BBVA Momentum Spanish alumni mobilize against the coronavirus
BBVA Momentum, BBVA's program in support of social entrepreneurship, is proud of its participant entrepreneurs who consistently demonstrate their ability to innovate under the most difficult of circumstances. The coronavirus crisis is no exception. A number of the Momentum program's Spanish startup graduates have put the full weight of their ingenuity and resources into providing workable solutions to improve people's lives.
Donations, technology solutions, finance for other entrepreneurs, pro bono services, etc. In the midst of the coronavirus, BBVA Momentum businesses are giving their all in order to help the many people who need support now more than ever. Some of the initiatives the have stepped up to fight the pandemic include:
Inithealth CoronaCare
The health management platform, Inithealth, developed by Init Group, has launched Inithealth CoronaCare, which provides a remote full-service diagnosis and management service for COVID-19 patients. Init Group has made the solution available to public and private health care providers in order to both help prevent the collapse of the health system and to support the vast majority of the community under quarantine.
The service consists of an end-user application that allows people to identify their risk profile and conduct a remote diagnosis by entering data such as medical history, lifestyle habits, and current symptoms. Using this information, the application will create a personalized plan of care that will be adjusted to updates the user provides on his or her state of health.
Furthermore, Inithealth CoronaCare provides medical and health care workers an IT platform that streamlines the process of managing and following up with patients who are recovering at home. It also caters for the integration of a team of medical health workers operating under the supervision of the service’s medical chief in order to remotely track cases, tend to residents, use alerts to identify changes in conditions, and follow protocols defined for each situation (home-based emergencies, hospital admittances, etc.)
Aiudo
This social enterprise specializes in the recruitment, management, and hiring of professionals who care for people who are in some way incapacitated. It has made a significant decision: it will not charge those families in Madrid, Valencia, and Seville who are unable to pay for its services. “It is our responsibility to take the lead in protecting our elderly, at any price,” explains the company’s CEO, Daniel Ibiza. People interested and in need of support from this initiative should request assistance through the company’s web site at Aiudo and submit the necessary documentation.
Auara
Hospitals, in addition to needing sufficient quantities of personal protective equipment (PPE), need enough bottled water for health care professionals and patients alike. Bottled water is essential for minimizing the risk of contagion and lessening the operational burden at health care centers, which are becoming increasingly busy.
Consequently, Auara, a company that deals in mineral water and dedicates 100 percent of its proceeds to bringing potable water to developing countries, has donated more than 170,300 bottles of mineral water to hospitals across Spain. In addition, in order to be able to continue supplying water to health centers, the company has launched the campaign, #AguaparaHospitales (‘water for hospitals’): every euro donated will be used to provide five liters of bottled water to hospitals that are treating patients with COVID-19. At present, it has surpassed the €74,000 mark of its total €100,000 target. Anyone interested in participating in this initiative can can do so by clicking here.
Auara has launched the campaign, #AguaparaHospitales (‘water for hospitals’): every euro donated will be used to provide five liters of bottled water to hospitals that are treating patients with COVID-19.
Bridge for Billions
The online business incubator has launched The Leap: Solutions for Humanity Version. The program entails a free incubation service for entrepreneurs around the world who are developing solutions to improve people’s lives during the coronavirus pandemic.
Solutions can focus on a variety of needs: from assistance for the elderly or homeless, resources to facilitate remote learning and working, to online health tools. The 20 entrepreneurs chosen to participate, in addition to receiving three free months of the intensive The Leap incubation program, will benefit from the support of Bridge for Billions and will have access to its network of mentors and global entrepreneurial community. The program will begin on April 6th.
Since its inception in 2011, BBVA Momentum has contributed to the business acceleration and growth of 684 social companies in six countries: Colombia, Spain, the United States, Mexico, Peru, and Turkey. The five-month long program — which includes training, strategic support, access to finance, mentoring, networking, and visibility within relevant industries — is made possible by an active network of volunteers consisting of 477 professional experts, mainly from BBVA. The program has created a support ecosystem that provides participating startups the impetus they need to generate new opportunities for the future.