iZola.life - Empowering Neurodivergent Families

iZola.life is addressing the problem of limited access to affordable and quality therapy offerings for families with neurodivergent children, particularly those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The factors contributing to the problem include limited access to trained experts, high cost of therapy, long wait times for diagnosis and therapy, socio-economic bias, and limited insurance coverage. There is also a gender bias in diagnosis and referral patterns, with girls being less likely to be referred for evaluation and diagnosis compared to boys, resulting in girls being up to 4 times less diagnosed than boys.

The problem is acute in countries such as Kenya, where iZola.life is active, and where there is an estimated ratio of 1 psychiatrist to 1.5 million people, more than 10 times less than in Europe or the US (UN WHO). According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Mental Health Atlas 2017, the treatment gap for mental health services in Kenya is up to 90%. Healthcare systems in various countries are also cutting costs, which can lead to a reduction in the availability of essential diagnostic assessments and therapies (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/mar/26/children-put-at-risk-as-nhs-autism-assessments-are-cut-back).

Late diagnosis, no treatment, or delayed therapy start for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can have serious consequences for both the affected individuals and their families. It can lead to a range of negative outcomes such as difficulties in social interaction, communication, and behavior, as well as academic and employment problems. Early diagnosis and access to quality therapy offerings are crucial to improving the day-to-day experience of neurodivergent families and increasing positive outcomes. Among many studies, a report from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) found that children who received intensive early intervention for ASD made significant gains in language, cognitive, and social-emotional development.

Globally, the occurrence rate of ASD is between 1-2%, with around 1 in 44 children in the US diagnosed with ASD (CDC: 1 in 44 American Children Are Diagnosed With Autism (verywellhealth.com)). In Kenya, the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD is not well documented, but it is estimated that over 2 million people in Kenya require mental health services, including those with neurodevelopmental disorders (WHO).

iZola.life's solution is to provide a digital platform that simplifies the neuro-health journey for families with neurodivergent children, using AI and compassion to provide tailored solutions that improve measurable outcomes. The platform offers both online and onsite therapy sessions in multiple languages, gamified supporting tools for self-learning, and affordable quality therapy offerings.

By addressing these factors, iZola.life is providing an affordable solution that has the potential to improve the day-to-day experience of neurodivergent families. With our platform, we can reduce wait times, increase the availability of affordable quality therapy offerings, and improve measurable outcomes for families with neurodivergent children, both in Kenya and globally.

The iZola solution is a comprehensive platform that offers tools for diagnosing and treating neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as community engagement resources. It consists of three main components:

1. M.appy - is a tool that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to diagnose ASD and other neurodevelopmental conditions based on vocal and digi-social input during an online gamified exercise. M.appy is faster, unbiased, and accessible despite the limitations of healthcare infrastructure. This tool can be used by any paediatrician or HCP to provide a preliminary diagnosis, incl. a report for proposed treatment.

2. iZola - our therapy platform provides accessible online and in-person therapy services for neurodivergent individuals and their families. The platform offers a variety of expert therapists, and sessions can be scheduled at a time and place that is convenient for the client. iZola also facilitates continuous therapy, which is critical for ensuring that neurodivergent individuals receive the support they need to thrive, and for breaking down stigmas and misconceptions surrounding neurodevelopmental conditions. We are in development of fully automated and digital online therapist, using LLM, chatbot functionality and our existing digital biomarker to assess a clients feedback.

3. Community engagement: We build communities with families, therapists and care givers, using social engagement and collaboration with patient groups. All of this working together to reinforce the iZola brand and build a strong moat to secure attractive market penetration.  

In summary, the iZola solution offers a comprehensive approach to diagnosing and treating neurodevelopmental conditions, as well as ongoing support for families and therapists. By leveraging technology and community engagement, we aim to improve the lives of neurodivergent individuals and their families. 

Our solution serves multiple clients, including children with neurodivergent conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), their families, healthcare professionals, insurances, ASD experts and therapists.

For children with neurodivergent conditions, iZola's solution offers affordable and quality therapy offerings, including both online and onsite therapy sessions in multiple languages, gamified supporting tools for self-learning, and personalized solutions that improve measurable outcomes. By addressing factors such as long wait times for diagnosis and therapy, limited access to trained experts, and high costs of therapy, iZola's solution has the potential to improve the day-to-day experience of neurodivergent families.

