11 Seattle Startups Tackling Multiple Challenges Related to COVID-19
While news of the novel coronavirus continues to rock the world, a group of women-owned startups in Seattle have banded together to put their solutions to the ultimate test.
As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread around the world, Washington State and particularly Seattle has emerged as ground zero for the pandemic in the United States. In order to get the word out about existing health technologies that can help to triage, test and treat for COVID-19, a group of female health tech startup founders based in Seattle have banded together to put their solutions to the ultimate test. Their collaboration comes during a particularly special time for celebrating the contributions and powerful movements led by women in the United States — Women’s History Month.
“We saw a unique opportunity to come together and provide support in an entirely new way,” says Laura Malcolm of Give InKind, a social platform for coordinating support for loved ones in need. “We already have these tools that serve hundreds of thousands each day, and in this large-scale time of need, it’s important that we share resources that will be helpful to our communities.”
Most of the Seattle area’s largest tech employers like Microsoft and Amazon have instituted work-from-home policies during the outbreak to help stunt the spread of disease. But many small businesses and startups are reeling from the effects of being on the frontline of the pandemic in the United States. COVID-19’s first US fatality was in Kirkland, WA at a nursing home just outside of Seattle.
“Some of us have companies that have been preparing for this shift in the way we work all along,” says Melissa Strawn of MyPeopleNow, a gig-economy platform designed to help those who don’t fit into the traditional 9–5 workforce. “But due to the outbreak, we are trying to creatively expand our offerings to benefit even more people.” Part of that expansion has been MyPeopleNow’s recent addition of unlimited video chat and a group functionality that allows community members to post “asks” and “offers” for help.
People with weakened immunity welcome opportunities to work from home.They are at greater risk from COVID-19, and, to add to the stress, rumor and misinformation are rife.
“We already have these tools that serve hundreds of thousands each day, and in this large-scale time of need, it’s important that we share resources that will be helpful to our communities.” –Laura Malcolm of Give InKind
Fortunately, resources such as COVID-19 rheumatoid news are cutting through the noise. Curated from credible sources, the free update provides daily information for the 23 million Americans with autoimmune diseases. Founder Sarah Dillingham says, “Knowledge is power. We need reliable information to make informed decisions about our health.”
Things are tough for anyone who is sick, either with COVID-19 or any other number of seasonal or chronic illnesses. Being isolated for long periods of time or not being able to get outdoors can feel miserable.
“Staying active for those who can’t do weight-bearing activity, or for those who are post surgery, or confined to home is critical in keeping up health both physically and mentally,” says Michele Mehl, co-founder and CEO of Excy, creators of a portable exercise bicycle that can be used to pedal even from bed. “Wielding exercise as medicine, hospitals are increasingly focusing on movement, even in the ICU where researchers have demonstrated that physiotherapists can safely start in-bed cycling sessions with critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients early on in their ICU stay. In fact, the research showed that ICU patients who start in-bed cycling two weeks into their ICU stay could walk farther at hospital discharge. We want to do everything we can to eliminate all barriers to exercise.”
On the other hand, physical fitness from home has never been more possible than today, with video chat allowing clients and personal trainers to connect online, boosting accountability and providing social interaction for people trying to avoid public gyms and fitness studios.
“That’s where we’d like to help,” says My Le Goel, founder of Flight Live, a mobile-first fitness platform that allows people to connect with live, personal trainers and yoga instructors. “If people are being told to stay home and avoid public places, it gives them an opportunity to find new ways to enjoy the emotional and social benefits of physical activity.”
One of the biggest concerns about the spread of the coronavirus has been the potential impact it will have on the local healthcare system at an already busy time for emergency rooms.
“Telemedicine is one of the best ways to get people access to high-quality medical care in the privacy of their own home,” says Jill Angelo, CEO and founder of Gennev, an innovative telemedicine service geared toward those experiencing menopause. “In response to the need for more remote healthcare options with COVID-19, we’ve focused on giving menopause care another tech upgrade with our new, all-inclusive remote HealthFix Membership. HealthFix offers on-demand access to OB/GYNs and Health Coaches for personalized menopause care with nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management and prescription support. It gives the everyday woman an opportunity to get personalized and remote care she needs throughout her entire menopause journey — without breaking the bank.”
On the other side of the age and wellness spectrum, parents are dealing with school closures and uncertainty on whether or not to keep their kids home from school. According to Priyanka Raha, founder of PopSmartKids, While at-home learning will “never entirely replace the learning experience that my child will have in the classroom, I have discovered that there are technology-driven apps that will help my kids learn while they are at home. This also directly relates to the reason I created PopSmartKids.“ Her company has a story-writing app, PopSmartWrite, which actively encourages young kids to have an imagination and create their own story through drawings, pictures, and text.
