By Allan Maurer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – WellAWARE Systems, a developer of next-generation wellness monitoring solutions for senior care providers, has closed $7.5 million of growth capital from Valhalla Partners and .406 Ventures.

The company says funds will allow it to better the rapidly growing senior care technology market. Forrester Research reports that remote personal health monitoring sales are expected to reach $5 billion in 2010 and explode to $34 billion by 2015.

The 15 employee firm plans on hiring on the heels of the new funding.

The technology powering WellAWARE Systems was jointly developed by biomedical engineers and software developers at the University of Virginia’s Medical Automation Research Center and two of the country’s largest providers of senior care, The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society and Volunteers of America.

Both are investors in the company.

CEO Jeff Noce says that partnership helped WellAWARE validate its system and demonstrate that it improves care and reduces costs. “That’s why it took so long. We’re going to market with it already vetted.”

Founded in 2000, the company launched its product in 2009.

WellAWARE Systems has developed a broad set of monitoring, reporting and analytical capabilities for the health monitoring of seniors.

Noce tells TechJournal South its technology collaboration with American Medical Alert Corp. enables caregivers to identify and address developing and emergent health conditions and situations such as disabling falls before they occur.

“This can actually establish an individualized base line to try to prevent emergent health conditions. We’re trying to detect the fall or conditions that may cause a fall before the actual fall occurs,” Noce said.

Noce compares the system to the senors in a car engine. “They establish a baseline for rpms, temperature, etc., and signal you when its time to intervene to prevent a major breakdown.”

Similarly, he explains, “Individuals have baseline physiological engines. Those become more consistent as we get older.”

The WellAware system establishes a baseline for individuals, how long they usually sleep, when they eat how often they use the bathroom and bathe, and other data.

“Our senses pick up on subtle changes to those patterns that could lead to a fall,” he says.

One of the major causes of falls – a leading cause of non-disease death in seniors – are urinary track infections. By detecting changes in sleeping habits or bathroom use, the WellAWARE system can act as early-warning that something is wrong before it causes a fall.

WellAWARE sells its service to professional caregiving organizations on an SaaS basis.

“After a thorough evaluation of this market, we were excited to partner with WellAWARE Systems,” said Liam Donohue, general partner, .406 Ventures.

“The company seamlessly combines leading-edge passive monitoring technology, an exceptional leadership team with senior care industry experience and an organizational culture that understands the importance of service quality.”

Online: www.wellawaresystems.com

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