An entrepreneur-led early-stage venture fund set apart by the careful curation and incubation of every consumer-facing venture they work with.

The Seed Lab

Synetro is an active seed and early stage investor in web based technology and business services companies. It also operates a private equity business focused on acquiring and turning around software, business services and manufacturing companies.

Synetro Group

StoryFile

StoryFile is changing the way people interact and communicate with each other and the world. Through user-led voice-activated technology, advanced AI and beyond, StoryFile provides a platform for an intimate and natural conversational video interactive experience. StoryFile is a content-driven technology company that allows individuals to preserve, share, and consume stories and experiences through its proprietary and innovative legacy capture system.   StoryFile is reimagining storytelling by authentically preserving memories, moments, and beyond, in a meaningful way that empowers the storyteller and user. By preserving stories and history in a way that allows users to have authentic interactions, StoryFile is not only creating a new form of storytelling, but is also creating more sustainable bonds between people, everywhere.   Creating a world where everyone, anywhere, anytime, can connect with those living or in the past is finally a reality with StoryFile.  This visual and interactive storytelling platform allows people to have a natural conversation across time and space.   Just think – StoryFile gives your great-great grandchildren an opportunity to speak with you, learn from you, and get to know you in a way that was never possible before. The gift of storytelling – the gift of passing experiences to future generations – is priceless. StoryFile wants to ensure each and every person has such opportunity – from the Studio experience to the app, there is something for everyone!   Here’s how it works: An individual is filmed (or films themselves) answering questions about their life, which are then processed and stored on the StoryFile platform. Users can then have a real life-like conversation with the filmed-version of the individual on the web or mobile application – anytime, anywhere. StoryFile’s platform promotes user-led education and curiosity, providing an opportunity for users to directly engage with the interviewee. StoryFile captures the interviewee’s legacy in a unique way by empowering the interviewee to pass on their values, struggles, life lessons, morals, decisions and more, while inspiring future generations.   About The StoryFile Experience: The StoryFile experience is intimate, personal and truly unique. StoryFile has created a warm and comfortable studio space for the interviewee to share his/her life lessons, personal memories, struggles, triumphs, joys, milestones, and more. The most important thing about you is your story, so it’s the most important story to tell. StoryFile’s team takes the time to get to know you, and works with you and your family to craft and facilitate the telling of that story, as it is the most important gift to future generations you will ever give. StoryFile’s studio is equipped with cutting edge technology that produces 3D assets as well as Hi-Fidelity 2D images. This is how the magic is made.

StoryFile specializes in developing conversational video technology that captures personal narratives, transforming them into interactive, lifelike conversations. The company's key differentiator lies in its ability to create immersive digital avatars of individuals, preserving their stories, memories, and wisdom for future generations. StoryFile's technology leverages generative artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) to facilitate engaging and personalized interactions. StoryFile has two main product offerings, Conversa and StoryFile Life. Conversa allows users to create and publish interactive videos that can respond to questions from viewers and can be used for various purposes, such as education, business, entertainment, and personal storytelling. StoryFile Life, on the other hand, helps users preserve their life stories and memories for future generations using conversational video AI.

A concentration of wealth and a willingness to adopt age-in-place technologies present new opportunities.