“In response to the need for more remote healthcare options with COVID-19, we’ve focused on giving menopause care another tech upgrade with our new, all-inclusive remote HealthFix Membership.” –Jill Angelo of Gennev
And speaking of kids…what about food? Whether it’s through having dinner with grandma via FaceTime or a good old-fashioned phone call to check in, community members all across the world are feeling the pull to show up for one another in various ways to make sure everyone has the food and supplies needed to get through a self-quarantine.
While business owners may be feeling the effects of a nervous economy, this could be an extraordinary time to shift our focus toward the next era of innovation around social interaction.
“We’re doing everything we can to encourage folks to support brick + mortar small businesses in their communities,” said Laura Clise, Founder of Intentionalist, a website that helps people discover local restaurants and other businesses, along with the stories of the people behind them. “Our latest blog is a great place to start regarding simple things we can do to help small business owners during a truly difficult time.”
“The small business community in Seattle is bracing for impact,” said Liz Pearce, CEO of Fresh Chalk, a friends-based recommendations platform for small businesses. Social distancing reduces foot traffic to nail salons, boutiques, and gyms. Economic uncertainty dries up household budgets for things like home improvement projects, home buying, and travel, and business owners are facing staff, wage, or benefit reductions as a result.
Fresh Chalk will be publishing the results of its small business impact survey in the coming days, and it’s shining a light on small businesses who are offering new services in response to the crisis. One such business is Blue Ribbon Cooking School, which is now offering small group cooking classes in a hygienic environment to kids home from school.
Lastly, the strain on our already-packed schedules and mental health load means many feel lost in a sea of demands and quite simply don’t know what to do with themselves.
“Instead of turning to endless scrolling on Facebook or reading story after story wondering when the coronavirus will affect you, we’d recommend occasionally taking your mind off heavy topics and taking some time for self-care,” says Swatee Surve, CEO of Litesprite, a company that created a free clinically validated mental health video game. “After all, we must remember to ‘put our own oxygen mask on first’ and take care of ourselves so we can be well enough to care for others.”
Those with behavioral health conditions, including addiction recovery, are particularly in need of remote solutions as in-person support group meetings are temporarily cancelled.
“Instead of turning to endless scrolling on Facebook or reading story after story wondering when the coronavirus will affect you, we’d recommend occasionally taking your mind off heavy topics and taking some time for self-care.” –Swatee Surve of Litesprite
WEconnect Health Management provides a mobile application where certified peer recovery support specialists (social workers with lived recovery experience), connect virtually. In return for engaging in the platform, individuals can earn Amazon gift cards to use for household items, food and transportation.
“Community support and staying accountable to your care plan during this time is even more critical than ever, as social connection is one of the key, evidence-based ways that people sustain recovery. With the rewards platform in-app it also supports individuals who may have a slow down in income and work due to the COVID-19 restrictions and recommendations,” says CEO and Co-Founder, Daniela Luzi Tudor.
Find out more about the companies below and share in the comments what you are doing to support your community in this time of need.
Gennev (a StartUp Health company)
Gennev is the first-of-its-kind online clinic for women in menopause. The company’s mission is to empower every woman to take control of her health in the second half of life. Founded by former Microsoft executive Jill Angelo and former Neutrogena executive Jacqui Brandwynne, Gennev provides telemedicine with menopause-certified OB/GYNs, on-demand telehealth coaching with registered dietitians, exercise specialists, plus health and wellness products, community, and free education. Thousands of women globally have completed the Gennev Menopause Assessment to understand where they are in the journey and receive recommended health and wellness solutions. For more information, visit https://gennev.com.
Listen, Learn from Gennev’s Medical Experts
Give InKind
Give InKind is a free, community support platform that brings together a Care Calendar, Wishlist, and Crowdfunding into one, easy-to-use tool. As more social distancing is required to control the spread of the virus, we can all do our part to help friends, family, and neighbors remain home and healthy. By setting up a Give InKind page and coordinating drop-offs of groceries, prescriptions, and needed supplies, we can help empower those who need to stay home to do so. Give InKind has more resources for supporting vulnerable populations here: create.giveinkind.com/coronavirus
Women with Rheumatoid Disease
Women with Rheumatoid Disease is a supportive patient community. We connect, inform, and raise awareness. Our COVID-19 rheumatoid news service is curated daily for people with autoimmune conditions and/ or compromised immunity. We are run by rheumatoid patients (Sarah, Lisa, Krisztina) for rheumatoid patients. We invite all women with rheumatoid disease to join us.
