MFA Longevity Market Report
News and insights from thought leaders in the longevity economy
|
|
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
The crisp air of autumn is upon us, and I’m looking forward to everything the season has to offer. Fall is always my favorite season—autumn sonata, pumpkins, seasonal memories, the brisk air, harvest moon and reflecting on what we have learned.
Planning is in full swing for the fourth annual Longevity Innovation Summit. We have decided to keep events virtual until the country feels more secure with COVID-19 and its variants. In our own county, proof of vaccination and recent testing (3 days) is needed to go into restaurants and gyms. It is amazing how we have all adapted to getting work done and helping each other and the older adults we serve through our Zoom connections and the phone.
For fun, I continue to enjoy the ritual of my socially distanced walks while I explore my community and enjoy the bounty of the fall farmers markets. Last week, there was a local classic car show (always a source of insight from boomers) and a fundraiser for a group that provides transportation for older adults, Seniors Around Town. While I was there I bought a lottery ticket, and ended up winning the grand prize of a Lamborghini! (Okay, it’s a child’s car, but it's a perfect future holiday gift for my favorite little one.) It was a fun morning.
As we get back into the swing of things this fall, I hope you all find meaningful connections—personally and professionally. (And I pass along my raffle luck to you!)
Warmly,
Mary
|
Table of Contents:
- Early Registration for the Longevity Innovation Summit Ends 10/31
- Listen to Our Podcast on Senior Safety
- Attend the 2021 AARP Innovation Labs Summit & Grand Pitch Finale
- RESI Conference a Success
- Funding News
- Corporate Updates
- Books, News, Reports
|
Early Registration for the Longevity Innovation Summit Ends 10/31
Now in its fourth year, the What’s Next Longevity Innovation Summit is the place to hear from thought leaders in the almost $9 trillion longevity economy. How will the regulatory and reimbursement environments change in 2022? Who should you be partnering with in the government, nonprofit sectors? What are the global trends and who is innovating and investing in longevity worldwide? And explore our Innovators Showcase opportunities! This year’s summit - themed "Innovation, Investments, Infrastructure, and Influencers" - will be held December 1-2. Register now for 30% off the full ticket price!
|
Listen to Our Latest Podcast on Senior Safety
How can homes be made more safe for seniors as they age? The latest What’s Next Living Longer, Better, Smarter episode is titled, “Senior Safety Through Innovation.” Co-hosts Mary Furlong and Fred Fishkin welcome Ayaplaces co-founders Jon Denholtz and Robert Stang; Ken Deering and Jon Landers from iGuard Home Solutions; and customer Carolyn Watts. The podcast ends with a tribute to the late Ed Asner. Listen now!
|
Attend the AARP Innovation Labs Summit & Grand Pitch Finale
Join AARP Innovation Labs for their annual Summit & Grand Pitch Finale on Thursday, September 30 from 2-6:30 pm ET. This online event features cutting-edge startups with innovative solutions to improve the lives of us all as we age. The Summit will feature several industry leaders, startups and innovators who contribute to the AgeTech space in meaningful, impactful and groundbreaking ways. Don’t miss this fun, action-packed day filled with learning, special surprises, and the opportunity to crown the 2021 Innovator in Aging startup winner. Register now!
|
RESI Conference a Success
The RESI Longevity Conference took place this month. We had over 200 investors on the platform sharing pitches and expanding the universe of startups and investors in the space. Through the conference we have expanded our connections throughout Europe. MFA met leading venture investors from Norway who are investing in a startup focused on social isolation, which was also the topic of one of our well-attended sessions. There’s no doubt that social isolation is a global issue. As we plan for our upcoming events, we will continue the conversation about social isolation as an opportunity and a challenge.
|
|
|
Funding News
-
SafelyYou, a company that provides fall detection and prevention services for clients with dementia, raised $19.5 million in Series A funding led by Eclipse Ventures.
-
Healthcare company Olive has launched Olive Ventures to support new digital health startups.
-
HAGAR, which has developed a non-invasive continuous glucose monitoring technology, raised $11.7 million in Series B funding led by Columbia Pacific.
-
Clinical care labor platform for senior care facilities Kare raised $7.85 million in Series A funding led by Golden Section Ventures.
-
Element5, which provides software that automates workflows for senior services providers, raised $15 million in Series A funding led by Insight Partners.
