We are spotlighting this year's incredible cohort through the means of fun & quick interviews to gain further insight into their startup journeys, unveil their driving forces and expose what it REALLY takes to be an entrepreneur in 2022...
Name: Jutta Haaramo
Title: CEO & Founder
Company: Happy Bob
Kickstart Cohort: 2022
What inspired you to start your company? ✨
8 years ago, my oldest son was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. I wanted to improve the quality of life for my son, as well as help others living with the same condition, by introducing fun and interactive elements and turning data into an engaging experience focused on enhancing self-care. It was also important to me to provide a solution prioritizing the patient’s perspective, instead of the typical healthcare/pharma approach.
How do you handle your work-life balance as a parent and an entrepreneur? ⚖️
Terrible! [laughs] I have three sons, and the youngest always asks why he’s the last to be picked up from daycare…I’m still working on it! At the same time, I have a lot of freedom and flexibility as a CEO, which is a huge advantage in time management. I would still love to learn from women in the same position that find the time to socialize, exercise, and cook healthy dishes!
What is your definition of success? 🏆
With Happy Bob, I personally feel successful when our customers benefit from and find value in our solution. In that sense, I feel like we have already succeeded. Obviously, financial success is great too... however, the most important thing is when the product meets customer needs.
How have you benefited from Kickstart? 🚀
I have already learned so much - I’ve really enjoyed networking with partners, fellow startups and entrepreneurs, and of course the Kickstart team. The advisor matchmaking was fantastic as my advisor Travis Parkinson is providing great guidance and support. Looking forward to the next half of the program!
Last thing - do you have an ask from the Kickstart community? 🌎
Well - at the moment we are only available in the US market, and would love to offer our solution to support as many people as possible with diabetes - starting with the Swiss market! Please get in touch if you’d like to learn more.
About Happy Bob: Happy Bob is an app that helps people with diabetes stay healthier and more motivated in their own care. To date, Happy Bob has sent over 2 million personalized blood glucose notifications that help people stay engaged with their own data. 44% of our users have an Apple Watch and 92% of them are engaged at 16 weeks with several touchpoints per day. Good news - Happy Bob is launching in Europe this fall!
