Isan Ergo : innover pour soutenir les parents au quotidien

How can we support parents of children with developmental disorders on a daily basis? This is the question that Muna Abukar Mursal, an occupational therapist for over ten years, aims to answer with her start-up Isan Ergo. Her ambition is to create an interactive and secure platform combining therapeutic resources, practical activities and exchanges guided by a chatbot based on cognitive science. With the support of H4, Muna Abukar Mursal was able to structure her idea, clarify the maturity of the project and surround herself with committed experts to make Isan Ergo a digital solution with a strong human impact.

1. Can you introduce yourself in a few words: who are you and what does your start-up do?

My name is Muna, and I have been an occupational therapist in the canton of Neuchâtel for over 10 years.

With the start-up Isan Ergo, my ambition is to create a secure and interactive platform for parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders or functional difficulties in everyday life.

The goal is to complement existing services by offering:

• a library of activity ideas (visual and descriptive),
• a question-and-answer space powered by a chatbot based on cognitive science,
• and content built from reliable therapeutic data.

The approach is based on solid scientific foundations, notably from my Master’s degree work in developmental psychology and social cognition.

Today, the project is still under construction, but initial tests carried out via the Skool platform show very encouraging results, particularly among families in France.

2. What convinced you to join H4 and meet healthcare professionals in the field?

Initially, it was mainly curiosity that led me to discover H4, and I was very pleasantly surprised by the richness of what they had to offer. You can sense a genuine desire to provide practical support to healthcare project leaders.

What also convinced me was that H4 was recommended to me by a teacher at HETSL: a strong sign of the relevance and credibility of their support, recognised both in the academic world and in the healthcare innovation ecosystem.

3. How did the hands-on experience go? Was there a particular meeting or moment that stood out for you?

We started with two online meetings with Thierry and Laurence, followed by a face-to-face meeting at the H4 premises. The latter made a particular impression on me: I had the opportunity to have an in-depth discussion with an expert whose sole objective was to make my project viable.

These discussions gave rise to new ideas, allowed me to test potential limitations and, above all, clarified the maturity of the Isan project.

I now have a detailed and precise document on the famous ‘customer journey’, something I knew nothing about before this exchange.

4. How did this direct contact with healthcare professionals help your project evolve?

As a healthcare professional, I know how essential the direct involvement of caregivers is: without them, projects, especially technological ones, have little chance of success.

What H4 gave me in addition was the opportunity to connect with other inspiring people, such as Matthieu, founder of ‘Diabète, même pas peur’ (Diabetes, no fear). His experience helped me to test my idea against the reality on the ground and to better understand the concrete challenges of innovation in healthcare.

I also noticed that entrepreneurs who do not benefit from this type of support often encounter communication and implementation barriers. Direct contact with professionals and researchers is therefore crucial: it allows you to anticipate obstacles and adapt your communication to stay aligned with future users.

5. And now, what are the next steps for your start-up after the H4 experience?

The priority today is to build a therapeutic programme that is both useful and easy to use, a task that requires time and precision. At the same time, I am looking for one or more reliable partners who can contribute their technical expertise to help the Isan project grow.

6. What message would you give to a start-up considering joining H4?

Go for it!

Getting involved with H4 takes time and energy, but it’s well worth the investment. The benefits are real once you trust the expertise of your contacts and agree to adjust your project accordingly.

H4 is more than just support: it’s a stimulating human experience that helps you grow both professionally and personally around a meaningful project.

In the case of Isan Ergo, I had the opportunity to collaborate with Laurence Capel and Thierry Dagaeff. Their precise insight and rigorous approach enabled me to get my ambitions back on track. I have kept valuable records of these exchanges, which continue to inspire the progress of the project.

Conclusion

H4 is a hands-on experience for transforming intuitions into solutions rooted in reality. Thank you to Muna for her feedback.

Are you developing a healthcare solution and want to test it in the field right now? Join us at h4vd.ch and accelerate your impact.