In collaboration with Sunway iLabs, Disruptr will be featuring 10 startups who have made it to the Top 10 of the LaunchX 2023 programme.
Supported by the Ministry of Higher Education, LaunchX, the first University Startups Accelerator Programme in Malaysia, has recently unveiled the top ten university startups selected from its pre-accelerator phase. This equity-free, no-strings-attached 3+2-month program focuses on empowering budding entrepreneurs to achieve key milestones and take their startups to the next level.
The 6th Startup is Aurtima, led by Nurul Izzati and Khalida Azudin looking to offer a non-invasive, simple and continuous heart monitoring solution.
How did the idea behind the startup come about? Was it through personal experiences?
- Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. The personal experience of having a close friend undergo open heart surgery has served as a catalyst for development of a simple device enabling individuals to monitor their own heart condition and health effectively.
What problem statements are you hoping to solve in the coming year?
- There is a need for a non-invasive, simple and continuous heart monitoring solution that enables individuals to monitor their cardiac health conveniently.
Why should investors look your way?
- Investors should consider investing in our project because the market potential for heart problems is continuously growing every year, given the rising prevalence of heart-related conditions worldwide.
- Our device offers a simple and convenient solution for individuals to monitor their heart conditions, addressing a critical need in this market which has the potential to reduce the burden on healthcare systems, improve patients’ lifestyle and quality of life. Besides, our team comprises professionals with diverse expertise in cardiology and medical technology and medical engineering.
How will investment expand your business model ?
- The investment will play an important role in expanding our business where with the increased funding, we can allocate resources towards future research and development efforts. We can explore new sensor technologies and improve our algorithms. This allows us to enhance the functionality and features of heart monitoring devices.
- This investment will allow us to allocate resources to obtain necessary certifications (medical devices regulatory standards) and approval from relevant regulatory bodies (medical device and communication and multimedia regulatory bodies) ensuring compliance with international standards and expanding our market reach.
Who are your target market and demographic of users?
- Our target market encompasses the general population, health enthusiasts, individuals with existing heart disease conditions, and those at risk of heart disease.
What challenges do you face in getting your offering to the market and how do you plan on overcoming these challenges?
- We acknowledge several challenges that we may encounter in bringing our offering to the market such as educating the general public about the importance of heart monitoring and the benefits of our device. Building awareness and fostering understanding requires comprehensive educational initiatives and marketing campaigns.
- Besides, ensuring compliance with different regional and international regulatory bodies and obtaining necessary certifications regarding the medical and communication device are complex processes and can be time consuming and costly. Working together with consultants who have experienced in meeting these regulatory standards
Can you share your experience in founding a startup in university and lessons learnt through this programme?
- I have been dreaming of launching my own health technology start-up for as long as I can remember. The potential to make a positive impact on people’s lives through innovative healthcare solutions has been a driving force. However, the thought of taking that initial leap into entrepreneurship has brought about a mix of excitement and apprehension. With no prior business experience, the path to starting my own startup seemed daunting.
- As Auritma product is related to my postgraduate research, I am fortunate to have discovered the Sunway iLabs LaunchX Program. This program has provided me with a comprehensive pathway that offers guidance, mentorship and resources for new entrepreneurs to navigate through the complexity of starting and building a successful startup.
If there’s one startup you would want to work with to expand your offering, which one would it be and why?
- Huma, a British remote patient monitoring platform and AngsanaHealth, a Malaysian digital healthcare system. As Auritma strives to provide the best solutions for monitoring heart health, integrating Huma’s remote patient monitoring platform and AngsanaHealth’s personalized healthcare system would significantly expand our offering and bring additional benefits to our users.
- By combining the advanced capabilities of both platforms with our innovative ear-based heart monitoring device, we can provide a holistic solution for remote heart monitoring and personalized healthcare plans tailored to each individual. Additionally, these integration can expand our target market beyond individual users such as healthcare providers, hospitals and clinics that use both platforms.