About

Workers’ musculoskeletal pain constitutes a major problem worldwide since, apart from the individual discomfort, it also brings various social and economic adverse impacts affecting at the same time the individual, the society and the State. Half of the European working population complain about back pain (ESWC, 2010). Moreover, there is strong evidence that musculoskeletal disorders in the neck/upper back area affect negatively the individual and its family, bringing a limitation of daily and social activities and often provoking disability which in its turn has been shown to correlate with emotional/psychological implications threatening in this way the quality of life. It also affects negatively the performance of the individuals not only in their everyday life but also at work making them unable to fulfil effectively the job demands. Side health effects like occasional headaches, migraine attacks, dizziness and sleep problems are also present due to neck pain.

Solution & Product

2BE2MOVE company provides evidence based training programs customized at various working environments about exercise short sessions designed to address musculoskeletal pain of working populations. So far more than 800 employees from more than 20 companies and organizations have been used our exercise protocols asking for a guide, a reminder, an everyday push notification to remind them the exercises. AETHER app (Adaptive Exercise Therapy) is our new product with the potential to effectively mitigate the previously described industrial/economic and social problems of chronic musculoskeletal problems in employees offering a science-based application with appropriate exercise protocols adapted to different working environments, customized to every user and combined with continuous guidance provided with cues for appropriate execution. AETHER’s ease of access at workspace or at home, friendly use, and personalization will further attract and enhance the acceptance and repeat use by the end-users, thus giving rise to increased awareness and sustainable positive impacts to the individuals, the working environment, while fostering overall productivity and improving operating costs of businesses and health care.

Innovation & Scalability

Increasing awareness of workplace health shift towards digital health solutions advances in AI, machine learning, and data analytics can enhance the personalization and effectiveness of health apps like AETHER. Wearable Technology Integration Musculoskeletal disorders are a leading cause of disability worldwide This digital model can be scaled globally with relative ease, especially if the app can be adapted for different languages and regions. There's a growing trend of companies investing in the health and wellness of their employees Collaborating with healthcare providers, fitness experts, and corporate wellness programs can extend AETHER's reach and credibility. AETHER's revenue model, potentially including subscriptions, B2B partnerships, and in-app purchases, provides flexibility and resilience in different market conditions. Increasing regulatory support for digital health solutions in various countries Focusing on user experience, regular updates, and personalized content can enhance user engagement and retention, crucial for long-term growth. Data-Driven: The ability to collect and analyze user data can provide valuable insights for research To capitalize on these growth opportunities, AETHER will need to navigate challenges like market competition, rapidly changing technology, and regulatory landscapes. Strategic planning, continuous innovation, and a deep understanding of user needs will be essential for AETHER to realize its full growth potential.

Traction & achievements

2BE2MOVE with its product AETHER is selected as a Start up Company in EGG accelerator (July 2023 to February 2024). Minimum Viable Product is already developed and the pilot procedure is in progress (Beta Testing and Feedback) in an international company. Success story for our Proof of concept by the EU as an Erasmus+ Project entitled THEWS (Therapeutic Exercise at Workspace). Bronze Award in Boussias Health and Safety Event, 2023 together with Immures, Greece, Milos Hub.

Team & Why Us

AETHER team of experts brings together individuals and competencies that fulfil the requirements of the business. It brings also together international excellence in order to build an innovative system focusing on training people with the knowledge to self-manage their health in order to improve and maintain their independence, functional capacity, health status and wellbeing. The team is highly interdisciplinary, and each team member has a complementary expertise in relation to the objectives of the project. It consists of six (6) experienced and committed team members, coming from different disciplines, thus covering the scientific and technical expertise of the issue and the market needs and the business requirements in the field. This provides a well-balanced combination of complementary skills and expertise in relation to the business products. Dr A. Beneka as a Physical Rehabilitation and exercise specialist (Professor of Physical Rehabilitation) together with MD Prof Baraliakos responsible for developing safe and effective exercise protocols, in collaboration with experienced senior executive in maximizing business value in complex international environments (K. Derdemezis) and Dimitrios Delonas with important international experience as a C-Level executive on both public and private-equity-backed corporations, together with CSR professional (M. Alexiou), and Intellectual Property Rights Law expert (Ch. Tsigou) aim to develop a sustainable and profitable business

Funding Needs

The total project budget proposed for AETHER app requires funding of about 200.000 €. The information hereafter shows the division of resources between the major categories. The personnel costs represent almost 65% of this budget, subcontracting 25%, other direct costs such as Travel 5% and the other 5% corresponding to the indirect costs. The Personnel costs category represents the biggest amount as it contains the experts’ costs for the development of the main products and the commercial exploitation (Exercise and health expert, 2 Business experts, IT experts in system analysis and development, exercise videos development costs etc). Also, the Exercise expert is (double role) responsible to develop the exercise protocols, the training content and the key person connecting the health expert with the business and companies (together with the CSR expert and the Business experts). The Business Experts will contribute to direct commercial exploitation of the results of the project and the Marketing/advertising plan, communication activities with potential clients. Finally, it remains to be found the IT expert in system analysis and development who will be responsible to develop AETHER app for mobile devices following the technical characteristics that will be decided.