Social Bubbles - Sport bubbles - Study Bubbles - Tech Bubble
Relentless RoundUp - 9th Edition
Summer is in the rearview mirror, while COVID-19 continues to pelt our collective windshield.
Friends are developing pickle ball elbow (like tennis elbow, but due to a vigorous pickle ball commitment).
Others are trying to figure out their bubbles; from social bubbles to sport bubbles to study bubbles to tech bubble (or not).
These are unusual times.
A COVID-19 PORTFOLIO
As a growing stream of investors chase investments in pandemic specific technology solutions - including remote patient monitoring (RPM) and telemedicine – the Relentless portfolio has the proverbial head start. We never intended to build a portfolio of investments to address a global pandemic, yet here we are.
Not only have we invested in rapidly relevant technology areas, we are focused on the health conditions that represent the three primary risk factors predictive of poor outcomes for COVID patients – obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular (CV) disease.
Portfolio company Newtopia, is doubling down on solutions that address all three risks. Already taking a bite out of the epidemic of metabolic disorders often catalyzed by obesity, the company recently announced the addition of programs to address both diabetes and CV disease.
The pandemic has also triggered a rise in stress, anxiety and depression. The statistics are clear – we have surging mental illness across all demographics translating to an echo pandemic.
As declared by Deloitte in August “the public health crisis took us by surprise, but we cannot afford to let the mental health consequences surprise us. To say that the COVID-19 pandemic has created both a health and an economic crisis is common knowledge; but it is also creating a mental health crisis that may not be fully appreciated yet. We need to start preparing now for COVID-19’s “third- order” crisis: the human one.”
We are proud to have also invested in Snapclarity, a company delivering digital mental health services to a growing number of organizations preparing for this new crisis. Snapclarity clients benefit from both a proactive solution as well as preventative strategies to mitigate further mental health decline caused by the pandemic.
Pandemic
Epidemic
Echo-pandemic
TELEHEALTH, REDEFINING HEALTHCARE
There’s no turning back.
Over the past six months, connecting remotely with health practitioners, clinical and non-clinical, doctors to physiotherapists, has become ubiquitous. The tectonic shift to virtual connection accelerated by the pandemic has forced a health management rethink.
Telehealth does not depend upon provocative introduction of new technology, simply, methods to be virtually connected. Telehealth includes appointments by phone, even if that phone is a landline, welcome news for our remote communities. How we think about connecting patients and practitioners has forever changed.
Add in the potential of technical innovation, we expect recent virtual experiences will drive demand for new ways to connect remotely when it comes to personal health management.
HEY, DON’T FORGET TO GET YOUR WALKING IN TODAY
Ready for remote patient monitoring?
Pre COVID-19, the Relentless team had invested in Canary Medical, a deep tech company founded with the intention of RPM. The first product which is cued up to hit the market in 2021 is a ‘smart knee’, a total knee replacement with an embedded sensor for reporting.
On July 23rd global firm Korn Ferry published, “The Device Will See You Now”. The brief opened with a vignette profiling the possibilities for Canary Medical patients:
“With COVID-19 still a real and present danger, the surgeon didn’t want to schedule a follow-up hospital visit. But he knew his patient wasn’t doing the exercise regimen of walking at least 20 minutes a day to help recover from reconstructive knee surgery. The knee told him so. Sensors in the reconstructed knee sent daily reports on function, motion, patient activity, and more so the surgeon could see how the knee was performing and the patient was progressing post-op.”
RPM is central to the future of health tech.
IF YOU THOUGHT KNEE SENSORS WERE A FEAT
From knees to feet.
Over the summer we invested in another remote patient monitoring company – Orpyx Medical. The Orpyx SI Sensory Insole increases the potential for diabetic patients to remain active.
Diabetes is one of the most significant health issues of the 21st century. Compounding this reality, Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU) is a significant complication for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. An estimated one in four diabetic patients are expected to develop a foot ulcer; Orpyx is addressing a massive unmet and growing need in healthcare.
The Orpyx SI custom insoles measure a patient’s temperature, pressure and activity, providing real-time alerts and offload instructions when developing pressure ‘hot spots.’ The data shared with the doctor informs a care plan via a personalized dashboard > remotely!
In addition to addressing the massively overlooked health issue of DFU, Orpyx and former manufacturing partner, Fidelity Machine & Mould Solutions, have mobilized to provide a desperately needed solution for Canadian frontline healthcare workers. The two Calgary based businesses combined forces to produce and distribute MILLIONS of medical face masks, a critical piece of personal protective equipment (PPE) for our army of angels.
3D PRINTING OF LIVING TISSUES – YES YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY
Our first regenerative medicine company was added to the venture portfolio at the height of the pandemic. Aspect Biosystems has the exquisite potential to apply their expertise in micro-fluidic 3D printing of human tissues to shape every aspect of human health. Truly.
As a fund dedicated to the most common chronic conditions associated with aging, we are VERY excited about Aspect’s in-house focus on metabolic disorders, as well as musculoskeletal injuries and disorders. You can develop a metabolic disorder when organs, such as your liver or pancreas, do not function normally as is the case with diabetes.
In a recent interview for a longevity publication, Aspect CEO Tamer Mohamed highlighted Aspect’s development of a pancreatic patch for Type 1 diabetes. Their process involves printing insulin-producing beta cells. Tamer’s vision includes applying their platform to highly differentiated applications that could disrupt standards of care including the elimination of a diabetic patient’s requirement for daily insulin injections.
Imagine the possibilities.
EVERY DAY IS INTERNATIONAL SELF-CARE DAY
Did you know that Friday, July 24th was officially “International Self Care Day”? Alas, we all need to be reminded to take care of ourselves – a heightened reality check during these unprecedented times.
I asked members of Team Relentless what their ‘go to’ has been for personal management of health and wellbeing over recent months. A couple inspiring snippets: Alison has committed to daily walks and tackling jigsaw puzzles, of the 1,000+ pieces variety; Zach’s focus has been daily productivity including painting the house. But he also notes a re-framing of his definition of what it means to be productive, specifically that it includes investment in family life and his most important relationships.
Personally, I have discovered the pure joy of extended periods digging in dirt to both reclaim flag stone paths and build a kitchy garden for my Mom’s visual pleasure.
So yes, we have a mighty portfolio with palpable potential of changing the risk profile for individuals who may contract this devastating new virus. And the portfolio remains highly relevant for our aging population. While our days have become even busier and filled with portfolio building opportunities and management, we never lose sight of the simple need for self-care and personal well-being.
Wrapping up Edition #9 with a list of 9 things to do if you’re feeling down or lonely:
1. Be kind to yourself – switch off from social media; do something that gives you a sense of achievement or pleasure
2. Instead of texting, talk to someone – make a call (not a message, a call)
3. Get out in nature – plan daily nature breaks (dig some dirt)
4. Set goals – start small, tick them off a list, one glorious achievement at a time
5. Perform anonymous acts of kindness
6. Help someone in need (have you seen your elderly neighbor out and about lately?)
7. Do something creative. No matter how simple. Sketch. Paint. Knit. Colour or Color.
8. Nurture your Physical Health – move
9. Put your hand over your heart. Physical contact has always been at the centre of feeling safe, secure and cared for.
Brenda