Age Tech

AI Video Startup StoryFile Gets OK For Ch. 11 Loan

StoryFile specializes in developing conversational video technology that captures personal narratives, transforming them into interactive, lifelike conversations. The company's key differentiator lies in its ability to create immersive digital avatars of individuals, preserving their stories, memories, and wisdom for future generations. StoryFile's technology leverages generative artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) to facilitate engaging and personalized interactions. StoryFile has two main product offerings, Conversa and StoryFile Life. Conversa allows users to create and publish interactive videos that can respond to questions from viewers and can be used for various purposes, such as education, business, entertainment, and personal storytelling. StoryFile Life, on the other hand, helps users preserve their life stories and memories for future generations using conversational video AI.As of November 2023, StoryFile had over 500,000 users actively engaging with its conversational video technology.Key customers and partnershipsOne such example is StoryFile’s partnership with the Maltz Museum in <a href="https://www.maltzmuseum.org/news/maltz-museum-of-jewish-heritage-prepares-to-bring-history-to-life/">September 2021 </a>. Through the partnership, StoryLife captured the life story of Cleveland icon and civil rights activist, the Reverend Dr. Otis Moss Jr, to create an Interactive Conversational Biography installation in the museum.More recently, in <a href="https://www.auganix.org/holoportation-company-proto-partners-with-storyfile-to-recreate-walmart-founder-as-life-sized-hologram/">November 2022 </a>, StoryLife partnered with Holoportation company Proto and Walmart to digitally recreate the retailer’s founder, Sam Walton, as a hologram. Through the partnership, the hologram was developed and debuted at the Southeastern Museums Conference, with the StoryFile recreation of Walmart founder Sam Walton in Proto’s holographic device. The interactable hologram was able to teach viewers about the retail company’s core values, Walton’s rules of business, and answer questions about the early history of Walmart.Funding and financialsThe company last raised funding in <a href="https://labusinessjournal.com/technology/storyfile-app-raises-4-million/">June 2021 </a>when it raised USD 4 million in a funding round. The investors were not disclosed but the company noted that the raised funds would be used to scale the company’s platform.

Honor provides a platform for elderly persons and their families to find home care providers, and is claimed to be one of the largest on-demand home care networks in the US. The company’s key offerings include Home Care, Family Caregiver Resources, and the Honor Family App and Honor Family Care Network for remote monitoring.In August 2021, Honor announced the acquisition of home care provider Home Instead at an undisclosed value. The merged entity was expected to combine for over USD 2.1 billion home care services revenue.&nbsp; Key customers and partnershipsAs of August 2021, Home Instead had around 90,000 caregivers serving at 1,200 locations across the US and global markets. Home Instead acquired UK-based online platform SuperCarers in June 2020. It connects professional caregivers to elderly people seeking at-home care. Prior to the acquisition, SuperCarers had raised a total of GBP 4.9 million (USD 6.6 million).It also partners with the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications (ORCHA) to provide quality assured apps for psychological wellbeing, physical activity, and mental stimulation.

Honor

Eargo specializes in developing hearing aid and related services. Eargo has four products in its lineup: Link by Eargo, Eargo SE, Eargo Neo HiFi, Eargo 6, and Eargo 7. The company’s products are unique due to its design meant to keep the device invisible when plugged in.The products are priced between USD 749 (Link by Eargo) and USD 2,490 (Eargo 7). The Eargo Neo HiFi comes alongside an app and offers connected smart features such as audio personalization and control. The app allows the user to control the audio to suit their surroundings, customize settings, and contact Eargo's licensed hearing professionals for consultation and support.In October 2020, Eargo was listed as a public company and then acquired by Patient Square Capital In October 2023. Via the acquisition, Patient Square Capital acquired all outstanding shares of Eargo—that were not owned by Patient Square—at USD 2.55 per share. Key customers and partnershipsThe company utilizes a business-to-consumer (B2C) online retail strategy compared to traditional business-to-business (B2B) model deployed by other manufacturers who sell their products through clinics. The strategy has proven beneficial through the Covid-19 pandemic as consumer footfall for brick-and-mortar clinics have declined.

Eargo

K4Connect provides technology solutions to residents and staff members in senior living communities through its K4Community platform. The company was co-founded by Scott Moody who sold his fingerprint sensor technology company AuthenTec to Apple for USD 356 million in 2012, which then became the basis for Touch ID.The platform's offerings include digital voice and video communication, and community updates for residents. It also provides smart home automation through the provisioning of plug and play Alexa devices for residents and supports smart thermostats, smart lights, motion sensors, and sleep tracking devices. In addition, community staff members have access to tools for resident surveys, resident and family management, and communications. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the platform also established an expanded video chat service to facilitate resident-to-resident communication, staff requests, yoga classes, and dining room bookings. Further, in March 2020, it partnered with software communications firm Bandwidth to introduce a hotline for staff and residents as a means of keeping all parties up to date with community information.The platform is built on the company’s patented operating system, FusionOS. The company claims that FusionOS is an advanced multi-modal edge-cloud architecture, the first of its kind in the senior living industry. Residents and staff can access the platform using a smartphone app or pre-provisioned tables in the living communities priced on a per-resident basis.As of July 2020, the platform served over 800 independent and assisted living senior living communities across the US. The platform serves over 29,000 users at more than 125 senior living communities across 27 customers as of February 2020, more than doubling its users from 2018, which it expects to repeat in 2020. The company has established channel partnerships with Allbridge (a data, video and voice solution provider for senior living) in July 2020, and Eskaton (a senior services provider) and White Horse Village (a continuing care retirement community) in May 2019. It collaborated with GlobalLogic (a digital product engineering company) in July 2020 to expedite the development schedule of its K4Community Plus app in response to Covid-19.

