BAND Connect

Band Connect is a digital health startup that has developed a connected health platform designed to revolutionize the physical therapy experience for patients and clinicians. Their solution involves outfitting existing fitness equipment used in clinics with sensors and tracking technology that allows patients to replicate the in-clinic rehabilitation experience at home.

The company's innovative approach enables real-time biofeedback, ensuring patients perform exercises correctly and maximize their therapy's benefits. Band Connect's platform supports over 50 exercises for mid-back, shoulder, and neck conditions as of August 2022, with plans to expand to lower extremity conditions in the future.

By reducing the need for frequent in-clinic visits, Band Connect's technology aims to improve patient compliance, enhance clinician-patient communication, and provide clinicians with objective data on patients' progress. This model has the potential to increase clinicians' capacity to serve more patients, addressing the shortage of physical therapists in the US.

Band Connect was founded in 2019 by Abby McInturf and Rohit Nayak, evolving from a project at the University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Architecture, Art & Planning. The company has raised over USD 1 million in funding, including non-dilutive grants and a pre-seed round led by JumpStart Ventures.

As of August 2022, Band Connect was planning to raise USD 3 million in the first quarter of 2023 to support its advancement activities. The startup has conducted several IRB-approved implementations and clinical trials in collaboration with nationally recognized institutions, including the US Army's Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC).

Key customers and partnerships

In May 2022, Band Connect launched its first clinical trials with two large, nationally recognized health systems in Cincinnati, focusing on rehabilitation for post-acute and chronic shoulder conditions. Each trial enrolled 60 patients and lasted approximately 12 to 14 weeks.

Additionally, Band Connect hosted a pilot trial through the US Army's Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center, with deployments at Military Treatment Centers (MTF) at Fort Bragg and West Point as of July 2022.