uCARB

According to WHO European Regional Obesity Report 2022, it is estimated that one billion people globally will be obese by 2030. Overweight (BMI >25 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI 30 kg/m2) affect almost 60% of adults in the European Region. Alarmingly, there have been consistent increases in the prevalence of overweight and obesity, and not a single Member State of the European Region is currently on track to reach the target of halting the rise in obesity by 2025. In the same report it is estimated that overweight and obesity cause 13% of total all-cause deaths across the European Region every year. Adverse effects of obesity on health include musculoskeletal complications, metabolic effects including dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus, and the effects on cardiovascular system and mental health. Obesity is also considered as a risk factor for at least 13 types of cancer. These conditions require long-term treatment and management, which can be costly for individuals and healthcare systems. The total costs of adult obesity in the EU were estimated at 70 billion Euro per year in 2016 including healthcare costs and lost of productivity.
The WHO and EU Member States has published numerous strategies, reports and guidelines on the topic, highlighting the importance of healthy eating and physical activity, and the need to address environmental and societal factors that contribute to obesity. However, existing approaches to obesity treatment tend to focus on individual responsibility, diet and exercise. A newly developed approach should recognize the complexity of obesity and provide personalized citizen-centred, multidisciplinary counselling. Regular remote data ingestion and counseling based on analysis of these data for each individual will be included in this novel approach.
“All for one and one for all” - the concept that will solve global challenges: a collaborative approach between clinicians and citizens is one of the key factors towards the development of personalized preventative schemes and promote global science and breakthroughs within novel therapies. However, a challenge exists within proactive engagement of citizens into the patient's journey. Nowadays proactive citizen engagement plays a huge role in health-related activities and research worldwide. For instance, in November 2023, 1 million volunteers were recruited to health-data-driven activities in the UK. Similar concepts are rapidly developed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE healthy future pilot study) and Singapore (The diet and healthy aging study). Such tremendous engagement rates require the utilization of digital solutions responsible for data collection, General Data Protection Regulation ( abbreviated – GDPR) compliance, and citizen-centricity. Similarly, as in previously mentioned initiatives, our proposal addresses an unmet clinical need in utilizing digital solutions in preventive medicine. Despite promising strategies within the EHDS activities to integrate health-related data, challenges remain in patient-centered approaches.

uCarb is an App that provides easy-to-use nutritional coaching based on an advanced biomarker analysis, fostering positive changes in nutrition habits. Our goal is to globally advance healthy longevity by empowering individuals with the easy-to-use solutions and tools to make informed decisions about their well-being. At uCarb we take care about your longevity via comprehensive health coaching and AI nutrition management. uCarb solution aims to promote the creation of a patient-centric clinical surveillance and education ecosystem that is accessible and proactive. The solution will help reduce the burden of overweight and obesity by providing a cost-effective digital intervention for lifestyle management before patients receive pharmacological intervention including long-acting GLP-1RA.

Our expected/target customers encompass a diverse range of individuals who for an easy-to-use solution in health and well-being:
Longevity Supporters: Individuals who are proactive about optimizing their health and longevity, seeking tools and resources to support their lifestyle choices and promote healthy aging.
Biohackers: Enthusiasts who are interested in leveraging technology and science to enhance their physical and cognitive performance, as well as optimize their overall health and vitality.
Individuals with Overweight: Citizens who are seeking easy-to-use solutions to manage their weight effectively, whether it's through lifestyle modifications, dietary interventions, or personalized health programs. In this citizen cohort, the crucial factor is to provide an easy-to-use solution, which is lacking in most current existing solutions.
Patients with Metabolic Syndrome, Diabetes, or Obesity: Individuals who are diagnosed with metabolic disorders such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, or obesity, and need comprehensive support and management solutions to improve their health outcomes and quality of life. Those users often lack the motivation to use overcomplicated solutions. An easy-to-use patient-centric solution would be a key factor to solve the lack of proactiveness in this group of users.

Our team comprises four highly skilled and experienced individuals, each bringing diverse expertise crucial for propelling our idea forward:

Dmitrijs Bliznuks, Dr. sc.ing (CEO): With over 8 years in medical deep-tech solutions and 14 years in systems automation, Dmitrijs boasts extensive experience in developing innovative technological solutions. His role as CEO involves providing strategic leadership and leveraging his expertise to drive our vision forward.


Sergejs Lobanovs, MD (Senior Medical Product Designer): Combining a background in gastroenterology with experience in digital health startups, clinical research, and graphic design, Sergejs is adept at designing user-centric medical products. His expertise ensures that our solutions effectively meet the needs of healthcare professionals and end-users.


Timurs Mihailovs, PhD (CTO): With over 20 years in software development, specializing in machine learning and artificial intelligence, Timurs leads the technological development of our products. His proficiency in advanced technologies and financial analysis enables us to address complex healthcare challenges with cutting-edge solutions.


