inContAlert receives grant worth 712,000€ from EXIST Research Transfer

The four founders of the Bayreuth-based startup prevailed in the renowned EXIST funding program and are receiving €712,000 from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) for further development over the coming 18 months.

With inContAlert, the founding team wants to enable people with incontinence problems and bladder dysfunction to lead a more self-determined life. They have developed a sensor that conveniently shows patients the current filling level of their bladder on their smartphone. The novel approach is intended to prevent uncontrolled urine loss and damage to the kidney. The sensor works with a sophisticated combination of infrared spectroscopy and machine learning algorithms.

Since 1998, the German government has been funding science-based startups through the EXIST program. The EXIST research transfer program supports outstanding research-based startup projects that involve complex and high-risk development work. In the first funding phase, research results with startup potential are to be further developed. The goal is to clarify questions related to translating scientific results into technical products and processes, to develop the resulting business idea into a business plan, and to prepare for the planned company formation.

In the past, the startup has already received numerous awards and grants. For example, the inContAlert team was already successful at the International Business Plan Competition in Hong Kong in 2017 and at the Innovation World Cup at MEDICA in 2020. The project received earlier funding in 2019 with the Medical Valley Award worth €250,000.