Medified wins international innovation contest with mental health app

Three teams from Tampere University made it to the finals of the virtual Urban Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition in early December. Besides Medified that won first place, the ESC team came in second place and received an Outstanding Mentor Award and As One won the Best Presentation Award.

The goal of the competition was to support the sustainable development of cities with the help of scientific and technological innovations. The competition sought new ideas, technologies, products, business models and start-ups that promote sustainable urban development and/or help address social challenges. The competition was organised by the Alliance of Guangzhou International Sister-City Universities (GISU). The alliance comprises 11 members.

“One of GISU’s goals is to support the socially, economically and environmentally sustainable development of cities through university activities. To support this goal, the alliance organised the Urban Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition for student teams,” says Ilkka Virtanen, international relations manager in the Innovation Services and Partnerships unit at Tampere University.

The award-winning innovation brings demonstrable benefits

The award-winning Medified software facilitates remote working and the individualised monitoring of recovery for mental health patients and healthcare professionals.  

“Our solution supports the recovery of mental health patients and offers a new tool based on state-of-the-art technology for healthcare professionals to deliver increasingly effective care,” says Valtteri Korkiakoski, one of Medified’s founders. The co-founders are Bachelors of Medicine Jussi Kurikka and Karlo Seppänen.

Pilot studies have already yielded positive preliminary results of the benefits offered by Medified’s solution. 

“The next step is to commercialise the innovation in Finland and start exploring international market opportunities. We are developing our activities in close collaboration with clients to ensure our main focus remains on the added value we create for our customers,” Korkiakoski says.  

The ESC team is also in the process of putting its concept of multidisciplinary and sustainable urban design co-creation projects into practice. Among other things, the team is working on a partnership project to help not only cities but also developers meet their low-carbon targets.

“Our Nordic Superblock concept is based on a neighbourhood that is bordered by main streets and has everything within an easy walking distance. The superblock provides a platform for developing and implementing sustainable urban living solutions and increasing the vibrancy of cities,” says architect Tuomo Joensuu.

The ESC team is looking to carry out pilot testing in Tampere. Later on they will also set their sights on international markets. Besides Joensuu, the ESC team included Kasmir Jolma, who holds an architecture degree from Tampere University, and Juho Rissanen who holds master's degrees in business and humanities, and has studied futures studies.

Innovation competitions pave the way to the international market

At the seed stage of an innovation, it is important to confirm that demand exists for the solution.   Competition success increases the visibility and credibility of companies and opens doors to finding new partners and expanding their customer base. 

“Competitions are a great opportunity to develop company communications to ensure the products and solutions are described to different audiences clearly and understandably. Our success has demonstrated that our solution has major international potential not only as a research breakthrough but also as a product. Our team is working hard to develop mental health services. Winning the competition is a milestone that shows we are heading in the right direction,” Korkiakoski says. 

Y-kampus coordinated the competition at Tampere Universities. The competition was open to adult students with a business idea for a commercial or a social enterprise.

GISU was established in 2018 to provide a platform for the activities and collaborations between twin towns. Guangzhou has been Tampere’s twin town since 2008.

Read more on GISU website.

Further information

Ilkka Virtanen
International Relations Manager, Innovation Services and Partnerships, Tampere University
tel. +358 40 849 0232
ilkka.virtanen [at] tuni.fi (ilkka[dot]virtanen[at]tuni[dot]fi)

Maria Ruokonen
Producer, Y-kampus, Innovation Services and Partnerships, Tampere University
tel. +358 5 0437 7138
maria.ruokonen [at] tuni.fi (maria[dot]ruokonen[at]tuni[dot]fi)