Svjatoslavs Kistkins, MD, BSc Chem (CMO): As an endocrinologist and business development professional, Svjatoslavs brings a unique blend of clinical and business expertise to our team. With extensive experience in validating biotech/medtech products and driving business development for startups, he plays a pivotal role in shaping our go-to-market strategy and forging key partnerships.
Our team stands out as the best fit for this idea due to our combined expertise and complementary skill sets across medical, technological, design, and business domains. We possess a deep understanding of the longevity-oriented healthcare landscape and have a track record of developing value-based innovative solutions.
In addition to our core team, we benefit from a strong advisory board comprising clinical advisors who are Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and senior members of prestigious organizations such as the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). Their invaluable expertise ensures that our solutions are grounded in the latest clinical knowledge and best practices.



Our advisors include:


Valdis Pirags, MD, Dr. med, Professor (Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Latvia), internationally recognized KOL in the field of metabolic diseases

Othmar Moser, Dr. med. sci, Professor (Bayreuth University, Germany), European KOL in the field of CGM sensors

Harald Sourij, MD, MBA, Professor (Medical University of Graz, Austria), European KOL in the field of clinical nutrition and diabetes

Guntis Kalnins, MBA, MSc in Physics, 20+ years in leading positions in Health and Public Services of Accenture Baltics, Oracle East Central Europe Limited (Latvian branch). Former adviser of the Minister of Economics of the Republic of Latvia

We are currently testing the prototype on several user focus groups.

We seek specific assistance from MIT Solve in accessing and navigating the healthcare ecosystem, particularly in the domains of digital health and longevity. Specifically, we are interested in leveraging their expertise and network to connect with relevant stakeholders, such as healthcare providers, regulatory bodies, and industry experts. Additionally, we are seeking guidance on accessing venture capital funding channels specialized in digital health and longevity, to support our growth and expansion efforts. This includes introductions to potential investors, assistance in preparing funding proposals, and insights into market trends and investment criteria within the healthcare sector.

Our product offers several key competitive advantages over existing solutions in the market: Value-Based Approach: Unlike many existing strategies that focus solely on symptom management, our product adopts a value-based approach. We prioritize addressing the root causes of health issues and promoting overall well-being, ensuring that our interventions deliver tangible and sustainable benefits to users. Longevity-Oriented Health Coaching: Many current health coaching programs lack a focus on longevity and healthy aging. Our product fills this gap by providing personalized coaching and guidance tailored to support longevity goals, helping users not only to manage existing health issues but also to optimize long-term health. Easy-to-Use Lifestyle Tools: Existing lifestyle management tools may be complex or cumbersome to use, limiting user engagement and effectiveness. Our product distinguishes itself by offering intuitive and user-friendly tools that make it easy for individuals to adopt and sustain healthy lifestyle habits, empowering them to take control of their health journey with confidence. Personalized health education based on the patient's current health status and lifestyle habits will be more engaging and motivating than generic health recommendations. To reduce complicated multitasking issues, we provide a game-like approach, tackling the user's personalized level of health knowledge and adherence to lifestyle modifications. Personalized engagement will enable effective health promotion and disease prevention with targeted communication strategies. Policymakers and public health institutions will be empowered with tools to effectively respond to epidemiological situations based on value based care. Our proposed value-based care means that, if the uCarb statistically significantly promotes body weight reduction and enhances customer-reported experience measurements, healthcare providers and payers (e.g. insurers) can objectively pay for the solution. At the same time, the value-based approach will increase the reputation of the healthcare facility based on the evidence-based approach. They will be able to engage a broader population via digital solutions, perform data-driven decision-making, personalize communication campaigns with certain groups of society, raise awareness, and develop a preventive culture. Preventive healthcare measures, such as lifestyle interventions, new technologies, and structured data collection and analysis, can result in significant long-term savings for healthcare systems. By preventing diseases or managing them more effectively at an early stage, these interventions can reduce the need for expensive treatments and procedures in the future.

Our product is propelled by several significant societal, demographic, and technological tailwinds: Obesity Epidemics: The global rise in obesity rates has reached epidemic proportions, presenting a pressing public health challenge. Our solution addresses this urgent need by providing innovative approaches to manage and combat obesity effectively. Lack of value-based approaches: Traditional approaches to health management often fall short in addressing the complexities of modern health challenges, such as obesity and metabolic disorders. Our solution fills this gap by offering a comprehensive and personalized approach that integrates education, behavior change, and technology to empower individuals in their health journey. Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Technology: Advances in CGM technology have revolutionized the way we monitor and manage metabolic health. By leveraging CGM data, our solution provides real-time insights and actionable recommendations, enhancing the effectiveness of health interventions and promoting better outcomes for users. These tailwinds underscore the critical need for innovative solutions that can effectively address the growing health challenges faced by individuals and society as a whole. By harnessing these trends, our product is poised to make a meaningful impact on health and well-being worldwide.

