The digital platform Balto, designed to improve patient adherence to therapy, has secured a new investment from Future Tech Ventures (FTV) and Smid Fonds. This funding enables Balto to further develop its platform, conduct testing, achieve certification, and provide more patients with personalized guidance.
The platform contributes to improved therapy adherence and affordable, effective care. With this investment, Future Tech Ventures adds its third promising innovation to its 2024 portfolio. “A flying start for this newly launched proof-of-concept fund. On to 2025 with even more impact,” said Niek Huizenga, Fund Manager at FTV.
A Promising Innovation
Balto was developed to enhance therapy adherence through real-time, personalized support that accompanies patients throughout their treatment journey. Low therapy adherence is a well-known issue in healthcare that is challenging to address but has significant consequences. Various factors result in 20–40% of Dutch patients not following their prescribed therapy plans.
The innovative Balto platform, founded by Guido de Rooij, trauma physician and medical specialist, and Koert van Ittersum, professor and behavioral scientist, offers a solution. Balto provides personalized support by delivering relevant, timely information, reminders, and practical advice to guide patients throughout their treatment process.
Guido de Rooij remarked, “This investment represents a major step in the further professionalization of our company and our ability to support more patients. It’s a new milestone on the path to broader implementation and sustainable impact.”
Investing in Health
The investing parties, Future Tech Ventures and Smid Fonds, view Balto as a groundbreaking solution with the potential to contribute to affordable and efficient healthcare.
“To tackle the major challenges of the future, we must be willing to embrace change. Ambitious entrepreneurs with fresh and effective ideas are crucial to addressing these challenges together. This investment provides Balto with the resources to support and scale ongoing validation and implementation projects. It accelerates commercialization and demonstrates that Balto delivers better outcomes than current solutions,” said Hilbrand van der Zee, Investment Manager at Future Tech Ventures.
Source: Future Tech Ventures
Photo: Guido de Rooij and Koert van Ittersum of Balto. Photographer: Kelly Kroeze
