Today, diseases such as diabetes are spreading at a very fast rate mainly due to more relaxed lifestyles, genes, and choices of food.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) currently report that there are over 420 million diabetics world-wide today and that number is growing at an alarming rate.
Diabetics presently don’t have a “noninvasive” wearable method of continuously measuring their blood glucose levels and resultant trends. The number of borderline diabetics (pre-diabetics) is also increasing. In the US alone one-third of the population is a borderline diabetic: a noninvasive wearable device which would affect their behavior to prevent them from becoming diabetic through personal and continuous feedback is sorely needed.
Addressing this demand, Alertgy provides an inexpensive means to fill these major unmet needs in a mature market. The Alertgy Non-Invasive Continuous Glucose Monitor (NICGM) system is the solution. It consists of a wristband containing a biosensor device that is enabled by a smartphone application which provides diabetics with on-demand real-time levels and trends.
When Blood glucose levels become too high or too low, the ALERTGY device, via the patient’s cell phone, ALERTS (hence the word ALERT GY) the patient to take some sort of remedial action. If the alert is not heeded, their spouse, family member, doctor, etc. will be alerted to the situation and action taken.
Unchallenged Global Leader in a Non-invasive Wearable
Alertgy is the first company to develop a truly non-invasive wearable device. which continuously monitors blood glucose and alerts when needed. In terms of its wearability, non-invasiveness, and low cost, Alertgy currently has no direct competition in this market.
Over 95% of the existing blood glucose monitoring devices consist of the current self-monitoring blood glucometers (SMBGs) which use a lancet for diabetics to prick themselves, then place their blood on a test strip that is inserted into a glucometer system which provides a blood glucose reading. The other 5% of the current continuous blood glucose monitoring monitors (CGMs) are those sold by companies such as Dexcom and Abbott.
Architect behind Alertgy
Marc Rippen, the founder and CEO of Alertgy is a former Army Officer who founded and worked with several successful high technology startups in the past, taking one from seed to public in less than 2 years. Alertgy was founded as a result of Marc saving his wife from slipping into a diabetic coma one Sunday morning. This created a resolve to develop a system that would alert him when her blood glucose levels are too high or low and to help her manage her diabetes better.
Marc leads by example, he never asks anyone to do what he himself would not do. He also works to provide his employees the ability to grow themselves on the job by mentoring them in new tasks that allow them to develop skills and knowledge as they wish to.
Bonding the Workforce with Trust, Transparency and Equality
Alertgy’s main focus is finding the solutions to difficult problems without fear of failure. Marc constantly reminds his team that it’s from failure where we learn the most. He pushes them to excel, to try things that may seem impossible and motivate them to learn from failures. There is never a search for whom is to blame for failure, only for an understanding of ‘why we failed’ and ‘how do we solve the problem.”
Marc is extremely ethical and is a man of his word. He builds a foundation of trust and transparency in the organization that inspires everyone to work together.
Alertgy teams are extremely professional in their conduct and are sensitive to everyone in terms of gender, creed, nationality and other demographics. The company works on maintaining a highly transparent workplace and feels pride in maintaining a healthy work environment. Alertgy leadership sets the example and as the headcounts rise at the workplace their HR department will serve to maintain their standards.
Attracting and Developing the Best Talent
As a start-up, there are challenges in acquiring talent to work in the organization. Fortunately for Alertgy, its mission to make a significant difference in the lives of the millions of diabetics spread all around the globe has attracted many high level technical and management talent. The mission of the company and the active and important roles that each member of the Alertgy team create an incredible esprit de corps.
Alertgy acts to develop leadership skills in its employees by vetting with them assignments that they want to work on and that provide them with a means to grow themselves as they wish. The management team then mentors the staff which acts to grow their leadership skills as well as those of the staff they are working with.
Future Roadmap
The Alertgy team believes that they will become a billion dollar company in less than 5 years. This is validated by the fact DEXCOM, whose only product is a very invasive and expensive continuous blood glucose monitoring system, has a valuation of over 10 billion dollars, with just addressing the type 1 diabetic market (less than 1 percent of the total diabetic market).
Alertgy’s product gives type 2 diabetics a means to track their blood glucose totally, non-invasively, continuously without chemical reactions on their skin or expensive needle sensors implanted under their skin that must constantly be replaced. The type 2 market is the other 99 percent of the obvious diabetic market. Then there is the borderline diabetic market which is one-third of the world’s population.
