Sharp Focus VR

We are applying for the elevate prize to bring SharpFocus VR to more of those in need. Sharp Focus is a VR cognitive skill training platform for those suffering from ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders. We have validated our approach in our pilots with schools and juvenile facilities, and we are now at a stage where we can drive a bigger impact by including key partners and allies through MIT Solve - we are working towards being the most accessible and scalable solution in this space. 

If selected as a winner, Elevate Prize can help us build relationships with key players in the education and healthcare industries and connect us with mentors/ experts/ investors in these spaces. The Elevate Prize program will help us organize and prepare to scale our impact to the next level. This includes access to institutional actors within the ecosystem who can help us reach diverse user bases.

The economy fund would help us move forward and realize the social impact by implementing in youth facilitates and schools to change the lives and decisions of those suffering from ADHD. The funding will be used to improve our technology and build sales channel to reach more people.

Sharp Focus VR was born because of our CEO Joel Acevedo's personal cause -  it was developed in-house. He suffered from ADHD in his childhood and struggled with building a good relationship with his father.
 
As people suffering from ADHD tend to make decisions with hyperactivity and impulsivity, without the much-needed support and understanding to deal with the condition, he experienced a lot of difficulties interacting with other people and even doing daily tasks. He understands firsthand that the existing methods of behavioral therapy and medication are not ideal, especially for those who are only in the early stages of the ADHD spectrum. 
 
Therefore, he saw the need to come up with a solution to help others who are also suffering from this problem. Joel is a neuroscientist by training and with the help of a strong team (biochemist, neuroscientist, CS professor, innovation expert), he developed a non-invasive, economical, and accessible VR cognitive training platform for people suffering from different conditions with a current focus on ADHD (expanding to PD, AD, and PTSD).

Our goals for the future is to keep every mind sharp, and to create a future where all can be part of the society with confidence.

We aim to solve the problem of cognitive skills impairment for people suffering from ADHD. According to WHO surveys and research, 240M individuals across all ages suffer from ADHD globally. Individuals who suffer from ADHD have limited control over their cognitive skills and make decisions based on impulsivity and hyperactivity. 

The economic impact of ADHD causes more than $143B per year in the US alone. Currently, we focus on children and adolescents (having run pilots in schools and juvenile facilities) but our long-term goal includes other groups such as elderly and human trafficking victims. Our typical users are children and adolescents who are in the earlier stages of ADHD. We envision our solution to be an alternative to medication so that we can avoid its side effects. In addition, we plan to expand our reach to other patient groups, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and post-traumatic stress disorder in the near future.

Sharp Focus VR is a B2B-focused VR cognitive training platform for people suffering from ADHD. Our mission is to keep every mind sharp by providing an accessible solution to those in need. We work towards the future where people with ADHD can be part of society with confidence. 

Sharp Focus VR is a complementary solution to traditional methods to treat ADHD. The tool is focused on natural brain development and works towards long-term positive effects.

We are unique in the sense that we have a deep understanding of ADHD based on proximity (CEO suffered from it), domain expertise (neuroscientist & biochemist), and technical agility (CTO who is a CS professor and VR expert). Our academic and business network allow us to be B2B for greater reach and customer stickiness. We approach the problem with a scientific approach and are constantly improving our solution based on our findings.

We are also disruptive in our business model, which is to be B2B focused. Some competitors are B2C, which requires the end users to have health insurance or be able to afford behavioral therapy. We envision SharpFocus to be an accessible solution distributed by strong B2B partners and allies to maximize reach and mpact.

By expanding SharpFocus VR to the next level with the help of MIT Solve and other allies, Joel strongly believes that he can help those suffering from ADHD so that they don't have to go through what he experienced as a child. Let's keep every mind sharp!

Currently, we are based in Puerto Rico. Our technology has been validated in schools and juvenile facilities showing tangible results as early as one month into the training using our VR tool. The tool is intuitive and does not require comprehensive training nor constant supervision by a medical professional. This allows the user to train at his/her own pace.
 
We are planning to scale to the USA to reach schools, juvenile facilities, and behavioral therapists who are currently working with kids, juveniles, and adults with ADHD and other neurological conditions. We have secured a partnership with a US-based NPO and we are expecting to expand our reach with other organizations such as the DC-based National Juvenile Defender Center, which shared our article on our pilot with juvenile facilities. 

This is effective because unlike a B2C approach, we are envisioning to create impact on a societal level. We are looking to tackle the problem at mass scale to a point where we can create tangible benefits to the society by including people suffering from ADHD into the workforce. Institutional actors will benefit in the long-run when they see reduced economic loss as well as increased productivity in the future.