The four founders of the Bayreuth-based startup have succeeded in the renowned EXIST funding program and will receive €712,000 from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) for further development over the next 18 months.
With inContAlert, the founding team wants to enable people with incontinence problems and bladder dysfunction to lead a more self-determined life. The team is developing a sensor that conveniently shows patients their current bladder filling level on their smartphone. The novel approach aims to prevent uncontrolled urine loss and damage to the kidney. The sensor uses a sophisticated combination of infrared spectroscopy and machine learning algorithms.
Since 1998, the German government has been funding science-based start-ups through the EXIST program. The EXIST research transfer program supports outstanding research-based start-up projects that involve complex and high-risk development work. In the first funding phase, research results with start-up potential are to be further developed. The aim is to clarify questions regarding the implementation of scientific results in technical products and processes, to develop the business idea into a business plan and to prepare the planned company foundation.
In the past, the startup has received numerous awards and grants. For example, the inContAlert team was successful at the International Business Plan Competition in Hong Kong in 2017 and at the Innovation World Cup at MEDICA in 2020. In 2019, the project received a previous funding with the Medical Valley Award in the amount of €250,000.