PopSmartKids
PopSmartKids is an edtech company that is reimagining digital playtime into a learning adventure for the next generation. The company has launched PopSmartWrite, a story-writing application that encourages twenty-first century learners to explore their creativity through text, art, and images. Downloadable on all iPads, PopSmartWrite offers a solution for children to ignite their imagination, and a platform for parents and teachers to mentor children through the creative process. In a time when we are all dual citizens — one where we walk and the other in the online space — PopSmartKids is committed to advocating good digital citizenship through its media outreach program and resources.
Intentionalist
Small businesses are important to the social and economic fabric of our communities. From bookstores and restaurants, to stores that have sustained families for generations, local businesses are part of the heart and soul of the places where we live and work — they’re the places where we come together, whether to make new connections or celebrate longtime friendships. Local businesses bring cultural diversity, contribute philanthropically, and simply make our communities better. Intentionalist is an online guide to intentional spending that supports small businesses and diverse local communities. We make it easy for you to find local restaurants, bars, gyms, shops, and more owned by women, people of color, veterans, LGBTQ, families, and differently abled people. Beyond serving as a directory, Intentionalist supports community connection through business profiles based on interviews with local business owners, and meet-ups that provide the opportunity to meet them and learn about the stories behind their businesses.
Excy
Excy focuses on helping those with injuries, disabilities, and underlying health conditions to gain easier access to the health benefits of a recumbent exercise bike, bed bike, or upper body ergometer. The Excy is a single device that folds for easy storage and transport and can be used from a seated, standing, or reclining position in bed or on the floor. As it relates to COVID-19, those with disabilities or underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, obesity, asthma, disease of the heart, lung or kidney, and those with weakened immune systems going through cancer treatment can explore different Excy options with their doctor to meet their individual needs. Excy offers a mobile coaching platform with training from physical therapists to make it easy to follow along. Excy is used in ICU units and in physical therapy clinics across the country, as well as at hospitals like Stanford Health. Founder Michele Mehl hopes Excy can help with COVID-19 to keep people’s respiratory system active, even if bedridden at home or in a hospital. The company offers rental programs for those seeking temporary exercise solutions. For more information, visit www.excy.com
FlightLive
Flight Live is a mobile-first fitness platform that allows people to connect with live, personal trainers and yoga instructors for private, 1:1 workout sessions through its custom-built, live-streaming, 2-way video technology on any mobile device. The platform vets and approves all trainers and auto-matches you based on your profile, so you don’t have to go through the arduous task of finding someone. For people who prefer having workout buddies, the platform also allows you to invite up to two other people to workout with you, virtually, while also reducing the cost. The company has already had requests from trainers wanting to use the platform to work out with their local clients, remotely, due to the coronavirus. In particular, one of its trainers based in NYC had a client request to join the platform to avoid going out into public spaces. Visit the Flight Live website to download, or, if on your smartphone, search for “Flight Fitness” in your app store.
MyPeopleNow
MyPeopleNow is revolutionizing the way companies deliver work/life balance opportunities and D&I initiatives by empowering workers to bring their whole selves to work, build tangential skills, and connect with work peers near and far in ways that have never been offered before. MyPeopleNow’s mission includes bringing storytelling, benefits, and dignity to freelancers and gig workers all around the world, in all lines of work, in order to create the sustainable gig economy of tomorrow. Melissa believes deeply that entrepreneurship should be accessible to all those who desire it as a career path and is committed to social institutional reform, eliminating poverty, and transforming the broken social services system. Melissa blogs at FromWelfareToMillionaire.org, where she shares stories from her life about going from an impoverished teenage single mom to a successful startup CEO.
Litesprite
Litesprite is a free, clinically validated, mental health video game that is the first to win a US Surgeon General Award for its work with the military and is the only one recommended by clinicians today. Join our free beta that helps us further mental health research! Socks the Fox will teach you proven stress-management techniques and empower you and your loved ones to become ZenMasters. Meditate, journal, walk, and breathe with Socks. Play gratitude with four of your loved ones.
Fresh Chalk
Fresh Chalk is a recommendations platform where friends share their trusted local businesses and professionals with each other. Its mission is to connect people everywhere with trusted home improvement, health, and beauty professionals — from their existing social networks — as quickly as possible. When people add recommendations for businesses they trust, they’re helping your friends save time. They’re also helping the professionals who have really delivered for them, in a time when they need it most. Learn more at www.freshchalk.com.
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