We are strategically targeting the convergence of three major markets: Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM), Obesity, and Longevity. This niche represents a significant accessible market opportunity, leveraging the following market sizes and growth rates: The global CGM market is valued at 8 billion, with an annual growth rate of 10.52% (Mordor Intelligence, 2024). The Obesity treatment market, which was valued at €6 billion, experienced a yearly increase of 16.7% (Medgadget, 2020). The Healthy Longevity market, with a size of €90 billion, and a yearly increase of 6.74% (Statista, 2021). Serviceable Addressable Market or the Health Coaching market, valued at €15 billion, is growing steadily at a rate of 7.4% annually (Opportunities and Forecast, 2021). By targeting this overlap of markets, we aim to tap into a substantial and growing customer segment seeking comprehensive solutions for health management, education, and longevity.

uCarb is an App that provides easy-to-use nutritional coaching based on an advanced biomarker analysis, fostering positive changes in nutrition habits. Our goal is to globally advance healthy longevity by empowering individuals with the easy-to-use solutions and tools to make informed decisions about their well-being. At uCarb we take care about your longevity via comprehensive health coaching and AI nutrition management. uCarb solution aims to promote the creation of a patient-centric clinical surveillance and education ecosystem that is accessible and proactive. The solution will help reduce the burden of overweight and obesity by providing a cost-effective digital intervention for lifestyle management before patients receive pharmacological intervention including long-acting GLP-1RA.

Currently 4 people (engineers, clinicians, designer and business management). The advisory board has 4 business and clinical advisors.

Four months

We are a team of academic scientists, clinicians and startup experts. We respect the quality of the work and promote a positive attitude towards diversity, equity and inclusion. 

Our expected/target customers encompass a diverse range of individuals who for an easy-to-use solution in health and well-being: Longevity Supporters: Individuals who are proactive about optimizing their health and longevity, seeking tools and resources to support their lifestyle choices and promote healthy aging. Biohackers: Enthusiasts who are interested in leveraging technology and science to enhance their physical and cognitive performance, as well as optimize their overall health and vitality. Individuals with Overweight: Citizens who are seeking easy-to-use solutions to manage their weight effectively, whether it's through lifestyle modifications, dietary interventions, or personalized health programs. In this citizen cohort, the crucial factor is to provide an easy-to-use solution, which is lacking in most current existing solutions. Patients with Metabolic Syndrome, Diabetes, or Obesity: Individuals who are diagnosed with metabolic disorders such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, or obesity, and need comprehensive support and management solutions to improve their health outcomes and quality of life. Those users often lack the motivation to use overcomplicated solutions. An easy-to-use patient-centric solution would be a key factor to solve the lack of proactiveness in this group of users.

 

Competitors face significant barriers to entry in this market, including: - the necessity for access to CGM real clinical data, - the absence of publicly available comprehensive clinical trials, - the challenge of integrating various specialties (clinicians, health coaches, IT and ML specialists) to achieve multidisciplinary synergy, - the modern requirement of payors for value-based care in obesity treatment

Our intended business model adopts a value-based approach, targeting a diverse range of stakeholders including insurance companies, individuals, and healthcare institutions, CGM manufacturers through both Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) models: 1. Value-based Healthcare for B2B clients: Healthcare providers, health insurance, CMG manufactures 2. Subscription-based for B2C clients: Users

Our intended go-to-market strategy encompasses several key milestones: Market Validation: Validate demand through pilot testing and research by Q2 Year 1. Business Model Development: Finalize the revenue model and identify partnerships by Q2 Year 1. Expansion of Focus Groups / clinical trials: After receiving ethical approval engage a broader focus group to gather insights and refine value-based offerings. Team Expansion: Strengthen expertise by hiring key personnel by Q4 Year 1. Partnership Expansion: Secure partnerships with healthcare providers and health insurance companies by Year 1. Value-Based Model: Implement a value-based pricing model to align with customer needs and industry standards. User Impact Measurement: Gather results and testimonials by Year 2 to demonstrate effectiveness and value to stakeholders. Global Expansion: Expand into new markets by Year 2 to increase market reach and penetration. This strategy aims to establish a solid foundation, validate demand, build strong partnerships, and ensure measurable impact, paving the way for sustainable growth and expansion.

 

Upon achieving certain milestones, our company envisions a dynamic trajectory: Product Roadmap: Initiate with the Minimum Viable Product (MVP), followed by the execution of clinical trials to validate efficacy and safety. Additionally, secure Letters of Intent (LoI) from potential partners (CGM manufacturers) and customers (Healthcare providers, insurers) to affirm market interest and commitment. Expansion Plan: Strategically expand our product offerings into related verticals or complementary markets to cater to a broader range of customer needs and increase revenue streams. Partnerships: Forge strategic partnerships with prestigious institutions such as Medical University of Graz, Bayreuth University, Charité Universitat Berlin, Paul Stradins Clinical University Hospital and Medical University of Warsaw, and collaborate with insurance companies to enhance our offerings, expand our market reach, and leverage their expertise and resources. Launch in Countries: Penetrate the European Union (EU) market by launching our products and services in multiple countries, adhering to local regulations and tailoring our strategies to meet diverse cultural and market demands. Scaling: Implement a phased approach to scaling, starting with the expansion from Latvia into Central European countries (e.g. Poland, Austria, and Germany) then progressing towards a pan-European presence, and ultimately achieving global scalability. Financial Milestones: at the end of 2025 we plan to initiate pilot agreements with major clinical partners, to accelerate the expansion of the customer base. It is estimated that a positive balance will be achieved at the end of 2026, with the break-even point in 2027.