Finnish health technology startup Ankerias Oy combines pain research and AI to offer personalized treatments for chronic pain. The company is among 10 promising startups selected for the Health Incubator Helsinki program in spring 2024.

Everyone deserves to live a healthy, pain-free life. Yet, 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from chronic pain, with neuropathic pain affecting 7–10% of these cases. Unfortunately, many patients still lack adequate treatment, leading to a significant impact on their quality of life.

“Pain is a highly personal experience. There are many types of pain conditions, ranging from inflammatory to neuropathic pain, and not all treatments work for everyone, explains Hanna Viisanen-Kuopila.

Viisanen-Kuopila, a docent in physiology at the University of Helsinki, has over 15 years of experience as a pain researcher and a background in AI and wearable devices.

Since 2023, she has also been known as the founder and CEO of the Espoo-based health technology startup, Ankerias Oy.

“Our mission is to provide healthcare professionals and patients with effective tools for chronic pain treatment,” Viisanen-Kuopila summarizes.

These tools hold the potential to transform chronic pain treatment not only in Finland but also on a global scale.

Improved quality of life with AI-based tools 

Ankerias’ innovation is driven by a unique approach that combines research with the latest technology. The latter is a particular area of expertise for the company’s CTO, Riku Tikkanen, who holds a master’s degree in computer science from Aalto University and has extensive experience in machine learning, data analytics, and sensor technology.

“We are currently developing AI-based digital tools for doctors and nurses, along with a mobile app for patients,” Tikkanen notes.

With the company’s technology, chronic pain treatment can be significantly more targeted, taking into account the patient’s individual health profile.

“In practice, this means, for example, that the right patients are found for spinal cord stimulation. This treatment is often introduced too late, or not at all, in the process. When administered early enough, spinal cord stimulation can enable a pain-free life and reduce the need for pain medications, such as opiates,” says Viisanen-Kuopila.

Hanna Viisanen-Kuopila and Riku Tikkanen

The right treatment, reduced costs

Ankerias’ solution promises significant cost-saving potential for the healthcare payers. In Finland, for instance, disability pensions caused by chronic pain are a substantial expense for employment pension insurance companies.

When chronic pain patients receive personalized treatment at the right time, they can remain in the workforce, and unnecessary, costly treatments can be avoided.

“Our calculations show that around close to one million patients in Europe only could benefit from this solution. Even if we reach just 10% of these patients, the savings will be enormous,” Viisanen-Kuopila says.

“Published studies show that our solution could reduce a patient’s healthcare costs by thousands or even tens of thousands of euros,” Tikkanen adds.

Health Incubator Helsinki is speeding the way to market

Turning a potential idea into an actual product is not easy – that’s why the Ankerias team is now utilizing support from the Health Incubator Helsinki program.

After participating in HealthX and Nexus, hosted by Helsinki Incubators, joining Health Incubator Helsinki was a natural next step.

“Now that we know how to start a business, we are seeking advice on healthcare-specific topics, such as regulatory affairs and clinical trials,” says Viisanen-Kuopila.

The first months in the program have already exceeded the team’s expectations.

“The business advisors at Health Incubator Helsinki have brought to our attention many aspects we hadn’t considered before. Without the support of skilled professionals, navigating the complexities of the healthcare industry would be far more challenging.”

Ankerias is aiming to secure seed funding in 2024. If you’re interested in being part of the company’s journey, feel free to contact the team!

Contact information:

Hanna Viisanen-Kuopila, hanna (at) ankerias.com

Check out all the companies in the Health Incubator Helsinki program.

Text: Saana Lehtinen, Uoma Media Oy

Photos: Knockout.fi