Published: April 2023
New Software Development Company, Omnia-7, Ready to Launch a New Mental Health Wellbeing Application to Support Apprentices
Based in Worcester, this software developer was in the process of developing its first application for mental health support. The BetaDen Accelerator Programme was instrumental in helping the developers to set up the new company, Omnia-7 Limited, and to provide technical support in developing its mentoring application or app.
The company initially produced a software designed to empower mobile phone users to better understand and manage their own mental health. Michele Fitzpatrick, a director at the company, reported that they were having difficulty in advancing the development of the app and believed that the Programme would be able to provide the expertise in taking this early-stage model, and turn it into a functioning entity.
BetaDen helped the company to improve and pivot their idea and create a deliverable service. The application was refocused on mental health wellbeing, and in particular supporting apprentices who have neurodiverse (i.e., communication difficulties such as autism) characteristics. They may struggle to focus on the task and would like to have a more user-friendly interface that provide detailed explanations of processes.
Michele said: "If apprentices are being shown something for the first time, for example, how to set up a piece of equipment or machinery, the app allows them to make a video recording, take pictures and make notes. There is also a diary feature to track how they are feeling and progress, which can be linked to a mentor."
With the assistance of BetaDen, this service was able to reach a MVA (minimal viable product) standard. This allowed the company to put together a plan for the first beta testing of their service which was conducted while they were on the Programme.
Michele felt the support was 'brilliant'. It enabled Omnia-7 to be more focused and act on significant but overlooked areas of their business such as legal considerations and development of a marketing strategy.
"We've got our due diligence pack together, which sounds really boring and a sort of thing I would have put off, but I've now got it together so got like legal contracts, assigning rights, NDAs, and all sorts of things that you wouldn't normally think of."
The assistance from mentors and the BetaDen team guided Michele and her colleagues at Omnia-7 to proceed in the 'right direction' and were readily available to support the company with any barriers they needed to overcome. The opportunity to attend workshops was another significant part of the Programme. The company benefited from their attendance at workshops because it enabled collaborative working.
Michele found the workshop sessions 'really helpful', particularly the innovation workshop which provided useful information around carrying out market research and getting innovative products to market. Other useful workshops noted by Michele were those on branding, marketing and preparing for investments.
"The mentoring we received on mental health and well-being was useful because the process has been a roller coaster. It was useful to have somebody who could provide balance, but also help put in place motivational strategies, understanding yourself and what you need to do to be able to keep going."
One major milestone Michele achieved on BetaDen was the setting up of the new company. She highlights that without the support of BetaDen, there would be no company.
"BetaDen helped us work out what we needed to do. It would have taken us much longer to sort things out without the support."
Omnia-7 are now finalising their application and hope to start selling in the summer of 2023. Michele is predicting that the turnover will grow with sales and inevitably jobs will follow. She is confident in attracting sales as a result of BetaDen's support that has helped to generate new contacts from existing networks and potential customers within the industry.
Michele would 'definitely' recommend the BetaDen Programme. The next stage for Omnia- 7 is to focus on developing a customer base and generate sales.
