Season 2 Idea Jam 1
Season 2 Recaps brought to you by our partners Hypercolor Digital and the University of St. Thomas - Schulze School of Entrepreneurship
Spotlight Business for February 2025 - Season 2 - Idea Jam 1
BackpackEMR
Founder Profile
Connect with Lori Most on LinkedIn
Interested in helping BackpackEMR? Invest!
Learn more here: https://wefunder.com/backpackEMR
Clickable Chapters:
Event Pictures
Event Deck
Primary Challenges
FUNdraising Challenge (Jam 1): "What if... Could BackpackEMR's intermittent connectivity tech be used to address challenges in other markets?" This challenge explored alternative applications for Backpack EMR's core technology to diversify revenue streams and expand market reach beyond healthcare.
Scale Challenge (Jam 2): "What if... BackpackEMR built an international [sales] team in [Uganda]?" This challenge addressed the specific question of how to effectively scale operations internationally, with a focus on building local teams in regions like Uganda.
Idea Jam Summary
The BackpackEMR Idea Jam was a collaborative brainstorming session exploring new market opportunities, expansion strategies, and operational models for Backpack EMR's technology. The sessions were divided into multiple "jams" that addressed different aspects of the business.
Total Sticky Notes Used: Approximately 95-100 sticky notes
Come and be part of our upcoming jam!
Idea Jam Analysis
Standout Ideas from BackpackEMR's Model
Resilient Connectivity Technology: The core functionality of BackpackEMR (offline-capable, synchronizing when connectivity becomes available) has applications far beyond healthcare.
Disaster Response Platform: A comprehensive app for disaster situations incorporating medical records, resource tracking, and coordination capabilities.
Industry-Specific Data Collection Tools: Adapting the technology for specialized fields like agriculture, mining, oceanography, etc.
Global Franchise Model: Establishing a multinational presence with local leadership and cultural adaptation while maintaining core technology.
Social Impact Partnership Model: Collaborating with NGOs, Peace Corps, and international aid organizations to deploy technology in underserved areas.
Bundled Services Approach: Package BackpackEMR with complementary services to create more comprehensive solutions.
LLM Integration for Offline Intelligence: Storing sophisticated data and training models that work offline for continued functionality.
Prioritization Recommendations for Founder
Consider First (Immediate Opportunities):
Adjacent Healthcare Markets: Explore immediate adjacent opportunities in home healthcare visits, therapy visits, and medical field services that require minimal adaptation of existing technology.
Disaster Relief Applications: Partner with disaster response organizations to adapt BackpackEMR for emergency medical record management in crisis situations.
Strategic NGO Partnerships: Build relationships with established NGOs already working in target regions to leverage their existing infrastructure and networks.
Consider Second (Medium-term Expansion):
Localization Strategy: Develop a framework for cultural adaptation, language support, and region-specific product modifications.
Franchise Model Development: Create a replicable model that allows for local operation while maintaining quality control and core technology.
Field Services Beyond Healthcare: Expand to other field service industries that require data collection in offline environments (agriculture, geological surveys, census).
Consider Last (Long-term Vision):
Military and High-Security Applications: These require extensive security clearance and specialized development.
Consumer Applications: Consumer-facing applications like travel, recreation, and personal use would require significant UI/UX changes and different marketing strategies.
Complete Industry Pivots: Moving entirely away from health-related applications into manufacturing or industrial settings represents the greatest deviation from core competencies.
Strategic Business Development Recommendations
Define Clear Expansion Criteria: Establish a framework for evaluating new market opportunities based on alignment with mission, technical fit, market size, and resource requirements.
Build a Cultural Adaptation Playbook: Develop protocols for entering new markets with cultural sensitivity and local engagement.
Create a Tiered Partnership Model: Design different partnership frameworks for various organizations (NGOs, governments, private companies).
Invest in Modular Architecture: Make technical investments for easier platform customization for different use cases.
Develop Impact Metrics: Create systems to measure and communicate social impact alongside business metrics, particularly for work with NGOs and in developing regions.
Funding Considerations
Impact Investment: Seek funding from impact investors focused on healthcare technology for underserved regions.
International Development Grants: Pursue grants from organizations like USAID, Gates Foundation, or WHO for implementations in developing countries.
B Corp Investment: As suggested in the jam, connect with B Corps that might invest in aligned social impact technology.
Strategic Corporate Partners: Seek investment from larger healthcare companies looking to expand their footprint in emerging markets.
Regional-Specific Investors: As noted in the jam, "Investors for emerging market - Higher returns with specific country where you have contracts - part of" suggests targeting investors with specific interest in your target regions.
Government Contracts: Pursue opportunities with government agencies in healthcare, disaster response, or international development.
NGO Partnerships with Funding Components: Structure relationships with major NGOs to include funding elements for technology deployment.
Thematic AI Analysis
1. New Market Applications
This theme explored potential uses for Backpack EMR's technology beyond its original healthcare application.