For healthcare professionals, iZola offers a platform that simplifies the neuro-health journey for families with neurodivergent children, using AI and compassion to provide objective and tailored solutions that improve measurable outcomes. This includes a range of tools for client matching and scheduling, invoicing, and payment, as well as reporting capabilities to oversee the progress of the child. Our platform allows therapists to connect with and provide therapy to families and children in need, increasing their reach and impact. The platform offers multiple languages and personalised solutions, allowing them to provide tailored therapies to a wider range of families.

Finally, society as a whole benefits from iZola's solution by providing broader societal benefits, including improved academic and employment outcomes and reduced social and economic costs associated with untreated neurodivergent conditions.

The iZola team is uniquely positioned to design and deliver this solution to the target population of families with neurodivergent children. The team has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with neurodivergence conditions, as well as the current limitations of traditional diagnostic and treatment methods. Here are some specific ways in which the iZola team is well-positioned to serve this population:

• Proximity to the communities: The iZola team is representative of the communities it is serving and helps regular open and public community sessions in Nairobi. The team has personal experience working with neurodivergence conditions and is passionate about improving the lives of individuals with these conditions. Additionally, some team members are neurodivergent themselves, which brings a unique perspective to the development of the iZola products.
• Engagement with the community: iZola is engaging with the community in several ways. The team is co-developing the solution with the ASD community, which ensures that the platform is designed to meet the specific needs of this population. We are also collecting feedback from clients to continually improve the product. By involving the community in the development process, iZola ensures that the final product is accepted and meets their needs.
• Meaningful community input: The design and implementation of our solution is guided by the input, ideas, and agendas of the communities it serves. The team is working closely with the ASD community to understand their needs and preferences, and to ensure that the platform is culturally appropriate and accessible. By incorporating the community's input at every stage of the design process, iZola is creating a solution that truly meets their needs and improves their lives.
• Technology expertise: The iZola team has deep expertise in AI and data analytics, with members who have worked on AI strategies for Novartis and Roche and led large data analytics teams. This expertise allows the team to develop and implement cutting-edge AI-driven screening tools for neurodivergent conditions, filling a gap in traditional diagnostic methods. Our team's technology capabilities, combined with the close engagement with and input from the neurodivergent community, positions us to create a culturally appropriate and accessible platform that meets the specific needs of this population.

Overall, the iZola team is well positioned to design and deliver solutions to improve the lives of individuals with neuropsychiatric conditions. This is due to our deep understanding of the challenges, the proximity to the communities we serve, our strong technology capabilities, and our deep commitment to incorporating community input into the design process. 

On top, a strong advisor team and board consisting of members who are leading experts in neuroscience, operations, finance, market access, governmental affairs, AI and Technology in general, complete the team and steer iZola.life to a successful future.

In Nairobi we currently serve more than 100 families with neurodivergent children. We started in October 2022 and plan to expand by the end of 2023 to 1000 families in Kenya and start expanding to Uganda and Tanzania in 2024.

We recognise that participating in the SOLVE initiative will not only provide us with the opportunity to address the underserved communities in East Africa but also enhance our visibility on a global platform. Being part of such a reputable initiative will hopefully increase our visibility and showcase our innovative solutions to a wider audience, including potential investors, partners, and stakeholders.

Furthermore, being part of the SOLVE community will enable us to build strong relationships with other organizations that share our vision of improving the lives of neurodivergent children and their families in East Africa, and the rest of the world. Through collaborations and partnerships, we can leverage each other's expertise, knowledge, and resources to address the existing challenges and accelerate our impact.

As an organization working to improve the lives of children with autism and their families in underserved communities in East Africa, our work aligns with your mission to address global challenges through innovative solutions. By becoming a solver, we could gain visibility and recognition for our work and leverage resources and network to accelerate impact and reach more children and families in need.

The iZola solution is innovative for several reasons. 

First, it leverages AI and machine learning algorithms to analyze vocal and video recordings of children's behaviour (such as gaze tracking), allowing for earlier and more accurate detection of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neuropsychiatric conditions. This is a significant improvement over current diagnostic methods, which rely on subjective assessments by limited expert healthcare professionals and can often result in delayed diagnoses.

Second, our solution provides a comprehensive platform for early intervention for children with ASD, including customised therapy plans and real-time progress monitoring. This approach is more effective than traditional onsite, one-size-fits-all therapy programs and can result in better outcomes for children.

