HOLISTAL is on a mission to change our healthcare journey. They believe the focus should be on prevention, rather than treatment. In order to tackle this problem, the Stockholm-based startup has developed a digital platform providing personalized dietary & lifestyle support to individuals. To learn more about HOLISTAL, we conducted an interview with Daniel Zand, CEO and co-founder of HOLISTAL.
1. Although healthcare information and education is easily available nowadays, why do you think people are still struggling with their health?
I want to quote a famous Harvard Medical Professor: Your state of health is defined by: what you eat, what you think and how you move. These three claims are fundamental to an individual’s wellbeing. The struggle is to find a balance in each i.e. an individual is equally focused on all three. I can be controversial and say that everyone with a sane rational mind knows today what is healthy and what is not. But in order to find our optimum state between mind, food and physical activity we need some guidance, support and motivation. The struggle is that we have a society that is built around promotion of unhealthy alternatives by making them cheap and accessible. Then, on the other hand we have a system of health care built around treating conditions derived from lifelong adoption of unhealthy choices. It is rather self-destructing in my opinion.
2. Can you tell us more about HOLISTAL?
We are a digital therapeutics service that empower, engage and reward people and organizations to become healthier. We are 3 founders with a team of 6 people from different backgrounds on a mission to eliminate lifestyle-related diseases. Based in Stockholm, Sweden (not Switzerland) with close connection to Karolinska Institutet where we have access to the best and latest research.
3. How can your app help in improving people’s health?
We provide individually tailored solutions to improve food habits, sleep, and physical activity, and we capture data on this through our initial assessment in the application. It uses a complex system of feedback, reinforcement and rewards mechanism to continuously engage people during their ongoing usage. We provide measurability and results for individuals allowing them to always be in control of their progress.
4. How can companies use your app with their staff?
It is an easy and pain-free roll-out process to staff. They can use several activities to further promote the application such as, provide leaderboards, tangible rewards and recognition.
5. What distinguishes your app from other similar apps?
We do not rely only on technology, instead we use a mix of tech and human interaction as we have found that mix to be more successful than only providing an app.
6. What recommendations would you like to provide to those willing to enter the market
Engage your potential customers and target groups early on to ensure that you hit right on expectations and outcome.
7. Where do you see your market heading in the coming 5-years?
In 5 years, I believe that the market will have grown exponentially with main distributors of Digital Therapeutics being insurance and pharmaceutical companies along with new reimbursement models from public health care, such as Impact Bonds. In terms of accessibility, I see us moving towards integration with AI services such as Alexa, Siri, Bixby etc.
This interview has been sponsored by HOLISTAL
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