K4Connect

CarePredict was founded by Former IBM consultant and tech veteran, Satish Movva, and produces Tempo smart wearables for the elderly community. Using machine learning (ML), the company claims the app can reduce the chance of a fall, and predict urinary tract infections (UTIs) and depression ahead of a clinical diagnosis. The device aims to assist caregivers in taking preventive action by detecting activities and behaviors which are precursors to health declines. The data from the device can also be shared with family members.The company generates revenue from device sales and subscriptions. Independent research conducted in September 2020 indicated that facilities using CarePredict’s wearables reported 40% fewer hospitalizations 69%, lower fall rates, 67% increased length of stay, and a 37% improved staff response rate than facilities that did not use CarePredict.The company expanded its operations in 2018 through its acquisition of WiseWare, a company selling activity-tracking jewelry for older users. In April 2020, it launched the PinPoint contact-tracing tools to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.Key customers and partnershipsIn February 2021, the company announced its partnership with Middle Alabama Area Agency on Aging (M4A). M4A is the agency behind the “Providing Alzheimer's N' Dementia Assistance” (PANDA) project. The company will be the first tech platform to be part of the project and will provide caregivers assistance in remote monitoring and preventive care using its smart wearables.

CarePredict

Eversound develops wireless headphone systems to enhance the level of engagement and social interaction for the elderly living in assisted living or memory care centres. The platform provides a library of programmed content on a variety of topics. The headphone system can be used to communicate with caregivers, during group events, family visits, and for music therapy. The headphones are equipped with a wireless transmitter and volume controls. It connects to external audio sources such as community A/V systems, televisions, and audio devices.The product was unveiled in May 2016. In a subsequent six month study conducted by LCB Senior Living community, group events leveraging the Eversound system resulted in an 18% reduction of residents falling asleep and a 28% increase in engagement during group events. In December 2016, the company expanded to 18 states across the US.In March 2020, as a part of its Covid-19 response, the company launched a live streamed, interactive content service to help seniors combat isolation. Further, as in-person visits at assisted living communities were interrupted due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the use of Eversound’s visitation package proved to be crucial for socially distanced in-person visits. Key customers and partnershipsAs of December 2020, the company’s product is being used in more than 700 senior living communities across the US. Its clients include senior living communities such as Brightview, Commonwealth, and Oakmont. In addition, Eversound has established partnerships with senior living communities (such as The Arbor Company, Bridges by EPOCH, Christian Horizons, and Kisco) to roll out its devices for family visitations, and programmable and live streamed content.

Eversound

Tech-enabled equipment or companionship services that help elderly people function independently.

Platforms that match seniors with home care providers as well as app-based products to facilitate communication between senior families and caregivers

Tech-enabled products used to diagnose, prevent, and treat conditions common among seniors.

Remote monitoring, medical diagnosis, communication, and coordination between caregivers and families of the elderly.

Platforms that help seniors interact socially and communicate with others.

Platforms that help seniors and their families plan and make arrangements to settle the senior’s estates and affairs in the event of death.

Companies that use GenAI as a core part of their product offering for Age Tech

Offers digital platforms that support the wellness of the senior population

Age Tech providers incorporate GenAI to enhance both seniors’ and caregivers’ experiences

Many devices that help seniors operate independently and receive remote treatment use IoT

Some companies use VR to help treat seniors with conditions such as isolation and dementia

StoryFile

About EDGE

Contact Us

Resources

Area of Focus

Technology Research Made Effortless