The journey of AI start-up Noah Labs began in 2021, when Oliver Piepenstock (34) and Marcus Hott (28) met at the Entrepreneur First incubator in Berlin during a start-up speed dating session. Both had applied to the organization of the same name, which invests six-figure sums in talented people right from the start out of conviction, without program participants having to present a business idea. This was also the case for Oliver and Marcus, who subsequently joined forces in the incubator and founded their company, the heart of which is the medical device “Noah Labs Ark”. This is an AI-based cardiovascular telemonitoring platform and is now to be expanded to include “Noah Labs Vox”, a voice-based AI software for detecting decompensated heart failure in an early stage.

The medical sector was not new territory for Oliver and Marcus when they founded the company, as they had both worked in this field before: Marcus had worked as a software developer with machine learning and AI at Harvard Medical School and recognized the potential of these technologies for the healthcare sector. At the time, Oliver, an economist, already had his own healthcare company in the field of elderly care called Mecasa.
Oliver and Marcus received support from the Berlin Startup Scholarship (BSS) from December 2021 to April 2023 to further develop the business idea for their new company. In addition, the founders also took part in the Humboldt-Innovation GmbH mentoring program between 2022 and 2023.

Until then, the founders were still a duo, but this changed in 2024 when Dr. Leonhard Riehle (31), who had completed his medical studies at the Charité hospital in Berlin and had led clinical studies on voice and also worked in the field of cardiology, joined and completed the founding team.
A promising constellation of an economist, software developer and doctor, whose Noah Labs Ark software was quickly approved as a Class IIa medical device. The telemonitoring platform is already being used successfully in numerous medical practices. The Noah Labs team takes care of setting up all the devices, other technical tasks and also offers medical staff training on how to use them correctly. As a result, doctors are able to concentrate fully on treating their patients’ cardiovascular diseases, monitor the effectiveness of treatment in real time and intervene medically in good time if vital signs and symptoms deteriorate. In this way, patients are cared for even if they have to wait months for their next appointment with a cardiologist. At this point, Noah Labs closes a gap in the healthcare system.

AI-based cardiovascular telemonitoring platform “Noah Labs Ark” (c) Noah Labs

But that is not all: Noah Labs is currently developing the voice-based AI software Noah Labs Vox which is to be used for detecting decompensated heart failure early. As part of the “AI-Based Voice Analysis for Monitoring Patients Hospitalized with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure” study, or “VAMP-HF” for short, the German Heart Center at Charité and the Mayo Clinic in the USA are investigating the extent to which patients with advanced heart failure can be monitored telemedically via the sound of their voice, using AI from Noah Labs.

But how can the condition of the heart be determined from the voice? To answer this, it is necessary to explain what happens in the body of people with heart failure with “hydropic decompensation”: Due to the severely reduced pumping function of the heart, sufficient fluid can no longer be transported from the tissues to the excretory organs, so that the fluid accumulates in the body, such as in the lungs, leading to a life-threatening deterioration in general condition. Doctors then administer medication to strengthen the heart and drugs to improve the elimination of fluid. It is essential that the effectiveness of the therapy is closely monitored and adjusted. This is where voice monitoring by Noah Labs Vox is helpful, as a greater accumulation of fluid in the body leads to a change in the propagation of sound waves, resulting in a temporary change in the voice. In contrast to human hearing, which cannot perceive these changes, Noah Labs Vox makes them measurable.
The software analyzes hundreds of parameters in patient voice samples and identifies the smallest changes. The AI records the amount of fluid excreted and can thus predict the effectiveness of the therapy so that doctors can adjust the treatment before symptoms occur.

Noah Labs Ark enables detecting heart failure early so that reduce cardiovascular events, hospitalizations and mortality are reduced. If Noah Labs Vox is also approved as a medical device, these events will presumably occur even less frequently. Noah Labs Vox may also be used for other cardiovascular diseases in the future. This is currently being tested.
With its products, Noah Labs is demonstrating a further facet of the possible applications of AI and motivating people to continue exploring the potential of the technology.

Der Beitrag Detecting heart failure based on voice erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.

This year’s Founders Schmaus of the Humboldt Founders Club was dedicated to the topic of internationalization.
In the fireside chat, three founders shared their experiences with taking companies international and discussed what really matters when making this move.

Sebastian Schulze is the founder and chairman of the board at Fit Analytics as well as managing partner at AllocNow, a global leader in cloud software for sustainability and carbon accounting. He also took part in the fireside chat at the Founders Schmaus. We want to make important insights and tips on internationalization available beyond the event itself, which is why we interviewed him on the topic.

