At the end of 2017, the founding quartet of Smart4Diagnostics with a clear goal: The molecular biologist Yannick Böge, the physician Malte Dancker, the computer scientist Julia Flötotto and business economist Hans Maria Heyn wanted to develop a digital solution to ensure seamless quality control of blood samples between collection and processing in the laboratory. Almost 70 percent of all errors in the diagnostic cycle occur precisely in this time window, the so-called pre-analytics. Their solution: the first fully digitized and automated 'full chain of custody' for human samples in pre-analytics.
The team quickly learned from initial setbacks and soon received numerous awards, including the EIT Health WildCard and Pioneer Award, as well as being a finalist at the WHO World Health Summit. Another milestone that changed a lot: participation in the 2018-2019 Startup Creasphere.
We spoke with co-founder Hans Maria Heyn about how the accelerator program went, how it led to a further collaboration with Roche, and why the quality of blood samples is more important than ever in healthcare.
Munich Startup: How did you come to participate in Startup Creasphere?
Hans Maria Heyn: We have known and valued Roche, co-founder of the startup Creasphere, as a company for a long time. My first contact goes back almost 20 years, when we visited the campus in Penzberg with our advanced biology class. One of the co-founders had also had professional contact with Roche through clinical trials. As a 'sounding board,' Roche had provided valuable feedback on our idea even before the company was founded. This contact led to our participation in Batch 1 of the startup Creasphere.
Munich Startup: How should one imagine the process in a batch?
Hans Maria Heyn: A batch lasts three to four months. Unlike other accelerator programs, Startup Creasphere is not just about mutual learning and inspiration; instead, the startup works alongside a Roche team on a concrete pilot project. This allowed us to put our solution approach to the test and establish contacts with laboratory customers during the pilot project, from which we continue to benefit today. This has taught us a great deal about different healthcare systems and the needs of different markets.
Live blood donation on stage
On Expo Day, where the startups presented the results of their collaboration with Roche, we conducted a live blood draw on stage – it was a bit of a risk, but it worked very well and we were able to clearly demonstrate the potential of our solution.
Munich Startup: And what happened next?
Hans Maria Heyn: When it became clear after the batch that we needed our own office with a laboratory, which wasn't easy to find, Roche quickly and easily provided us with the necessary space on their campus in Penzberg. Even though we didn't need the office there as long as expected, Roche has remained a valuable advisor and sparring partner to this day, whose feedback we greatly value. Through their global network, Roche has continued to give us the opportunity to explore the market and better understand customer needs.
Munich Startup: And where are you today with your solution?
Hans Maria Heyn: We don't want to become a small player on the market with our solution, but rather significantly change preanalytics worldwide. A pilot is currently underway in Germany, and we will scale our solution on a large scale in 2021.
“We are preparing our global launch”
The demand is incredible. Especially during the coronavirus pandemic, we've seen more than ever the central role diagnostic tests play in our healthcare system today and in the future. Considering that 70 percent of all errors in the diagnostic cycle occur between the test request and the sample arrival in the lab, the dramatically increasing need for a smart pre-analytics solution becomes clear. The learnings from Batch 1 and the contacts we gained from it have contributed significantly to us now being able to prepare for our global launch. I can therefore highly recommend this program to startups.
