The MedTech industry is going through a massive evolution, as new technologies emerge and change the face of the healthcare. This evolution is characterized by the combination of digital advancements, primarily in the health, fitness and wellbeing sector where there is no clear cut between health technology and fitness. As a result, MedTech continues to evolve towards an upstream, patient-configured approach that encompasses more than just treatment of diseases.

At the forefront of this evolutionary change is Mike Telem, Co-founder and Chief Business Officer of Kemtai. He has been involved in technology and entrepreneurship for more than 25 years, with an eye towards innovation and a strategic leader. Testifying to Mike’s love for health and fitness, as well as his profound understanding of technology, is Kemtai: an AI-powered, computer vision-based digital health platform.

Before the foundation of Kemtai in 2019, Mike held important positions at other technology companies. He was the General Manager of new products at Clarizen and worked as Vice President of Product Innovation and Marketing at Marketo, where he also managed the integration of the company Insightera, which he co-founded in 2009 and offered real-time web personalization, after that company was acquired by Marketo in 2014. This extensive background includes managing product development teams and driving strategic initiatives that have led to multiple successful market entries for tech firms.

Kemtai is the epitome of Mike’s knowledge about technology and his passion for health and fitness. The company intends to make any camera become an individual’s personal therapist or trainer who can give them proper exercise feedback and corrective guidance, bridging the gap between traditional physiotherapy and at home guided physical therapy. This innovation would be very relevant in the context of today’s landscape, which involves telehealth and remote wellness solutions.

Mike’s vision for Kemtai extends well beyond the boundaries of mere fitness: he envisions a system that is the gold standard in computer vision applications in health and wellness. The company is pursuing active development and expansion into neurological rehabilitation, as well as generative AI for personalized exercise protocols.

With Kemtai, Mike Telem looks to both individual improvements in health outcomes and accessible quality physical therapy for millions of people worldwide. His journey is a commitment to using technology with meaningful change for the lives of people, hence making him one of the greatest entrepreneurs at the junction between health and technology

Kemtai’s Journey and its Mission

Kemtai is a computer vision exercise and assessment platform that aims to scale musculoskeletal (MSK) care and make it fully accessible for any patients. They have developed a proprietary computer vision AI algorithm that identifies the human body and provides real time feedback and corrective guidance from any device with a camera. Sometimes overlooked, MSK is actually one of the biggest healthcare spends worldwide, impacting every second adult, representing more than $400B of spend in the US alone and being the #1 cause for disability in 160 countries.

Our mission is to enable automatically tracked and guided physio and rehab exercises to all patients to lower care costs and improve outcomes with higher engagement and adherence and proper exercising.

Mike’s Vision for Foundation

Kemtai’s background in computer vision coupled with their own experience with MSK conditions, Mike personally have 2 herniated discs, which drove them to look into the market, learn of the potential impact of physical therapy and also its lack of scalability and accessibility and think of ways to solve these limitations using computer vision AI.

Transforming Healthcare with Computer Vision

Computer Vision (CV’s) ability to identify human motion, in many cases more accurately than any health expert and certainly in a more cost-effective manner will enable more accurate and frequent assessments using any device with a camera, guided exercising for proper form and detailed tracking for much higher adherence resulting in better and cheaper care.

Overcoming Challenges in Scaling Innovation

As a medical device, getting certified for FDA and CE is obviously a long process and while it has taken some time and effort we are now certified and can operate in more scenarios. Additional local regulation that sometimes exists in specific countries is also a challenge.

Current Trends Shaping MedTech Industry

According to Mike there is a new wave of technologies, more mature and focused on actual outcomes and financial benefits following the Covid-driven run for digital that sometimes resulted in immature tech with limited actual benefit. The more realistic approach that is now being taken merits solutions with actual value and will benefit all of the market.

Advice for Aspiring MedTech Entrepreneurs

Mike says, “It’s hard to emphasize enough the need for patience and long-term resilience, while the health market has many improvements waiting to be made and the satisfaction of improving people’s lives is unmatched by any other market, it is a slow and relatively traditional market and entrepreneurs must have patients and the means to play the long game.”

Kemtai’s Goals for Next Five Years

Kemtai is already active with customer in four continents, they aim to continue this growth and become the choice of technology or service for digital MSK worldwide. It also aims to solidify its position as the gold standard for computer vision in health and wellness. The company plans to explore applications of its technology within VR and AR environments, enhancing user engagement and interaction with their exercise routines.

Kemtai intends to expand its services beyond general fitness to include specialized programs for neurological conditions and medical fitness, thereby reaching a broader audience. Their vision for the next five years reflects a commitment to transforming how individuals engage with physical therapy and fitness through innovative technology, making it more efficient, accessible, and enjoyable for users worldwide.

A Healthier Future for MedTech Stakeholders

“The future can be better and healthier if we only let it,” says Mike. He believes “We must come together to gradually break some of the financial models, get closer to value based care and turn the healthcare systems to indeed focus on maintaining health and preventing sickness and only then, fighting illnesses.”