Founders should start thinking about internationalization from day one, since it has major implications for company building, hiring, strategy, financing, and more. The decision of whether, when, and how to internationalize depends heavily on individual factors such as market potential, the team’s competencies, the competitive landscape, access to capital, and the legal framework. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but internationalization should always be part of the strategic considerations from the start and revisited continuously.

One of my biggest challenges was always transferring company culture to new locations. It requires a great deal of sensitivity and communication to preserve the company’s identity while developing its culture across all offices. Another key point is assembling the local team. For me, cultural fit is more important than professional qualifications. From my experience, a member of the founding team is best suited to build a local team and establish the company culture at a new site abroad.

From my experience in the B2B software sector, the best approach is to speak directly with potential customers in new markets. This can be done very efficiently without immediately opening a local office. We have found it valuable to have one of the founders make the first customer contacts and explore the market.

In the B2B software space, I’ve observed that internationalization within Europe can be effectively managed from Berlin. We’ve had very good experiences with talents from various European countries who manage their home markets from Berlin and then spend limited time locally, for example, attending events and customer meetings. For markets outside Europe, especially those with significant time differences, we’ve found that having local teams is more effective.

Cultural differences were particularly noticeable between Europe and regions such as Asia and North America. One major challenge was fostering and further developing a consistent company culture across multiple sites and regions. On the legal side, we encountered significant differences, especially in labor law. Early on, we made the mistake of not seeking local legal advice, for example, regarding employment contracts, in order to save costs. Looking back, I would do things differently.

As a founder, I was responsible for new customer acquisition and internationalization for many years. This meant I traveled extensively and spent a lot of time in other countries. Nowadays, I travel less for work and enjoy family life in Berlin. In my current stage of life, I don’t feel any urge to live in another country for an extended period.

Der Beitrag How do companies succeed in internationalization? erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.

Aaron is the medical assistant of the future. With the help of artificial intelligence, our technology bridges the gap between the growing shortage of medical professionals and an aging society. As the first point of contact for patients, Aaron makes every doctor’s office available around the clock—even on weekends.

With just a few clicks, the telephone assistant can be used to book appointments online and find simple solutions. Medical professionals are relieved of organizational tasks and can be deployed more efficiently. We use artificial intelligence to adapt human-machine communication to people’s needs, rather than the other way around.

Our vision is accessible, effective and sustainable healthcare for people of all ages. Despite technological change and the growing shortage of medical professionals across Europe, medical care will not be automated in the near future for regulatory reasons. However, healthcare, i.e. care provided by practice staff and consultations with doctors, can be supported and asynchronised by AI in the future. Aaron can be the conversation partner of the future for this purpose.

Excerpts from Aaron.ai software

Der Beitrag Aaron in healthcare: AI that answers instead of putting you on hold erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.

Mental health disorders have steadily increased in recent years, with children and adolescents being particularly affected. However, the stigmatization and taboo surrounding mental illness have resulted in a lack of educational and preventive programs. Our workshops close this gap in care by encouraging students and teachers to engage in an open approach to mental well-being. In doing so, not only the young people themselves benefit from the content of the workshops.

The students, as well as the teachers and our workshop leaders, serve as ambassadors for the mental health of children and adolescents. They help raise awareness of the importance of mental health in our society and empower more people to engage openly with mental illness.

The work of Kopfsachen is characterized by the combination of scientific grounding and practical skill development. The workshops were designed in close collaboration with Humboldt University Berlin and with continuous input from young people. This approach ensures that our programs are both aligned with the latest research and tailored to the needs of our target group.

Unlike other organizations, we do not focus solely on providing information about mental health disorders. We also promote the practical development of young people’s mental health skills. In addition, we place great value on the professional training of our workshop leaders and on engaging with young people on an equal footing.

Kopfsachen pursues the vision of a society in which all people are empowered to engage openly and competently with mental health. We aim to create an education system that transforms from being a source of stress into a resource for children and adolescents, with schools becoming places that actively promote mental well-being. Achieving this goal requires structural changes to the framework of our education system.

We need to move away from a strong focus on grades and the associated pressure on children and adolescents. Instead, the focus should be on developing potential and activating resources. Dedicated spaces must be created where young people can build the skills necessary for self-determined living and be supported in the healthy development of a resilient personality.

The pictures show excerpts from a Kopfsachen workshop. Pupils are asked about their feelings and needs.

