DUOCARE

Globally, high-risk pregnancies are a concern, with India facing significant challenges. Maternal mortality, at 113 per 100,000 live births, is alarming. Additionally, 25% of pregnancies in India are high-risk. Infant mortality, at 30 per 1000 live births, underscores the need for comprehensive prenatal care. Birth defects affect 6-7% of births annually, contributing to maternal deaths, especially among younger women. Innovative solutions like Duocare aim to mitigate these risks through continuous monitoring and timely interventions.

Duocare is an advanced prenatal monitoring device revolutionizing maternal healthcare. It offers comprehensive, non-invasive monitoring of vital parameters, ensuring high accuracy and streamlined prenatal care. With a user-friendly design and innovative features, Duocare aims to mitigate risks associated with high-risk pregnancies, reducing maternal and infant mortality rates.

High-risk pregnant and lactating mothers lack comprehensive monitoring due to limited resources and healthcare infrastructure. Duocare offers comprehensive monitoring and an Ambulance Ecosystem, reducing risks and improving outcomes. Target ratios: India - 30,000 devices for 42,50,000 mothers; Bangalore and Chennai - 900 devices for 86,133 mothers.Duocare's precise monitoring and rapid interventions promise to significantly decrease the incidence of complications, thereby saving lives and enhancing the health outcomes of high-risk pregnant and lactating mothers, ultimately ensuring a safer and healthier maternity journey.

Our team is uniquely positioned to design and deliver this solution to Indigenous communities. Our lead, hailing from Sivagangai, India, has personal experience with high-risk pregnancy. With expertise in biomedical device design and a doctorate in Biomedical signal and image processing, she brings over 20 years of experience. Additionally, our team members, averaging over 6 years of experience in marketing and biomedical domains, complement her skills. Importantly, our lead's personal experience and deep-rooted connections within Indigenous communities foster trust and understanding. We actively engage with community members, seeking their input, ideas, and agendas to guide our solution's design and implementation. Through ongoing collaboration and dialogue, we ensure that our solution is culturally sensitive, relevant, and aligned with the needs and priorities of the communities we serve.

In the first phase, Duocare will be introduced in Bangalore and Chennai, targeting 86,133 pregnant women in densely populated urban areas, where comprehensive prenatal care is crucial. Through strategic marketing and partnerships, widespread adoption will be ensured. Additionally, Duocare will be extended to Perambalur, recognized for its rural setting. With a notably high infant mortality rate, Perambalur requires urgent healthcare access for underserved pregnant women and infants. Collaborative efforts will focus on improving maternal and child health outcomes in Perambalur.

We seek Solve's support to navigate technical, regulatory, and market challenges in scaling Duocare. Access to funding, expertise, and partnerships will aid in refining our solution and ensuring its successful deployment, ultimately enhancing maternal and child health outcomes.

Duocare innovates prenatal care with integrated EMG, ECG, and acoustic sensors, alongside an ambulance ecosystem for timely interventions. Advanced monitoring aids in detecting high-risk factors early, optimizing interventions for healthier births.COVID-19 disruptions underscore the need for innovative solutions like Duocare. With increased awareness and government initiatives, India's fetal and neonatal care market is poised for growth, projected to reach $5.2 billion by 2027, offering opportunities for transformative solutions.

Through Duocare, we aim to transform the lives of high-risk pregnant and lactating mothers in India, who currently lack access to comprehensive prenatal care. With 25% of pregnancies classified as high-risk, there's a critical need to address this gap. By providing accurate monitoring and timely interventions, we empower these mothers to overcome the challenges they face. This targeted approach contributes to reduced maternal mortality rates and improved maternal and fetal health outcomes, creating healthier communities.In India, where Duocare allocates 30,000 devices for every 42,50,000 high-risk pregnant and lactating mothers, a significant gap exists in comprehensive prenatal care. Duocare's aim is to close this gap by providing accurate monitoring and timely interventions. This ensures that expectant mothers with high-risk pregnancies receive the necessary attention, leading to reduced risks and improved maternal and fetal health outcomes.

Our aim for Duocare aligns with SDG 3: Ensure healthy lives. Progress is gauged by reducing maternal mortality rates, improving prenatal health outcomes, enhancing healthcare access, and fostering maternal health awareness. Tracking these metrics ensures our impact goals are met.

Duocare integrates advanced sensors like EMG, ECG, and acoustic sensors with signal processing algorithms for comprehensive prenatal monitoring. This technology enables accurate fetal heart rate monitoring, uterine activity tracking, and detection of fetal movements, ensuring timely interventions and improved maternal and fetal health outcomes.

6 Full-time Workers,

4 Part-time Workers

2 years

Throughout our work, we ensure diversity, equity, and inclusivity by actively engaging with diverse communities, including Indigenous populations, in solution development. Our team reflects this commitment, with members from various backgrounds. We integrate feedback from stakeholders and target users, ensuring our solution meets their unique needs. Additionally, we prioritize accessibility, making sure our technology is user-friendly for all individuals. 

Our business plan for Duocare involves selling 162 units in Year 1, gradually increasing to 6,500 units by Year 6. With raw materials sourced externally and assembly in-house, each belt costs approximately USD 53.33 to produce and sells for around USD 266.67. By Year 6, we anticipate a profit of approximately USD 1,420,000, with revenue growing at 125% year-on-year.

Our plan for financial sustainability involves selling Duocare units, service contracts, and government partnerships. We've secured grants and investments, enabling initial development. Sales projections and revenue growth demonstrate our sustainable model's success.