Finally, the iZola platform is accessible 24/7, affordable, and making it more widely available to underserved communities. By utilizing technology and automation, the solution can reduce the cost and time burden of traditional diagnostic and therapy processes, making it accessible to families who may not have had access to these services before. 

Overall, the iZola.life represents a significant step forward in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental conditions, such ASD, with the potential to improve the lives of many children and families.

As a digital health company, iZola's impact goals for the next year and the next five years are centered towards improving access to quality healthcare and achieving better health outcomes in East Africa. Our impact goals include:

1. Increasing access to healthcare services for underserved communities by leveraging innovative technologies such as AI and mobile health (mHealth) solutions. We also intend to expand partnerships with parent groups, like ADAT foundation in Kenya.

2. Testing and confirming our cutting-edge digital health solutions accurately diagnose, monitor and treat neuropsychiatric conditions.

3. Reducing healthcare costs for patients by providing affordable and accessible health services through our platform. Partner with insurances for remuneration.

4. Partnering with governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders to improve health policies and regulations, and promote digital health adoption.

To achieve these impact goals, we will focus on expanding our product offerings, strengthening partnerships, and scaling our operations. We will continue to invest in research and development to develop innovative and user-friendly solutions that can address the unique healthcare challenges in Africa and the rest of the world. Additionally, we will work closely with local communities and healthcare providers to ensure our solutions are tailored to their needs and can have a significant impact on their health outcomes.

We do align with some of the UN SDG's as listed above, however, at the moment, we do not track or measure our progress on the impact goals, as it was not our priority or a requirement from a partner or investor. However, we plan to do so towards the end of 2023. 

We undertook a current state impact assessemnt (by seif), mainly based on self evaluations in early 2023, resulting in over average outcomes in the dimensions "beneficiaries", "dept" and "positive outcome".

iZola.life is expected to have a significant impact on the problem of neuropsychiatric conditions, such as autism, in East Africa by providing early diagnosis and intervention for neurodivergent children who are currently underserved. 

Our theory of change is based on the following framework:

Activities:

1. Develop and launch the platform for early screening, diagnosis, and intervention of neuropsychiatric conditions, such as autism (ASD).
2. Train healthcare professionals and ASD therapists on the use of our platform and best practices in early diagnosis and intervention.
3. Partner with local clinics and other healthcare organisations to promote the use of the iZola platform and increase access to early diagnosis and intervention.

Outputs:

1. Healthcare professionals and ASD therapists are trained on the use of the iZola platform and best practices in early diagnosis and intervention.
2. Clinics, HCP's and schools partner with iZola to promote the use of the platform and increase access to early diagnosis and intervention.
3. Neurodivergent children are screened, diagnosed, and receive early intervention services through the iZola platform.

Outcomes:

1. Increased rates of early diagnosis and intervention of ASD (and other comorbiities) among neurodivergent children in East Africa.
2. Improved developmental outcomes for neurodivergent children, including improved communication, socialization, and cognitive skills.
3. Increased awareness and understanding of autism among healthcare professionals, therapists, and the broader community in East Africa.

We will gather evidence to support our theory of change through process evaluations of our programs, impact evaluations of the iZola platform's effectiveness in early diagnosis and intervention, and feedback from our clients. Ultimately, we believe that the iZola solution will have a significant impact on improving the lives of neurodivergent children and their families in East Africa, and beyond.

The iZola platform is powered by advanced technology, including artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, to provide personalised therapy plans and monitoring for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The platform's therapy module is CE certified and registered in Europe as a Class I medical device, with ongoing efforts to obtain certification as an MDR class IIa device for the diagnosis module. iZola also meets GDPR requirements for data privacy.

In addition we offer gamified tools as part of the therapy plan to engage and motivate children during therapy sessions. The platform also uses vocal and digital-social biomarkers to monitor progress and adjust therapy plans accordingly. These biomarkers have been validated in clinical settings, including a university clinic in Germany, and ongoing studies are being conducted with partners in Europe and the Middle East.

By leveraging advanced technology and gamification, iZola offers a more engaging and effective therapy solution for children with ASD and other co-morbities. The platform's ability to monitor progress through validated biomarkers enables therapists and families to track and adjust therapy plans in real-time, leading to better outcomes for children.