Disaster & Emergency Response:
"Disaster Relief"
"Disaster Access to Medical Facilities"
"Disaster Community Services"
"App for Disasters - Contact info - Personal - Resources - Weather Updates - Advice/Tips - First Aid"
"NATURAL DISASTERS POWER OUTAGE"
"Emergency Services"
Military & Security:
"Military EMR"
"Military - Inter-service - Joint warfare - use (something) in field"
"Battlefield Data - denial munitions/drones"
"Secure Facilities classified labs"
"High Security Science Research"
"Equip rangers & staff as line of defense"
Outdoor & Recreation:
"Skiers who want to connect on-mountain - Location of friends - Maps for mountain areas, skied trips"
"CAMPING RURAL AREAS WILDERNESS FARMING"
"CAMPING/SURV. HELPER... Maps, fires, food, shelters, medical, boats, skiing, chair"
"Adventure Maps"
"Hiking family NOCs OUTBOUND subscription basis?"
Agriculture & Resource Industries:
"Internet of Cows (IoC)"
"Farm equipment field work Mining"
"Agriculture"
"Rural - Possible to: - Farmers % in UGA - Wilderness - Lodges, rally maps - DNR surveys"
"Farming-dairy-work-field line workers - Bandsaw Workers"
Transportation & Travel:
"Cruise/Flying - For when you don't want to deal with paying for internet offline content"
"Shipping industry - Building connections between people on oceans"
"Offline Media Helper, During Travel w/lots of PAID internet"
Field Services & Data Collection:
"Social Services Home Visits"
"Door 2 Door Politicking"
"Door 2 Door fundraising"
"CENSUS"
"Geological Data Collecting"
"Therapy house visits"
"Title Chain for RE industry"
Manufacturing & Industrial:
"MANUFACTURING LINE Database back up where data from one cell needs to be available to another test cell"
"REPAIR MANUALS VEHICLES, MACHINERY"
"Battery-constrained product eg animal monitoring"
2. Strategic Expansion & Organizational Structure
International Expansion Models:
"Run it like a multi-national w/ heads in each country & local staff"
"↑ this allows you to price competitively at the local level"
"FRANCHISE MODEL - HIRE LOCAL - LEVERAGE CONNECTIONS"
"LOCAL STAFF CONTROLS COSTS"
"Multinational Divisions — Local leaders"
"What PROD. CHANGES ARE REQUIRED TO SUCCEED IN A REGION?"
Cultural Considerations:
"Find cultural ambassador - What matters to them?"
"Cultural Connections Imperative"
"Work within a cultural context to communicate and identify how to connect with what the priorities of that community"
"SPEED DATING for cultural connections"
"How many languages in Uganda?"
"Aesthetics SPECIFIC TO CULTURE FOR GO TO MARKET MATERIALS"
Partnership Strategies:
"PARTNER W/ DRS W/O BORDER"
"Partner with current entities/orgs/NGOs that do this"
"Sell through NGOs?"
"PEACE CORPS"
"Connect with Doctors without Borders"
"Use infrastructure already in place - PeaceCorps - Non-US govt - NGOs - local? global"
"Bundled with DHEA clinical nutrition needs supply chain"
"Bundle with other services"
"W.H.O. PREFER THIS DUE TO ACCESS & TRANSPARENCY"
3. Strategic Focus & Priorities
Focus on Core Mission:
"DON'T STRAY TOO FAR FROM FOCUS/MISSION"
"CLOSEST ADJACENT REVENUE STREAMS"
"Don't take eyes off ball. What are 2-3 adjacent opps + applications, investors here?"
Credibility Building:
"Deployment Relevant (implementation, operational expertise, hospital business review)"
"Credibility - Local Medical Exp - Has used product"
"Clinical Experience"
"Local Talent Active Engagement in the field Champion"
Business Model Adaptations:
"Sell to initial aid orgs, but start locally. Then the pitch is health care + job creation."
"DATA ACCESS AS INCENTIVE TO GOV."
"Have a DEFINED charitable pathway"
"B Corp - have find a B corp to invest, they can tell the story"
"Biz model transformation for non-profit model"
4. Operational Considerations
Connectivity Solutions:
"How can you connect without the internet?"
"ALT* Starlink"
"Blackbox Connectivity Issue - e.g. Jetblue Airline B-to-B Accident"
"LLM Stored 'sophisticated data'"
"Stored Training LLM to keep people active in training programs w/o internet"
"DATA SECURITY TRUSTED WiFi ACCESS POINTS MESH NETWORKS"
Local Talent & Support:
"Customer Success Team manage rollouts"
"Local Product Champion"
"Tap local medical talent to advocate"
"Identify as many volunteers that LOVE your mission"
"Network of Volunteers globally That can step in"
"Look for workers/resources in-country"
Marketing & Sales:
"MATCH SALES & CONSUMER SUPPORT TO LOCATION"
"Market the visibility"
"VOLUNTEER ORGS - COOPS, SCHOOLS, ETC"
"Educational Resources/pitch materials"
"Decision process for clinic buyers?"
"7,000 clinics in [something crossed out] who to sell to?"
Woohoo!
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