Der Beitrag How important is adolescent mental health? erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.

We show consumers where the products they buy in the supermarket really come from. Many companies lack the tools to tell the story of their products and to transparently demonstrate their sustainability to their customers. However, this is increasingly being demanded – not least due to the German Supply Chain Act.

In addition, consumers themselves increasingly want to factor in the social and environmental impacts of products and companies when making purchasing decisions. With seedtrace, this loop is closed: companies can make their sustainability efforts verifiable, thereby enabling consumers to make more conscious purchasing decisions. Transparency and sustainability become economically attractive.

With a tailored approach, impacts can be managed and verified for all stakeholders – from product communication to real-time product traceability. Impact claims can be verified by third parties or through internal documentation, leading to increased consumer trust. This supports our goal of integrating Corporate Social Responsibility efforts into operational marketing activities.

Seedtrace offers integrations for traceability and verification using blockchain technology or advanced supplier management solutions. The customized content management system can be seamlessly integrated into websites, packaging, and online shops. We adapt our platform to meet specific customer needs, strengthening collaboration with all stakeholders along the supply chain.

Seedtrace was born out of a clear problem: the missing link between a product’s origin and us as consumers. We are working toward a future in which all actors along the supply chain collaborate and grow together. We strive for a world where the people who produce our goods benefit from sustainable and environmentally responsible work.

Our impact ecosystem involves many different stakeholders. Strengthening collaboration across the entire supply chain is crucial. We believe in leveraging innovative technologies to analyze and improve complex supply chain processes — especially their social and environmental impacts.

Snippets of the software by Seedtrace

Der Beitrag Transparency in your shopping cart erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.

Pets initially suffer in silence when they fall ill. Dogs and cats are very resilient creatures and only show signs of discomfort or pain when it becomes almost unbearable. The “Feniska Base” automatically monitors weight changes, toilet visits, and sleeping times. This allows potential health problems to be detected early or even prevented.

Feniska is the only provider of products that enable automatic and non-invasive data tracking. Our goal is to provide pet owners with smart IoT products that facilitate the monitoring, prevention, and maintenance of animal health and raise human awareness of animal health.

The Feniska app was developed to simplify health monitoring for pet owners, focusing on four health metrics. These were considered crucial for health by veterinarians among other metrics: weight, nutrition, activity, and mood. The Feniska app can be used in combination with the “Feniska Base” to automatically monitor health metrics (weight changes, toilet visits, sleep times, and behavior) from the “Finiska Base.” What makes the “Feniska Base” special is that it measures data non-invasively. This means that the animal does not have to wear a collar or other device for this health data to be collected. Automated and non-invasive trackers for pets do not yet exist within the EU.

Feniska App

In the future, we will offer a smart home ecosystem for pet owners so that they can keep track of their pets’ various health needs. Pet owners should not only know what food their pet needs or what the ideal weight is for their pet at different ages, but also be informed about behavior and character traits, types of activities, or clinical pictures and their prevention. That is why we see it as part of our mission to incorporate this educational aspect into our products. Our vision is to create a world in which every pet owner can ensure that their pet is healthy and happy.

Der Beitrag How are our pets really doing? erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.

Lack of exercise and poor fitness cause many health problems. Often, the problem is not a lack of options, but a lack of motivation. SCANECA can be used to sustainably increase motivation for more exercise and a healthier lifestyle.

Gyms can immediately show their members their problem areas and objectively measure their training progress. Physical therapists can directly identify classic posture problems and poor posture and clearly demonstrate progress during therapy. This leads to better results and satisfied patients, as all details are clearly understandable even without specialist knowledge.

3D body analysis by Scaneca

We bring the future to people. Our high-precision digital 3D image is a copy of the real person, and every little detail is visible.

The days when health analysis consisted only of numbers are over. Our analysis is customer-oriented and focuses on the individual body. The comprehensive results on your own fitness level, body composition, and posture provide a holistic picture. Analysis with SCANECA is simple, fast, and reproducible, and the results are highly accurate and traceable.

We want to give people a better understanding of their own bodies and fitness levels. In our digital and often hectic times, people often lose touch with their bodies. Yet accepting your own body and critically examining your strengths and weaknesses are fundamental prerequisites for a happy and contented life. We want to reach people and help them with these tasks. The objective presentation of the SCANECA results is the ideal starting point and a perfect companion for improving one’s own health.

Images show excerpts from Scaneca’s 3D body analysis

Der Beitrag 3D body check: See your fitness transformation erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.