November 28, 2023 Scientific Business: LIF Empreende Program Winners share their achievements and experiences
3S Health and NIT-Mandic, winners of the LIF Empreende Program, unveil their entrepreneurial journeys, scientific innovations, and the transformative impact in their fields of expertise.
Text by Greta Garcia
Photographs by Pedro Amatuzzi
“The exchange of experiences was very valuable for us to learn about new technologies, pitch modeling, alternatives for seeking incentives and investment for the business” commented 3S Health, the winning team of the LIF Empreende Program, in an interview with IPhD. The grand final of the Program took place on October 31st during the 2nd Photonics and Entrepreneurship Industry Workshop, promoted by LIF – UNICAMP in partnership with the IEEE Photonics Society.
This year, we were introduced to the first edition of the LIF Empreende Program, which emerged as an innovative proposal designed to drive the creation of new companies based on the results of scientific research, particularly in the field of photonics. The creators emphasized the importance of returning technology stored in laboratory archives to society, aiming not only for scientific advancement but also for the development of entrepreneurial skills among academy members.
The Program was structured as a competition in which participating teams developed and presented their own business models to compete for a grand prize. During the initial phases of the LIF Empreende Program, free training, mentoring, and lectures by experts were offered, along with more informal networking opportunities with companies already established in the market.
Selecting five finalists was not an easy task for the jury, but among these, two stood out in the final competition: 3S Health and NIT-Mandic. The first, 3S Health, was chosen by the jury as the Best Business Model and received the main prize: a cash prize of R$4,000.00, a classification certificate, and an exclusive Business Mentoring Plan with Baita Aceleradora. “LIF was an opportunity for us to present and be evaluated by an audience with expertise in the field. The positive feedback showed us that we are on the right track,” commented the winning team.
The team’s podium finish was not by chance; 3S Health, a spin-off from the LabSensores at the Federal University of Espírito Santo, aims to positively impact society with solutions based on sensor development, an area in which they specialize. 3S Health focuses on automating physiotherapy protocols to diagnose fall risks, especially in the elderly. Their differentiator lies in providing data for quantitative analysis of fall risk and fatigue assessment using optical fiber sensors. Initially, the business model is based on sensor rentals to obtain efficient feedback, with plans to scale sales after regional consolidation.
The team believes that winning the LIF Empreende Program will significantly impact the future of the company: “Apart from gradually building a path with different achievements, the knowledge gained and the contacts established have opened our eyes to other opportunities that we can explore to consolidate our solution as something economically viable on a national scale”.
Meanwhile, NIT-Mandic was chosen as the favorite proposal by the Workshop audience, winning the Popular Jury category and taking home a classification certificate. “It was our first experience in a program focused on business and products. (…) Developing the Lean Canvas and then putting the entire business plan on paper was a very enriching experience for the whole team. Preparation through mentoring and evaluation by the panel members brought relevant questions to us, which as researchers, we often do not consider,” stated Aguinaldo Garcez, the team representative, in an interview with IPhD.
The team proposed a Photobiomodulation device that promises to accelerate orthodontic and dental implant treatments, offering comfort, safety, and affordability. By using light in the red and infrared spectra to modulate cellular metabolism, it promotes analgesia and accelerates healing processes. The device, currently in the testing phase and still being refined, aims to be user-friendly for patients, which caught the attention of the audience.
One thing that both winning teams have in common is the desire to grow. “The next steps will involve testing on a larger scale (…) and making the product viable in the market, seeking partnerships and external investments through funding projects or investors”, says NIT-Mandic. In the same vein, 3S Health reiterates: “The next step for our business is to validate the first prototypes to identify optimization points. Initially, the goal is to consolidate our brand on a statewide scale before targeting national markets”.
The fruits harvested by the LIF Empreende Program reflect not only tangible achievements but mainly the transformation of participants. This journey honed ideas, helping to transform them into solid business models, and also catalyzed the entrepreneurial maturity of each participant. 3S Health and NIT-Mandic are witnesses to this evolution, envisioning new and expanded horizons and setting ambitious goals.
The impact of these experiences goes beyond the awards; it is the seed of innovation and a commitment that promises to flourish, bringing advances not only to their projects but also to a society eager for transformative solutions. The LIF Empreende Program not only celebrates achievements but sows a legacy of progress and inspiration for the scientific entrepreneurs of the future.