SIBIUS: Battling cognitive disorders

Sept 2022. Corinne Avelines, SIBIUS’s CEO, had received the news that the results of the first large-scale test of the company’s first product had just been published. The test, conducted with children between 3 and 4 years old, validated their approach to early detection of autism. The technology was grounded in research showing that it was possible to identify many atypical cognitive behaviors by simply tracking eye movements in test patients. Digitrack dramatically simplified that process by digitizing it, allowing it to be used on any personal tablet device. The method was proposed as a screening, detection support and outcome tracking tool for a variety of clinical conditions, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Alzheimer (a form of dementia), among many cognitive conditions. But with the early test validation came business questions that kept Corinne extremely busy. Which market should they first target for this tool? Clearly, its versatility was an asset but each target market (healthcare professionals, concerned parents, etc.) required a differentiated approach. Speed was also of the essence to capture the huge potential in mental health, putting pressure on quickly finding the money to fund the rapid scale-up. High on her mind was also the potential conflict between monetizing the technology aggressively and making a massive difference in the lives of so many young patients and their families, i.e. how to balance the harsh realities of business and investors with those of mental health sufferers and society in general. Despite the promising field test results and numerous shows of support, she had little to show in terms of financial commitments at this point. It was time to revisit the assumptions and all features of the business model to ensure a future for this promising technology.

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