Image: Neill Dunwoody
Co-founder Neill Dunwoody told SiliconRepublic.com he was ‘surprised’ to make it to the finals and win despite being up against some big players in healthcare.
Irish digital health start-up Spryt, which uses AI to predict clinical no-shows, has emerged victorious at the HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) Europe Startup Pitchfest competition finals held in Rome.
Founded in 2017 and based in Co Monaghan, Spryt was one of two finalists in the category of start-ups that according to organisers are revolutionising workflows in the medical space with automation. The other finalist was Briya, another digital health start-up based in Israel and the US.
Co-founder and chief operations officer Neill Dunwoody told SiliconRepublic.com today (31 May) that he and the Spryt team were “surprised” to make it to the finals – and eventually win – after being advised to apply by EIT Health, an EU-funded network of European health-focused innovators.
“They [Briya] were a considerably bigger company than us, having raised over $17m in their last round. We were absolutely thrilled to win,” Dunwoody said.
“The win puts us on everyone’s radars and has opened us up to a number of huge opportunities in Europe and the US. We are very proud that two guys from Monaghan were able to pitch our company and that an esteemed panel of health experts thought our product was worthy of the win.”
Spryt’s platform uses AI technology to predict no-shows in clinical settings. It then uses behavioural science and linguistics to change patients’ minds about attending appointments.
“Our system exists on instant messaging systems such as WhatsApp and Messenger, which means a patient has no app to download or website to visit,” Dunwoody continued. “They chat with our AI Asa as if they are chatting to a medical receptionist. It’s a medical admin in your pocket available 24/7.”
Dunwoody, who founded the start-up with Daragh Donohoe, Paul Lyes, Shaun Dodimead and Nick Kairinos, also said that Spryt has announced a partnership with NHS North Central London on a new pilot program aimed at “transforming” healthcare accessibility using WhatsApp and AI to streamline cancer screening appointment booking and rescheduling.
“We believe that every individual deserves easy access to quality care, and we’re determined to make that a reality. Our innovative solutions empower medical administrators, streamlining processes and freeing up valuable time for what truly matters – providing exceptional patient care.”
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