Best Startup Texas
Beth Savoldelli of VRforHealth.
Tell us about yourself?
I made a promise to myself, if I was lucky enough to survive cancer, I could make a real difference— and find a way to fix how patients could navigate through it.
In 2009, I began mentoring women with breast cancer, connecting them to resources that could help, but it wasn’t until 2019 that I discovered how fully immersive technology, specifically in wellness and therapeutic virtual reality, were providing patients across different touchpoints of their care, with a novel, non-pharmacologic tool to effectively address anxiety, pain, depression, and rehab using ‘tech for good’.
What inspires and motivates me every day is the ability to make an impact by combining my patient experience, purpose and professional experience in business development to make a difference in the lives of others.
What lessons has being an entrepreneur taught you?
Never be intimidated by what you don’t know. Go learn it or find the people in your network who are amazing at it, can mentor you or provide their services at a special rate.
If you could go back in time to when you first started your business, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Every perceived setback presents an opportunity to either teach you something new or to try something different that might produce a more desired result. Either way, you win or get better. Perseverance stands out as one of the most important qualities required in a startup.
A lot of entrepreneurs find it difficult to balance their work and personal lives. How have you found that?
Being married to an entrepreneur helps! I’ve found it easier to balance work and a personal life well –by officing from home.
Give us a bit of an insight into the influences behind the company?
At VRforHealth, we are in a race to see the world deliver Virtual Reality to as many patients in need as possible, at a time few healthcare providers have experience with the technology.
We fill this gap in the market by accelerating access to information, clinical experts and solutions curated for quality to advance awareness and adoption of the technology so it can help more people.
VRforHealth is a purpose-driven, online resource destination to learn about and connect to VR solutions for health, all in one place.
Our company is co-founded by Denise Silber– a digital health pioneer and global influencer based in Paris, France and myself, located in Dallas, Texas.
What do you think is your magic sauce? What sets you apart from the competitors?
We serve each stakeholder in the wellness and therapeutic VR ecosystem all in one place- for the benefit of all. We make it easy for anyone seeking to learn about or connect to quality curated VR solutions for health, to find what they need.
We save patients time by providing a reliable resource for them to find information about the right VR solution for their health.
We provide growth and revenue opportunities to our VR solution providers by connecting them with potential partners and by providing ways for them to leverage our platform and spaces to reach target audiences seeking their solutions.
We save Healthcare Professionals time and money by providing one place for them to aggregate, research and compare options of VR solutions for health.
How have you found sales so far? Do you have any lessons you could pass on to other founders in the same market as you just starting out?
We currently serve 30 VR App and Technology Supplier clients (and growing) who leverage our platform and spaces to reach target audiences seeking VR solutions for health.
The highest compliment of our work are the referrals and testimonials that have come from our existing clients.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced so far in your business, and how did you overcome it?
One of our biggest challenges is executing our big idea on a boot-strap budget. Funding for 2023 will be a high priority. It’s clear that we need additional funding to fully develop strategies that are needed to make specific investments and take advantage of a large market opportunity.
With an established early foothold, global network, support of thought-leaders, as well as growing patient demand, audiences and clients in this emerging space—VRforHealth is ideally poised to become a global resource leader for wellness and therapeutic VR.
What do you consider are the main strengths of operating your business in Texas over other states in the US?
Texas is recognized as a major healthcare state and technology hub. VR in healthcare lies at the intersection of both.
The exciting thing about Texas, is that it has a wealth of VR healthcare solution and technology supplier businesses, software free-lancers, entrepreneurs, healthcare provider and clinics offering VR as well as patients seeking it — and this trend continues to grow. This ecosystem is important for our development.
VRforHealth is honored to partner with leading, innovative Texas-based VR solution companies including Neuro Rehab VR (Dallas), MACE Virtual Labs (Houston) and Amodo Technologies (Dallas). Our global partners, currently providing or onboarding VR wellness apps, therapeutic or VR technology solutions to Texans include– Tripp and Healium (wellness apps), Smileyscope (pediatric needle anxiety), Rocket VR Health (patients facing cancer), Cleanbox Technologies and Uvisan (who both provide vital sanitation solutions for the technology in clinical settings). Our partner Get Real XR consultants, who connect organizations with immersive technology, work with Dallas-based Polycount.io, 3D artwork specialists.
In addition to serving our growing network, we are dedicated to supporting outstanding national, nonprofit organizations like 18Loop– to expand their efforts in meeting the educational and emotional needs of adolescents battling cancer through VR, across 26 states, including Texas!
Texas has a pretty diverse population. How have you found the quickly changing demographics have impacted your business? Have you got new opportunities? Managed to expand your business into new areas?
No. We are a global, online platform, so unaffected by Texas demographics.
With rising prices across Texas (and the US as a whole) have you been impacted? Do you have a plan for dealing with inflation going forward?
As a global, online resource platform, we will not be impacted by inflation resulting from manufacturing, moving products and/or logistics activities, etc.
What do you want to accomplish in the next 5 years with your business?
In one word: scale. In 5 years, we aim to become the definitive globally recognized, go-to resource platform for wellness and therapeutic VR.
Hosting a diverse array of high-quality content, our followers will be offered information on all relevant matters pertaining to VR in Healthcare.
We will connect stakeholders in one place, anywhere in the world – to benefit all.
And finally, if people want to get involved and learn more about your business, how should they do that?
Visit VRforHealth.com to learn about wellness and therapeutic VR, including videos curated by use case Visit directory.vrforhealth.com to connect to Virtual Reality solutions for health. General Inquiries: [email protected] Get VRforHealth’s Latest News! https://sendfox.com/vrforhealth
Follow VRforHealth on Twitter or Linkedin.
