team was from Asia Pacific University, Chiang Mai University, University Technology Petronas, Sunway University, and University Malaysia Terengganu.
Fuel Asia 2023 & Futurize
Fuel Asia is launched by Futurize in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim. The program is co-funded by Bristol Myers Squibb. Get in touch for more information to support the 2023 cohort at hello@futurize.studio
