ProofPilot
ProofPilot is an American internet company with offices in New York City that maintains a research platform allowing users to design, manage, launch and participate in research studies. The software as a service product is described as a DIY (do it yourself) platform to run research studies like clinical trials, randomized controlled trials, and longitudinal outcome studies.[1][2] These are the same kinds of techniques pharma uses to test whether or not products work. ProofPilot's tools apply them to a whole variety of other personal and societal health and wellness issues.[3] According to an interview with CEO, Matthew Amsden in CNN Money, ProofPilot wants to support studies not just on solutions to existing problems, but also on things that prevent and optimize health and wellness.[4]
SaaS Company | |
Industry | Research Software as a service Social Media Healthcare |
Founder | Matthew Amsden |
Headquarters | |
Key people | Lochlan McHale (Co-Founder) |
Products | ProofPilot |
Website | proofpilot.com |
In May 2014, ProofPilot raised $1.85 million in venture funding lead by CueBall Capital and Brooklyn Bridge Ventures.[5] Healthcare investor Esther Dyson, and Cornell University's BR Venture Fund also participated in the round.[6]
History
ProofPilot grew out of the consulting firm Cyclogram in 2013. ProofPilot founder, Matthew Amsden, started Cyclogram in 2005.[7] In interviews he describes how his background in HIV prevention research helped give ProofPilot an opportunity to learn from a tech early adopter audience (gay men are at higher risk for HIV and also tend to be tech early adopters) well before the wider population was as comfortable online.[8]
Early versions of the platform supported studies in the United States, Brazil and Peru.[7] ProofPilot participanted in the BluePrint Health Incubator program in the winter of 2014.[9]
Amsden has talked about the challenges of creating a digital health startup and the cultural disconnect between buyers and VC-backed startups. He says that the typical venture-backed startup rule book almost killed ProofPilot.[10] The company relaunched the product in late 2017 after not taking on customers for nearly 30 months in an effort to do things right.[1]
Model
The ProofPilot platform is in three parts. The first gives users the ability to design research studies. The design process (and resulting participant experience) is based on a concept called micro-interactions.[11] Non-experienced study designers can use study templates and fill in the blanks to create a study.[12] The second is the participant experience. Study designers launch the study, it goes through an automatic external regulatory review by Veritas IRB in Montreal, Quebec Canada.[13] Then participants begin engaging in the study via mobile phones and desktop computers. ProofPilot has publicly stated it has deprioritized development of a native iOS and Android application because Progressive web apps provide a better user experience.[14] The system also provides reporting of findings.
Studies
Among its customers are HiccCup and its initiative The Way to Wellville — a 5-year national challenge across five communities to make improvements in five measures of health and economic vitality, according to its website. The communities include Clatsop County, Oregon; Greater Muskegon, Michigan; Lake County, California; Niagara Falls, New York; and Spartanburg, South Carolina.[15]
Regulatory and Ethics Review
In September 2016, ProofPilot formed a partnership with Veritas IRB in Montreal Quebec, Canada. Given that many of its customers are not academic institutions and don't have an in house review process, all studies launched on ProofPilot will be reviewed by Veritas before going live.[16]
See also
- Klick Health
- Medidata Solutions
References
- Comstock, Joshua (2016-05-10). "ProofPilot relaunches software to enable anyone to run an RCT". MobiHealthNews. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
- Baum, Stephanie. "ProofPilot pivots, launches DIY research study design and development platform for small nonprofits". MedCity News. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
- Farr, Christina. "Inside Silicon Valley's Culture of Spin". Fast Company. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
- O'Brian, Sarah Ashley. "15 questions with Matthew Amsden". CNNMoney. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
- Sindy Nanclares. "ProofPilot launches with $1.85 million to help researchers run scientific studies". VentureBeat. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
- "ProofPilot Company Profile". VentureBeat. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
- "ProofPilot™, New Online Research Tool Developed By Cyclogram, Launches To Make Research More Accessible And Affordable". Retrieved 2017-01-30.
- Ben Kepes. "ProofPilot aims to make medical research studies easier". ComputerWorld. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
- Pennic, Fred. "Blueprint Health Showcases Its Fifth Class of 7 Startups at Demo Day in NYC". HITConsultant. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
- Amsden, Matthew. "Playing by 'startup rules' almost killed my digital health startup". VentureBeat. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
- Amsden, Matthew (2016-11-17). "How ProofPilot Uses Micro-Interactions To Make Designing A Research Study Easy And Visual". Medium. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
- "ProofPilot launches digital health study templates for clinical research". iMedicalApps. 2016-12-29. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
- "ProofPilot launches platform to help researchers run scientific studies about digital health devices and wellness programs". Healthcare IT News. 2016-11-23. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
- Amsden, Matthew (2016-12-05). "Why a Native Mobile App Isn't Central to Our Strategy and Shouldn't Be for Yours Either". Medium. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
- Baum, Stephanie. "ProofPilot pivots, launches DIY research study design and development platform for small nonprofits". MedCityNews. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
- McCarthy, Jack (2016-11-16). "ProofPilot launches platform to help researchers run scientific studies about digital health devices and wellness programs". Healthcare IT News. Retrieved 2017-02-05.