What Is Arthronica Doing?
Arthronica is an all-in-one AI-powered platform that can diagnose and monitor musculoskeletal disorders through the latest advances in computer vision. Our software turns the camera on your smartphone into a powerful medical assistant which can measure mobility, functionality and the swelling of joints to remotely assess chronic arthritis and provide evidence on the effectiveness of treatment.
Where did the idea come from?
I was working in Singapore a few years back trying to use computer vision to diagnose skin disorders. The technology was fiendishly difficult and so I looked for another pathology where we could have a more immediate impact on. After completing my PhD proposal on arthritis detection using cameras I joined the MedTech SuperConnector. Since then we won support from Entrepreneur First and the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Center and recently secured £200,000 funding from Versus Arthritis as trials of the technology begin at NHS sites in London and Leeds.
What’s Your Story?
I was born in Brazil and was adopted by an Italian family, so I moved to Italy when I was one year old. My first memory of discovering science was when I was ten years old and unbeknownst to my parents, I fixed our broken car using only a dusty old manual. Since then I became obsessed with cars, mechanics and programming. Following my passion I took a Bachelors of Bioengineering in Naples, a Masters in Medical imaging at New York University, then Singapore to work in software engineering and finally a PhD in imperial bioengineering.
Why Are You Doing What You Are Doing?
Solving a problem and being able to add a tiny bit to the world is extremely rewarding. Embarking on this startup has allowed me to learn many different things at a speed unlike anything else. I think the key is always being curious, learning things you don’t know and translating what you know to make a difference and leave the world in a better state than when you found it.
Why Should We Care About Arthronica?
The global rheumatoid arthritis therapeutics market is anticipated to exhibit 4.6% CAGR and reach a valuation of US$ 33.9 billion in 2025 from US$ 23.8 billion in 2017. Currently, it affects around 350 million people globally and with the ageing world population, the rate of incidence will only increase. Any technology that can help make those people’s lives that bit easier is worth keeping an eye on. Each one of us should have a long term plan, making and improving social care with the support of digital technologies.
Arthronica joined the RebelBio portfolio in our VIII program. Check out who the other nine were.
By Alexander Hall-Daniels
You have the science, but not yet the business case? — Let’s talk!
