Digital health innovation company Carlow-based HaloCare took part in the Sustainable Development Goals Lab in Davos this week - the only Irish company invited to take part in the Lab.
The Lab was hosted by the United Nations Global SDG Index Institute, which was set up in 2015 and supports the implementation of the 17 SDGs.
This forum is a platform for private-sector innovators, leaders in international finance, and public representatives from the UN's Smart Cities initiative.
SDG Cities are 1,000 cities worldwide, targeted by the UN to become economically, socially and environmentally sustainable by 2030.
HaloCare supports remote healthcare and "ageing in place" for older people, as well as care in the community for those with long term illnesses.
Discrete smart devices in the home, along with support from a 24/7 care hub and highly skilled and qualified clinical teams, allow users to live safely and independently at home, while knowing that professional help is always close at hand.
The Carlow start-up, operational since 2021, now employs 30 people. Its workforce is set to double in the next two years with global expansion on the horizon.
So far its focus has been on older adults, but the technology can adapt to the care needs of many, including people with a disability, chronic illness, or convalescing.
The opportunity to meet mayors of the SDG Smart Cities at the sustainability forum was an honour and a significant business opportunity for the Irish company, its CEO Sarah Jane Dwyer said.
"Every day at HaloCare, we get to make a tangible difference in the lives of our clients by providing them with the support they need to continue living at home with independence and dignity," Ms Dwyer said.
"To be showcased on an international stage as a solution for some of the most pressing issues of our time, such as our rapidly ageing population and healthcare equity, is a huge privilege, not just for HaloCare but for Ireland as an island of innovation," she added.
Professor Johnny Walker, a co-founder of the digital healthcare start-up, said that SDG acceleration in cities explores new models of health and wellbeing that create value, based on prevention, early intervention and digital empowerment.
"The goal is to enable people and communities to thrive and improve their health and wellbeing, to support existing health services, and to create new and meaningful jobs, promoting sustainable healthcare around the world," he said.
"From a HaloCare perspective, we typify the positive use of digital technology in health promotion. Our monitoring process and remote dynamic interaction with people in their daily lives helps achieve health equity, wider access to healthcare, and better health outcomes," he added.