-
Naborforce raised $2.5 million in seed funding led by Claritas Capital to expand its solution that connects older adults to a network of care providers.
-
Santé Ventures raised $260 million for its fourth fund, focused on early stage biotech, healthtech, and medtech.
|
|
Older Adults Need Support to Age in Place
AARP research consistently shows that the overwhelming majority of 50+ Americans want to stay in their own homes as they age. But without the proper support, which often isn’t available or affordable, it can be impossible to be independent and “age in place” the way they want to. A better future requires a greater commitment to home and community-based services. Visit AARP.org to read more from Nancy LeaMond, AARP’s EVP and Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer, to learn why backing these alternatives makes sense and is the right thing to do.
|
|
LifeBio Receives Second SBIR Grant to Advance Alzheimer's Care
LifeBio, Inc. is proud to announce that a notice of award has been received for the company’s second SBIR grant, starting 9/30/2021. This grant will involve developing LifeBio-ALZ, an artificial intelligence driven digital biomarker engine, leveraging natural conversation to widely scale accessibility for early detection and assessment of Alzheimer’s Disease progression. This is a $448,462 SBIR grant under award number R43AG076341-01. The company’s first SBIR award helped to develop LifeBio Memory, a voice-driven life story platform powered by AI and machine learning. The Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, with funding from the National Institute on Aging, conducted focus groups to evaluate LifeBio Memory. Results were presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Dementia (AAIC) Conference and found LifeBio Memory to be effective, efficient and preferred versus past life story methods. LifeBio Memory is also showing promise to improve person-centered care, health outcomes and social connections for the growing dementia population.
|
|
GetSetUp Expands in Michigan
GetSetUp's renewed partnership with Michigan DHHS and now with the Library of Michigan is helping to reduce social isolation for older adults across the state. GetSetUp has expanded its offerings to over 500 weekly classes, available 24 hours a day and in four languages. GetSetUp also launched a custom series of classes to educate Michiganders on how to access local community benefits. Similar partnerships have formed with the Libraries of Orange County and various state organizations in the states of Washington, South Dakota, New York, and more. In the 19 months since its founding, GetSetUp has grown to more than 2.2 million members in 160 countries.
|
|
BrioCare Selected as Finalist at the Aging 2.0 Global Innovation Contest
|
|
AI Chat Unlocks Possibilities for Senior Living & Healthcare Organizations
Botco.ai recently launched BotcoLive, a new module that combines AI chat with seamless live agent support, on the heels of its V 2.0 launch. Botco.ai’s new webinar series explores how these organizations can leverage the HIPAA-compliant platform with AI chat for success. Recordings are available of the first webinar, about how they created an empathetic virtual agent that qualifies leads and simplifies the sales journey, and the second webinar, on how AI can uplevel patient care.
|
|
Vivo Featured in MarketWatch
Vivo, the premier online interactive fitness program for people 55 and older, was featured in a MarketWatch article published in early September. The article highlights the benefits of Vivo for both its personal trainer employees and its clients.
|
|
Spiro100 Featured in Active Aging Week
Spiro100 is honored to partner with the International Council on Active Aging to be featured as the virtual fitness offering for Active Aging Week for the second year in a row. This year, Spiro100 will be offering both live and on-demand classes. Spiro100 is also excited to announce its expansion into home health with its first home health customer making Spiro100 available to all 400+ of their clients.
|
MemoryWell Continues to Gain Momentum
|
|
Books, News, and Reports
-
Link-age Connect has been surveying older adults for over a decade on their attitudes toward technology. Its latest survey continues to show that the stereotype of all older adults being technologically challenged is outdated and untrue.
-
Pfizer booster shots have been approved for adults 65+ and those at high risk for illness, but guidance on when and how those boosters should be administered has yet to be issued by the CDC.
-
The exact amount of HCBS funding to be included in the federal reconciliation budget bill is unclear but the current amount appears to be $190 billion, according to LeadingAge.
-
The New York Times recently published a guide on how to be a caregiver.
-
Learn about the status of Social Security and what measures might be required to ensure benefits are maintained at their current levels.
-
Google dismantled its healthcare division, Google Health.
|
|
Please forward this newsletter to colleagues who may be interested. If this newsletter was forwarded to you, subscribe here to get it sent to you each month!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
