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Impact America Originals: The State of Impact I 2025 I Download Now
The home healthcare tech platform that’s taking a new approach to care for the elderly
OCTOBER I 2024
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Birdie, the B-Corp tech platform that is transforming elderly care at home, believes in a world in which we all age vibrantly and with confidence. Birdie is the leading home healthcare technology platform aiming to radically transform the lives of older adults. They have just raised $30 million in Series B, to help millions to live longer at home.
When faced with the inefficiencies of the at-home healthcare system, the founders of Birdie knew there had to be a better way to look after our ageing population. So, they created one. The resulting home care software solution was launched in 2017, offering care providers the chance to transform the way they serve the elderly. The Birdie platform champions a more efficient, holistic, and preventative approach to care, with the aim of giving older patients a vastly improved quality of life.
People are living longer than ever before, meaning our population is changing. In 2022, almost one in five people in Britain are aged 65 years and over, compared to just over one in 10 in 1950. But that ever-growing cohort of elderly people is being let down.
Whether you blame it on insufficient funding, inefficient processes, resource issues or staffing difficulties, the fact of the matter is that it’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to lead happy and healthy lives in their later years. And this isn’t a problem that’s going to go away: in fact, Max Parmentier, Co-Founder, and CEO of Birdie predicts that the situation “will become untenable from a healthcare standpoint – it's just going to become too costly”.
Also feeding into this care crisis are the outdated processes and infrastructure of our healthcare system. After all, it was designed a century ago and has always been focused on one-off afflictions, which was the primary concern in the 20th century. Now, though, more people need long-term treatment for chronic, incurable conditions. And, crucially, they need it in the comfort of their own homes – not in already crowded hospitals designed for short-term care.
Think back to that $60billion euros pumped into fossil fuels; huge amounts of money are going into helping these detrimental industries survive. If we continue in this way, it is guaranteed we will not hit the below 2 degrees Celsius goal. The IPCC has reiterated recently that, if we want this turnaround to happen, we need to ensure every single dime is being shifted towards positive change. This can only happen when the majority change the way they bank.
So what actually is sustainable banking, and how is Tomorrow helping its users to do it? The idea is to make money a key part of the solution to the global challenges we face, rather than being the dire catalyst of the problem. Interestingly, very few of Tomorrow’s team of 100+ people came to the business from a banking background. All were new to the industry, and had never previously dreamt of becoming bankers or working in the finance world.
But what brought them all together in building the first digital and sustainable bank in Europe was the observation that money is a major part of the problem, and it shouldn’t be. Sustainable banking has actually already been in existence for the last couple of decades, but not in an accessible format. Previously it has been somewhat old school, niche, and not very high-tech.
Tomorrow works on the basis that making sustainable banking as accessible, but also as relatable, as possible is a vital component in its wider success. As Jakob puts it - “If you really want to change the world you have to throw a better party than those destroying it.” This is what Tomorrow tries to bring to the world of banking; a truly mission-driven, sustainable approach that feels fun and fresh, solves pragmatic problems for individuals, while still contributing to saving the planet.
To approach the masses successfully, barriers must be kept as low as possible. This is apparent in Tomorrow’s brand, in everything from the aesthetics to the language. Jakob hopes to make sustainable banking “first the new cool, and then the new normal.”
Equally important, the family app has the tools to connect with everyone that needs to be in the know, and provides peace of mind for relatives by keeping them up to date with the latest wellbeing information on their loved ones. From physical wellbeing and daily mood to medications and food intake, the instant communication the Birdie app provides means that they’ll know what’s going on exactly as it happens. We all have ageing family members who may need support from care professionals.
Knowing what’s being done, with pictures, visit notes and any concerns in real time, offers tremendous reassurance and peace of mind that your loved ones are being taken care of, while keeping them at home and independent for longer. Birdie is there for them, supporting them along the way, making things better for everybody - the patient, the family and the wider society.
“We call it a new climate change, this wave of older people needing health care. It’s completely under the radar because nobody wants to acknowledge it... I say let's tackle this question, let's bring solutions, let's change the journey” Max Parmentier – CEO & Co-Founder
The tangible difference this app can make to people’s wellbeing shouldn’t be underestimated. In many cases, the kind of care it allows could add years – decades, even – to lives but, just as importantly, it can help enrich that time for the patient, too.
The idea of ageing can be scary. Whether we’re concerned for our grandparents, ourselves or even our children, this forward-thinking tech company is offering hope for our winter years. Because age is no more than a number – and we all want to tot up the highest tally we can, while enjoying the process.
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