Case: Wellpro – Licensing the BitHabit platform from VTT ensured swift market entry

Wellpro Impact Solutions is a health and wellbeing technology company that specialises in screening risk factors related to brain and memory health and promoting mental wellbeing and healthy aging.

In addition to providing a screening solution, the company wanted to encourage customers to cultivate healthy habits through small daily practices. To achieve this goal, they needed an activation program - and found a perfect fit in VTT’s BitHabit platform, which was available for licensing.

BitHabit is a web-based platform originally created to support lifestyle change through habit formation. It was developed by VTT in collaboration with the University of Eastern Finland and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. 

The platform was first used as part of the StopDia and T2D-Data projects for type 2 diabetes prevention. An extensive habit library was integrated into the platform during the project, and it can now be utilised for other purposes.

“BitHabit is a highly adaptable platform that enables dynamic content creation for various applications - such as mental health, diabetes and reducing food waste – all without altering the underlying code,” explains Elina Mattila, VTT’s Customer Account Lead for Health Technologies.

“We have put in a lot of effort to make content creation as user-friendly as possible, so that it caters to domain experts like psychologists and nutritionists who don't necessarily have coding skills. The platform also allows creating scheduled lifestyle questionnaires and collecting customer feedback.”

VTT’s scientific expertise is what convinced Wellpro that the BitHabit platform would be an ideal solution for their needs.

“VTT creates cutting-edge technology, and they have highly skilled experts capable of pioneering innovations,” says Wellpro’s CEO and Co-Founder Petteri Sveins.

“What convinced us about BitHabit is that it is firmly grounded in science. It’s not a superficial lifestyle app but a product of extensive scientific collaboration. It was a ready-made solution for us. What’s more, it’s a brilliantly built software that is both adaptable and scalable and can be used far into the future.”

As Wellpro is aiming for the global market, they were happy to find out that BitHabit supports different language versions.

“This opens up immense possibilities for taking our platform worldwide,” says Sveins.

According to Sveins, the licensing process itself was a smooth experience. VTT guided Wellpro through the process, helping them with all the necessary technicalities and legal matters.

“Throughout the process, everything flowed seamlessly. Minimal effort was required from our side. The groundwork for contracts and protocols was expertly handled, making it an easy journey. But what stands out most is the overall transparency and trustworthiness from VTT’s side. All promises were kept, and all deadlines met,” Sveins says.

VTT’s IPR Manager Pauli Laitinen agrees that the whole process proceeded smoothly from the initial discussion onward.

“It’s important to lay the groundwork early on to ensure a mutual understanding of what needs to be achieved from both sides. We can then delve into the practical ‘how’ aspect of the project,” he says.

VTT aims to make licensing - sometimes regarded as a cumbersome and time-consuming endeavour - as easy as possible for its customers.

“Our customers’ success is our success. As per our royalty model, if the customer doesn’t generate revenue from our solution, we don't receive our share either,” Laitinen continues.

Licensing the BitHabit platform from VTT ensured that Wellpro was able to access the market swiftly with a ready-made software solution.

“We saved at least five years and a substantial amount of money compared to if we had developed the app ourselves. Regardless of our available resources, I don’t think we could have created a similar platform. VTT’s solution is based on decades of scientific research and leverages the expertise of various specialists in different fields,” Sveins says.

Elina Mattila emphasises that VTT’s support doesn’t end when the licenses are sold to a customer. It is both in the customer’s and in VTT’s interest that the customer is guided and supported throughout the project.

“VTT has been working with our developers, and together we have developed the software further. We have not been left alone,” Sveins adds.

With shared goals and a shared vision, the collaboration between VTT and Wellpro was nothing short of a success.

“It was a match made in heaven. We were speaking the same language, and I truly sensed their passion for enhancing people's health and wellbeing. I believe they are pursuing this for all the right reasons. As a researcher who was involved in the development of BitHabit, this was significant to me. I knew BitHabit was going to be in good hands,” says Elina Mattila. 

Wellpro’s Petteri Sveins agrees: “There is such a profound mutual trust with VTT that we would be ready to embark on any project together with confidence.”