At iZola, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusivity are critical to our success as a company, our products and our ability to create meaningful impact in the communities we serve. Our leadership team is composed of individuals from different backgrounds, cultures, genders, and age group and we strive to maintain a diverse and inclusive workplace at all levels.

We also prioritize diversity in our hiring practices and seek out candidates from a range of backgrounds and experiences.

To achieve our goals, we have implemented several actions, such as providing "feed forward" and spontaneous feedback, creating a safe and welcoming space for open communication, and actively seeking out partnerships with organizations that promote diversity and inclusion.

We recognize that this work is ongoing and we are committed to continually evaluating and improving our practices to ensure that we are creating a workplace that is truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

iZola provides a digital health platform that connects families of neurodivergent children with diagnostic and therapeutic services. The platform consists of two main components: a diagnostic tool and a therapy platform.

• Diagnostic Tool: The diagnostic tool is a one-time fee service that uses AI-driven screening tools to identify potential neurodivergent conditions in children. The tool is designed to be accessible and affordable to low-income families, which is often a barrier to receiving timely diagnoses. The diagnostic tool provides value to families by reducing the time and cost associated with traditional diagnostic methods, as well as improving access to early interventions. We also work towards insurance reimbursement in the markets we enter.

• Therapy Platform: The therapy platform provides virtual therapy sessions with licensed therapists who specialize in neurodivergent conditions. The platform offers low-cost entry to virtual therapy, which is more convenient and accessible than traditional in-person therapy. The platform also provides value to families by offering personalized therapy sessions that are tailored to the child's specific needs and preferences. Additionally, the therapy platform connects families with a community of other parents who are dealing with similar challenges, providing emotional support and a sense of belonging.

• Business Model: iZola's business model is based on a combination of one-time fees, subscription fees, and impact donations. The one-time fee is charged for the diagnostic tool, which provides a revenue stream for the initial screening process. The subscription fee is charged for the therapy platform, which generates ongoing revenue from the virtual therapy sessions. iZola takes a 10% commission on the therapy fee, which provides a revenue stream for the company. Finally, iZola also accepts impact donations from individuals and organizations who want to support our mission and improve access to diagnostic and therapeutic services for low-income families.

• Key Clients and Beneficiaries: Our key clients are families with neurodivergent children who are seeking timely and affordable diagnostic and therapeutic services. iZola also serves licensed therapists who are looking for a more flexible and convenient way to provide therapy services, from client matching to remuneration. The beneficiaries of iZola's services are the neurodivergent children who receive timely interventions and personalized therapy, which can improve their quality of life and long-term outcomes.

Overall, iZola's business model provides value to its clients and beneficiaries by reducing the time and cost associated with traditional diagnostic and therapeutic services, as well as improving access to early interventions and personalized therapy sessions. The combination of one-time fees, subscription fees, and impact donations provides a sustainable revenue stream for iZola.life, while also allowing the company to fulfill its mission of improving access to diagnostic and therapeutic services for low-income families.

iZola.life is taking a multi-faceted approach to becoming financially sustainable. In the short term, we are looking to generate revenue through a variety of means, including:

• One-time fees for diagnosis: iZola plans to charge families a one-time fee for the diagnostic assessment performed by the M.appy product.

• Subscription model with a 10% commission for therapy: Once a diagnosis has been made, families can choose to subscribe to the iZola therapy platform, which connects them with a virtual or onsite therapist. iZola will take a 10% commission on each therapy session.

• Impact donations: iZola will also be seeking donations from individuals and organizations who are passionate about supporting neurodivergent individuals and their families.

In the long term, we aim to generate revenue through selling our services, service contracts to governments, and raising investment capital. We are currently seeking a $2 million USD seed round to fund our growth plans in East Africa, with a focus on expanding access to the iZola therapy platform and developing new features.

Additionally, iZola is applying for grants from the European Innovation Council (EIC), a Horizon project that supports the development of innovative solutions. The grants will help fund the development of iZola's M.appy product. 

Through these various revenue streams, iZola aims to become financially sustainable and continue delivering impact to the communities we serve.

We are currently mainly self-funded by founders, family, and angel investors. While the team has not yet achieved full financial sustainability, we have made significant progress in developing our products and services and securing partnerships and grants to support our mission. Currently, we are seeking a $2 million seed round to fund our growth in East Africa, with the goal of becoming financially sustainable in the near future.