How to use Lean Startup in Healthcare app
or Careviz Launch Story
Mikael & Gilles reached us to help them with idea validation and MVP app development. They were not sure about the team. In terms of the partners search they used and shortlisted around 50 companies. As our team reacted quickly and provided them with approximate estimate in just 2 days (and answered in 4 hours!). The main point in the estimate. We proposed to cut off a lot of features in terms of the MVP. So, we would be able to save efforts and launch the app faster. Once they selected to work with they booked a flight and visited our team in Dnipro.
Startup Idea
Careviz founders wanted to launch own app that will connect cancer-based patients with people who care. In terms of business model, they wanted to connect 2 groups of users:
The first one includes hospital patients, home patients, and patient’s family.
The second one includes hospitals, doctors, caregivers, healthcare providers, and government.
Sounds cool but very difficult to achieve.
Chicken & Egg Problem
The main issue here is “Chicken and egg” problem. So, the app has 2 types of users: patients (or customers), and caregivers/doctors (or sellers). Let’s imagine that we added volunteers who supports our patients. Such users still would be qualified as sellers. As they are selling our product — keeping users engaged. So, what would be if we would attract a lot of patients but there will be a few sellers? And what would be if we would attract a lot of doctors and a few patients? The same would be with any type of seller/buyer. You need to control a lot of user type and keep an eye on their engagement. In this particular case, we would say it is would work the best, if we will have 5 caregivers on full-time payed basis. Let’s imagine, they are be able to engage users, chat with them, discuss in comments posts. This will greatly help us to boost the app. What is more, we are dealing with low motivated users. So, it would be very hard to detect the reason of leaving the platform.
Startup Fundraising in Europe
Careviz applied to a list of grants with a Pitch Deck. Check it out. And could get 50k Euro (~59`000 USD) from European Union Funding Program . What is more, they could rise some more funds from Paul Hamlyn Foundation . That’s an awesome start. Now, they can dig into MVP launch.
Lean Startup Work Scope
Mika & Gilles were quite updated with Lean Startup and a lot of stuff they already cut off. Such as:
In terms of features, they wanted to combine in the app:
and
But there is always a place to cut and we found some points. 😀 So, we proposed to cut from the MVP:
So, we proposed to keep just possibility to input all points from server side. It is better to keep just pictures, texts, reviews, and feedbacks. But once user clicks on “Add to Cart” or “Leave a Review” we would show “Coming soon”. Such Lean Startup approach allows to save a lot of funds on implementation of:
- payment methods;
- refunds;
- delivery management
and much more.
But the main point is not save money on development, the main point is getting users on board. Once, we would have users who are after main feature — social, there is a reason in the work on monetisation model.
We can replace it with Amazon’s DynamoDB interface. Yes, it is not user-friendly but it is better to learn how to use rather than pay extra money. It is much more reasonable to direct efforts into marketing, even if it is just couple Ks.
And again, we can replace this feature with a native email sender with just pre-filled body of the email. So, we are saving money on generating PDF file.
Once all these were sorted out, we dug into the work:
Wireframes
Design
And the result you can find here www.careviz.life
Mika & Gilles get to Millennials Minorca and had couple media posts. while we were working on development. And prepared the video for the launch.
Once the app were published, the first thing they did is shared questionnaires with their audience.
Conclusion
Careviz is an awesome sample how you can rise funds with a single Pitch Deck. Yes, you need to make Market Research. Yes you need to search for Product/Market Fit. Yes, you need to have a plan for the next couple years. And yes, you need to know your targeting audience well to deliver them a value. With all these, even money is not an issue.
Careviz, you are launched!
Originally published at https://www.urlaunched.com on September 6, 2019.
