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In our search for startups founded by students from Amsterdam, healthtech startup Fysio24 popped up on our radar. While the physiotherapy-app provider based itself at the Novio Tech Campus in Nijmegen after participating in Rockstart’s Digital Health program, co-founder Janno Barlage actually used to study physiotherapy at HvA’s University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam. Barlage, who founded Fysio 24 with Chris Uythoven in 2013, also used to work at the HvA as a physiotherapy teacher.
Fysio24’s Physiother-appy
Fysio24’s app helps athletes to prevent injuries and also helps them to recover from running injuries. Instead of searching online and wasting time to find information, you can find it all in the app of Fysio24. Accurate and professional information along with exercises approved by physio specialists as well as inspirational and motivational programs to help the customer further. And of course Fysio24 wants to prevent users from getting wrong advice that could worsen injuries. At first glance the app seems similar to that of Fittech startup Fitmo, but as this sportstech startup mainly offers training programs, the apps of Fysio24 and Fitmo can happily coexist and supplement eachother on your phone.
How Fysio24 got out of the starting blocks
Last year summer, the vision, team and ambition of Fysio24 was noticed by Maarten den Braber. When the (now former) director of the Digital Health Accelerator Program of Rockstart approached Fysio 24 to apply for the program, they said yes and an inspirational and hectic period begun. ‘The time pressure and feedback of mentors forced us to make choices and therefore it was really useful. They helped us to develop our focus’. Barlage emphasizes that it really is crucial for a startup to gather a motivated and strong team behind you. ‘In the first phase(s) you will spend a lot of time but earn little or no money. You have to count on people who are dedicated and driven to work hard’.
You can change everything but your vision
In the past year Fysio24 switched between business models, customers and even products. But their vision never changed. ‘We want to offer the best information and expertise. All wrapped up in online packages that seduce people to take control of their health’. An important tool they use are the 5 “E’s”: Equip, Enable, Entice, Engage and Empower. Together with its partner,s the startup is continuously developing strategies of behavioral changes and persuasion techniques.
Fysio24 and the future
After spending 6 months in the Rockstart program, the ‘real work’ begun. ‘You shouldn’t expect that after participating in an accelerator program investors automatically stand in line for you’. Luckily for Fysio24 they did raise 95K already and they are looking for a further investment of 200K. Their plans for the future are clear: ‘By late February 2017 we want to have 20 available programs, and there should be a new one every two weeks’. The startup also plans to go international in 2017, and as their Nijmegen homebase is only a short jog away from Germany they will probably start there first.
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