Asthmatics don’t have it easy. They need to monitor their disease on an everyday basis, often with no prior medical knowledge. Every time the inhaler goes missing, they experience enormous stress and fear. That’s why FindAir, a Polish startup, strives to make their lives easier by providing a specialist inhalator to ensure that they receive all support possible.
The FindAir solution consists of two parts: a physical device and an app. FindAirONE is a smart inhaler module that automatically gathers data about every use, thus creating a reliable bank of information about the course of the patient’s illness. It can be installed on every standard inhaler. The team has also created FindAir Inhaler, a complete device with a modern design that doesn’t resemble hospital equipment and hence combats the stigmatization of asthmatics.
The second part of the solution, an accompanying app, allows for analysis of the gathered data. With just a few clicks, the patient can set reminders for medicine intake, or localize the inhaler if it gets lost. Basing on the data gathered by hundreds of users, the FindAir app accurately pinpoints regions and city areas with increased asthma attack risks. Whenever the user enters such an area, he receives an automatic notification and can prevent his asthma attack rather than react to it.
“FindAir is a solution dedicated to patients. We believe that they are the most important people in the struggle against asthma, therefore our app is targeted to them, and not to doctors,” explained Tomasz Mikosz, Head of Business at FindAir. “After all, it is the patient who experiences this condition 365 days a year. Of course, data gathered by FindAir can – and should – be shared with a doctor; still, our prime target is to gather and present information that is most vital for the patient.”
Tomasz Mikosz is one of three FindAir cofounders. He gained experience in project management while working in digital advertising agencies for the last 6 years. Michał Czyż, the CTO, has spent 4 years as a programmer and as the head of a programming team. Jacek Mikosz, the Design Lead, has already worked as a designer in Findoc, a London-based startup.
Until now, FindAirONE has been tested on 40 patients. Their app is freely accessible in Google Play store, and the team plans to launch their device by the end of the year. The demand is already quite high – not only was their startup recognized by Startupbootcamp Digital Health acceleration program in Berlin, but it also was chosen the best startup during the InfoShare Startup Contest, winning 20 000 EUR for further development.
