Momo Medical’s innovation journey

He found that project later, when his grandmother moved into a nursing home. He became fascinated by healthcare and noticed that nurses were still using outdated DECT phones, while the latest smartphones had already become part of everyday life. Around the same time, he met his business partner, Ide Swager, and the two began discussing challenges in healthcare. Before long, they came across a problem Menno had never heard of before: pressure ulcers.

Intrigued, he started looking into it. What does it take to prevent pressure ulcers? His curiosity took over once again, and that is how the idea for Momo Medical was born.

Momo Medical

Momo Medical is a Dutch technology company that develops innovative solutions for elderly care, with a focus on nursing homes. The Momo BedSense is a smart bed sensor connected to the Momo App.

The BedSense monitors the nighttime (sleep) behavior of all residents on a ward. This information is summarized in an overview in the app. The app enables (night) care professionals to adjust their rounds and focus on the rooms where care is needed. This allows them to work more effectively, reduces workload, and increases job satisfaction.

Innovation journey

What began as research into preventing pressure ulcers has evolved at Momo Medical into the Momo BedSense and Momo App: an innovative solution that continues to develop based on the latest knowledge. Curious about the journey Momo Medical has taken to achieve its success today? Explore its innovation journey below!

“Throughout Momo Medical’s innovation journey, Health Holland crossed its path several times. With support from various programs and Health Holland’s open network, Momo Medical was able to further develop and scale up.” - Carmen van Vilsteren, former figurehead of Health Holland

Collaboration creates opportunities

Innovation does not happen in isolation. It is an ongoing process of knowledge exchange, collaboration, and shared growth. Health Holland believes that successful innovations emerge when public- and private-sector partners join forces and build bridges across different areas of expertise. We take a closer look at several valuable collaborations from the early stages of Momo Medical’s innovation journey.

During its early stages, Momo Medical participated in the YES!Delft Accelerator Program and worked closely with TU Delft, resulting in valuable internship and graduation projects. The team also spent days and nights alongside healthcare professionals at Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis in Delft, where the first pilot studies took place. Although the pressure ulcers they studied there are now far behind them, these real-world experiences still form the foundation of Momo Medical’s value model.

The Municipality of Delft also played an important role. At an early stage, it provided funding to support the development of the BedSense, with the aim of reducing pressure on home care services. Today, from its base in Delft, Momo Medical contributes to local employment, including by providing opportunities within its production team to people from the local reception center.

Today, Momo Medical works on its technology across the Netherlands, collaborating with organizations including Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Eindhoven University of Technology, and Tilburg University. It is also scaling up with support from Techleap, Intrakoop, Innovatiefonds Ouderenzorg (IFOZ), and nursing homes throughout the Netherlands.

From result to impact

Eight years ago, Menno began Momo Medical’s innovation journey with a clear mission: to give time back to elderly care while making an impact. When asked whether Momo Medical is already successful, Menno says: “We’re definitely on the right track.”

The countless days and nights spent alongside healthcare professionals in nursing homes have been an important part of the success of Momo Medical’s innovation journey. These experiences allowed the team to understand the needs and preferences of healthcare professionals in practice. These insights have been incorporated into the designs and services Momo Medical offers today, with simple language and useful insights at their core. Menno shares an important insight for purchasers, investors, and for us as a funding provider: “Just because something can be explained in an understandable way does not mean the innovation itself is not technologically complex.”

User studies by Vilans (2024) and Innovatiefonds Ouderenzorg (IFOZ, 2024) confirm that Momo Medical’s personal and proactive approach is part of its success. This ranges from actively calling to check whether everything went well to providing a dedicated project manager to guide the implementation process. Momo Medical is also available by phone day and night to answer questions. These small steps provide healthcare professionals with the support and confidence they need to work in a different way. “As the end user, the (night) care professional is truly at the center.”

In 2024, Zorgverzekeraars Nederland conducted an analysis of the affordability of the Momo BedSense. The analysis found that the system delivers a financial benefit of €4,906 per bed per year by reducing unnecessary checks and enabling more efficient use of staff. It also demonstrably reduces workload, saving 1,119 hours per ward per year—the equivalent of approximately 0.5 FTE. Momo Medical’s value model consists of a one-time purchase price and an annual license fee, which includes service, software updates, and customer support. The investment in the BedSense delivers ongoing returns without compromising the quality of care.

The analysis also shows that the BedSense helps address structural staff shortages and reduce errors and incidents, resulting in lower healthcare costs over the long term. With a 10% market share within seven years, Momo Medical is well on its way to achieving its mission and creating both societal and economic impact.

In addition to its economic benefits, the Momo App opens the door to new strategic opportunities. The app acts as an extra pair of eyes and ears in each resident’s room, giving healthcare professionals greater peace of mind and confidence. According to IFOZ, the technology behind the BedSense also offers opportunities to integrate other sensors and systems. This represents a promising step toward a more data-driven and data-informed approach to care.

From idea to impact?

What began as an idea in a bar has grown into a company with nationwide impact: Momo Medical has experienced impressive growth. This development is driven by its determination to solve a societal challenge without committing to a single technological solution. Founder Menno therefore shares the following advice with aspiring entrepreneurs:

"Work on a problem you’re in love with, not a solution. Only then will you be willing to let go of an innovation when it doesn’t work - and ultimately truly solve the problem.”