COURTESY IFIRST MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES

Luke Joseph shows iFirst MedicalTechnologies’ smartphone technology.

From the Pacific Business News:http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2016/06/30/hawaii-startup-takes-health-care-mobile.html

Technology

Hawaii startup takes health caremobile! SUBSCRIBER CONTENT: Jun 30, 2016, 6:00pm HST

What if you could have the power toanalyze your blood from yoursmartphone? That’s what Luke Joseph, amember of Blue Startups’ seventh cohort,is trying to make possible. His company,iFirst Medical Technologies, is focused onusing smartphone technology for mobilehealth diagnostics. Joseph, who leftHonolulu-based technology companyOceanit to start his own company, wasone of three Hawaii companies selectedto pitch at the semifinals of MobileChallenge Asia Pacific in January. Joseph recently talked to PBN about hiscompany.

How did the idea form? The idea started several years ago. I have abackground in the mobile phone integrated-circuit industry and had

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recently received my master’s degree at UH for research in biologicalsensor technology. At that time, I saw a huge potential for the powerfulsmartphones that were emerging on the market. After seeing the existingmedical diagnostic devices were large, difficult to use and potentiallyinaccurate and not connected, I knew that the future of healthcare wouldneed to be mobile, small, wirelessly connected and easy to use. To me,merging smartphones and biotechnology was an obvious solution. I alsotook some good advice from colleagues and my advisor at the Universityof Hawaii to polish the concept.

How did you turn it into a product with commercial potential? Thetechnology was originally developed after I had written a series ofproposals that received around $1 million in research funding under theUS Army’s SBIR program. The objective of the SBIR (Small BusinessInnovation Research) program is to provide solutions for the governmentand reuse the technology for mainstream commercialization. Thisconcept is commonly called “dual use.” In our case, we had to exploreseveral possible avenues for dual use to turn it into a successfulcommercial product. This involved talking with patients, doctors,insurance companies, hospitals as well as successful med-techentrepreneurs. After this customer-exploration process, we were able tofind the biggest need where our technology can make the biggestimpact. In our case, we are solving a major problem that affects millionsof stroke and heart attack patients. Solving this problem helps everyoneinvolved. It makes the patients’ lives healthier and easier while savingcare providers money and resources. This customer exploration processwas made much easier in the Aloha State, where our community isuniquely tight knit. I have been blessed with a series of mentors andadvisers on our journey.

How has the Startup Paradise ecosystem aided your journey? StartupParadise and the resulting ecosystem are critical to helping companiessuch as iFirst transition from a research effort, funded by governmentgrants, into the commercial market. Accelerators such as Blue Startups,XLR8UH provide assistance in bridging that gap. iFirst is currently part ofBlue Startups cohort seven and this has certainly accelerated our

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progress. Overall, the efforts of Karl Fooks and HSDC (Hawaii StrategicDevelopment Corp.) have created a startup ecosystem, which has beenvery helpful in making connections and creating events to meet investorsand potential collaborators. The success and growth of our startupcommunity is important, so that our children have choices in their careersand where they live. Everyone involved wants to see a vibrant technologyand startup community for our future generations, and that is whatStartup Paradise is building. Central to these efforts is the importance forlegislators and government officials to support Startup Paradise and itsvision to help this movement grow.

Have you found it difficult to find funding since spinning out of Oceanit?iFirst isn’t a spinout and is an independent company. Although Ideveloped the technology while I was at my former employer, thetechnology has been fully transferred to iFirst. Like many startups,finances are tight, so having Blue Startups invest and help us accelerateour objectives, is a huge plus. Finding the right investors is kind of likefinding the right person to marry. It takes time to get to meet people, getto know them and find common interests. For instance, is was likelydifficult for Tesla to get investment from those that did not share thevision that electric cars were the future. It is similar in our case, and Iexpect we will find investors sooner rather than later. There are certainlyinvestors out there that understand the current needs in the health careindustry and share our vision of how mobile health will solve many ofthese industry needs.

Kathleen GallagherReporterPacific Business News

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