The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted life and health insurers, reshaping both their business models and the broader insurance industry. With shifting consumer priorities and new demands for life and health insurance, insurers must evolve by offering value-added services that go beyond traditional transactional approaches, embracing the concept of insurance as a service. dacadoo’s Digital Health Engagement and Health Risk Quantification solutions help insurers foster more personalized, customer-centric relationships while lowering operational costs and boosting customer acquisition.
Founded by Peter Ohnemus in 2010, dacadoo’s mission is to improve global health through engaging health apps and services built on a flexible, scalable platform. After five years of developing their innovative Health Score, dacadoo integrated it into their Digital Health Engagement Platform, attracting health insurance clients. With the success of this platform, they expanded their offerings by developing the Risk Engine, which supports insurers' pricing and underwriting systems, facilitating seamless online processes and enhancing Straight-Through-Processing (STP).
Implementing Advanced Technology
dacadoo's technology stands out for its unique features. While Digital Health Engagement Platforms (DHEPs) are gaining popularity, dacadoo’s user interface, the Wheel of Life, and its scientifically validated Health Score are unparalleled in the market. The Health Score, developed over five years, provides a real-time holistic view of an individual’s health through a single score between 0 and 1,000. The company remains committed to staying at the forefront of market trends, continuously evolving their services to meet emerging needs. As dacadoo puts it, "We never stop learning, listening, and delivering, as this is key to staying competitive in an ever-evolving market."
A More Engaging Health Experience
dacadoo’s Wheel of Life offers an improved user interface designed to encourage daily engagement, creating a more interactive experience for users. It tracks seven essential areas of health: nutrition, sleep, mindfulness, physical activity, mental wellbeing, physical health, and the consumption of nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol. These metrics provide a comprehensive and accurate picture of an individual’s overall health. dacadoo is constantly refining its Health Score to incorporate the latest research, ensuring that users receive the most accurate and relevant information.
The Health Score, along with its sub-scores, offers valuable insights into a user’s health and drives personalized recommendations from the smart coach. This digital coach analyzes user data to provide regular updates and comparisons with past performance, ensuring that each user receives a unique experience tailored to their needs. dacadoo prides itself on offering technology that is not only effective but also enjoyable to use, embodying what they call the "REF factor"—relevant, easy, and fun.
dacadoo’s primary offerings include the Digital Health Engagement Platform (DHEP) and the Risk Engine. The DHEP serves as a personalized lifestyle guide for life and health insurers to engage with their members more effectively. Available through either a white-label package or APIs, the DHEP can be tailored to clients' specific needs and internal resources. The platform supports various Bluetooth smart devices to track health data, and it now integrates new data from Apple Health, including “mindful minutes” and “resting heart rate.” For those with existing wellbeing apps, dacadoo offers API access, allowing them to integrate dacadoo’s scientifically-backed features into their own applications. The Risk Engine, a simple tool akin to a calculator, generates estimations based on user inputs without storing sensitive data.
Looking Ahead
In addition to serving life and health insurers, dacadoo collaborates with employers and brands seeking reliable corporate health solutions. For example, dacadoo supported a European employer with a nine-month program aimed at promoting a healthier workforce. The initiative, which focused on nutrition, activity, sleep, and relaxation, achieved impressive results:
73% of eligible employees participated in the program.
The engagement rate on the dacadoo platform (measured by DAU/MAU) ranged from 34% to 50%, a significant achievement compared to the typical 20% DAU/MAU seen in non-social media apps.
Participants saw an average Health Score improvement of 28 points, rising from 570 to 598, after the program.
Looking to the future, dacadoo plans to unveil a new product that will further transform the digital health engagement landscape. As part of its ongoing growth, the company is expanding its global presence and continues to seek new talent. With offices in the US, Europe, and APAC, dacadoo is excited to attend in-person events and conferences once it is safe to do so, embracing the power of face-to-face interactions.
Peter Ohnemus, the founder of dacadoo, has spent over 25 years investing in high-tech and biotech sectors, contributing to multiple IPOs and successful business exits. He frequently speaks at global events, including the World Economic Forum (WEF), Fortune Brainstorm Health, and Mobile World Congress, and he occasionally teaches digital innovation and entrepreneurship at prestigious universities like ETH and Bocconi.
For more information, please visit www.dacadoo.com.