In a world submerged by economic, social and ecological crises, health emerges as the number one priority for people. Everyday life has become so stressful that it takes its toll on our well-being.To stay alert and in sync with everything, we are glued to our phones, making plugging off a real mission. Physical activity is a real struggle.
Luckily for us, there’s also a whole branch of technology, helping us navigate this rugged terrain. The Recursive compiled a list of 7 health tech gadgets developed in Southeast Europe with a mission – to take better care of our bodies and minds. From wristbands, to headbands and glasses, these health tech gadgets aim to help us understand our hearts, brains and needs better, in order to lead a better life.
Health tech gadgets developed in Southeast Europe
Name: Zeit Medical
Year of founding: 2019
Headquarters: California, United States
Founders: Orestis Vardoulis and Urs Naber
What it does: The company developed a headband for people to wear while sleeping. The wearable monitors the impulses of their brain. The software analyzes those impulses and it can detect a few hours early if a stroke or seizure will happen. It is advised to be worn by patients prone to neurological injuries.
The band can be set to call for help as soon as possible if even the smallest danger is detected. The latest round of investment, in total of €1.8M was raised by American VCs SeedtoB and Digilife in 2021.
Name: AYO
Year of founding: 2015
Headquarters: Sofia, Bulgaria
Founders: Aleksandar Dimitrov, Branislav Nikolic
What it does: The company developed glasses which project blue light for 20-30 minutes, imitating natural sunlight, improving the human internal body clock. The specific light sends signals to the brain, through the retina, and then makes changes in the creation of the sleeping hormone – melatonin. Users experience better sleep, boosted energy levels and reduced jet lag effects in a natural way. The app goAYO provides personalized therapy, with science-based guidance, to help customers reach their goals for a healthier lifestyle. When downloading the app, they complete a simple test which helps the software get an idea of the body’s usual rhythm, the unique wake/sleep cycle, and from then on it makes recommendations for changes in their routine.Their latest round of investment is €190K in total, and was raised by Eleven Ventures.
Name: SparkVision
Year of founding: 2021
Headquarters: Sofia, Bulgaria
Founders: Ilko Simeonov and Ivan Tsvetkov
What it does: Glasses with bluetooth connection and installed camera to help visually impaired people orientate better when outside, but also read text and call a friend, if needed. The little speakers on the glasses enable people to hear the text they had scanned before with the glasses’ camera. It uses a specific software, available both in English and Bulgarian.
Name: ECG for Everybody
Year of founding: 2016
Headquarters: Novi Sad, Serbia
Founders: Stevan Jokic
What it does: The device-software collects big data from the ECG device, which is a small plastic device connected to your mobile phone, processing the electrical activity of your heart, thus analyzing the overall wellbeing condition of customers. It monitors the heart remotely for early diagnosis and post-hospital treatment. It also measures fitness and stress levels. After the data is displayed on the app, the platform provides personalized advising from various experts and an AI derived big data analysts. The device is suitable for anyone who would like to get a timely opinion on their health and advice on how it could be improved. It raised a round of investment in total of €16.2K in 2016.
Name: Silver Technologies
Year of founding: 2019
Headquarters: Zagreb, Croatia
Founders: Slavko Radman, Tihana Petricevic
What it does: The monitor smartwatch gathers biometric mobile data and voice communications, provides an integrated system for seamless data and voice interaction between elederly, caregiver,and healthcare professionals. The gathered information can be shared with users or with medical doctors and other professionals. It allows 24/7 healthcare monitoring on senior family members by their relatives.
Name: Airify
Year of founding: 2016
Headquarters: Timișoara, Romania
Founders: Horatiu Moldovan, Iasmina Gruicin, Marian Ionascu
What it does: Airify is a smart micro air quality monitoring wearable device that connects to smartphones. After analyzing the surrounding environment by 13 parameters with its 6 sensing modules, it collects and stores all the data in the app. This provides an open platform for crowd-sourcing air quality data, enabling users to take the best decisions to reduce their air pollution exposure. The company won an investment worth €18K by the European Economic Area in 2020.
Name: mBrainTrain
Year of founding: 2012
Headquarters: Belgrade, Serbia
Founders: Ivan Gligorijević and Bogdan Mijović
What it does: mBrainTrain developed a like-swimming hat with small, medal discs attached to the scalp, connected with a small gadget that sends the brain signals to the connected mobile device. Thus it provides data of the neuro activity of the brain. The electrogram of the electrical activity (EEG) software and hardware development help support brain research, aiming to improve the quality of life. The research of the activity of the brain is important in order to understand what triggers certain emotions, how conscious functions, what makes us do the things we do. When the brain insights are correctly read, people will be able to live a better and more fulfilled life. The latest funding was raised in 2015 from a Convertible Note round, with a total value of €120K.
