TECH DAY
This was my first time at New York tech day. I had no idea what to expect. So I went in with an open mind.
There was a big crowd waiting outside to get in. When I saw that line, I thought to myself, “Great! we are going to spend the next one hour outside.”
Lucky I saw another line being formed so I went and stood there. Fifteen minutes later, I was in. At first sight it was a bit overwhelming. I did not know where to start from.
I kept walking around looking at people’s brochures and asking them some basic questions about their products. I was interested in particular in a biotech company called Biomeme that I noticed towards the front of the hall. Biology, neuro science, these sorts of subjects have always interested me. I think this kind of devices are the future of medicine.
Biome is selling a device that allows you to check out your own DNA against a variety of health related tests. This device can test for a certain gene mutation called MTHFR, which impacts women’s ability to conceive and carry healthy infants among other things. It can also test for STDs. It’s like having a mini lab in your house.
The company is based out of Philadelphia. Their devices can hook up to your iPhone and give you the results within one hour. I thought this was very clever because people in general are curious about themselves and their health prospects. This is why they had a line of people to check their results! At this point I got so excited that I forgot why I was actually there and decided to get myself tested.
The process was easy — you give your saliva and they lead you through all the steps that usually take place in the lab. Have you ever seen somebody actually gather your saliva and get your results right away? I think the answer is no, so I definitely considered this company as a very unique one. They brought what is normally a long and complicated process into real time with immediate results.
Throughout the Tech Day I saw that a lot of companies do pretty much the same thing, but Biomeme was completely different. Even though they are not a non-profit organization and aim to make profit I felt that the idea itself had very good intentions. For example, if you can detect instantly that you have a disease or have a pronounced possibility to have one (DNA test) you can possibly treat it early on with less risk or even prevent it. One of their future projects is detecting cancer at a very early stage by having their device in every home. It means people can get healthier and live longer lives in general. I thought that’s an incredible service!
Another thing I really like about the company is their team. People were extremely friendly and took their time to explain to everybody how device works, what is does and even test it on you. I also get the feeling that they really believe in their idea and want to grow and develop it constantly. This is what we talk in class about “growing mind”.
What I also loved that the company is very futuristic. Biotechnology is a very new and not developed field but has a huge potential for our future. The fact is this company does something very new and difficult in some ways make me very excited about it.
PROBLEM
I think their problem statement will sound like: “People don’t have instant and direct-to-consumer access to their health results.”
SOLUTION
How do they solve it? Biomeme sells devices that pair with your phone and can run tests instantly for you. Another great feature is that their results are interpreted for you and you don’t need to run to the doctor to understand it. They are in many ways streamlining the sometimes cumbersome hurdles an individual must take to learn the true status of their own health.
Unfortunately, I forgot to ask them about their stages of work before they came to where they are now. But after the conversation I understood that this company is relatively new and they are still testing the best solutions to bring this unique experience to people. For example, some of their tests are really one-time tests that you will not probably need to buy their device for. But their new developments will include more tests that will be beneficial to run maybe once a month from the home, so you will see the benefits of having their device.
TO SUMMARIZE
The best points of this company are: friendly team, future-oriented, uniqueness of their idea, and a great human experience.
