Actif, the Digital Fitness Solution for Seniors, Raises €100K from Think Bigger Capital

Actif digital innovation is revivifying home workout for seniors! Sara and her specialists team see the value in encouraging older adults to improve their well-being by getting started with physical exercise and meditation techniques. Sara’s idea was born and shaped during a Demium AllStartup Weekend Event, becoming the basis of a startup that has already raised €100K from Think Bigger Capital, seeking to make a positive impact and give back to the community.

Q: Tell us about Actif

The goal of Actif is to promote a healthier, more active aging process. We want to increase the frequency of both physical and cognitive activities for the elderly at home and in nursing homes since it has been demonstrated that they mitigate several mental and physical diseases as well as contributing to the general well-being and quality of life.

Q: Was the idea born in Demium?

We had a challenge in the AllStartup Weekend at Lisbon that was age-tech, related to social impact. I have always wanted to create something with social significance and tried to set up a startup in this field in the past, so I was already prone to choosing this sector. I love this field but I also believe that there are not that many people working in it. When it came to making a decision, I kind of convinced my co-founders about how great it would be to work with that idea for the AllStartup Weekend. Tommasso has always liked social impact projects and has  worked in nursing homes before, so he understood the opportunity that presented itself and the necessity to make it happen.

After choosing the sector, we started thinking about the biggest challenges that the elderly and the industry face. We did some research during the first day of AllStartup, and came up with the problem of lack of physical exercise and the benefits it would bring. We found out that there was no content online adapted to age and condition. Then we devised the idea of digital exercises content. We thought about going B2B with the nursing homes but we quickly realized the impact it could have on the B2C space.

Q: How has been the experience of raising funds for the first time?

It was complicated. The fact that we were supported by Demium helped a lot, though. But now, we want to contact other investors and this is more difficult because they do not know us at all. We only have three or four minutes to convince them and explain everything. Having had Demium's trust means the project had potential, and this is what we’re trying to voice for other investors as well.
Tomasso and I already had experience in the startup world, so we knew more or less how this worked; still and all, our Demium experience taught us a lot of new things. This being said, what I think was very important for us was the access and credibility that Demium backed us with; it made things so much easier.

Q: What do you think investors value most about Actif?

Competition for sure, as there are not many players in the market. What I believe is also important is the potential and size of the market. Besides, the experience we have despite how young we are, it’s a plus too. These are the key assets investors have pinpointed.

Q: What’s next for Actif?

We want to increase our clients’ pipeline. We’re also investing a lot in the product, to get very good feedback from the customers. We are  testing the German market as well, where we see potential to enter by the end of this year. Plus, we are  preparing for the seed round, which will also be a key milestone for us.

Q: What would be your advice for somebody facing their first investment round?

To prepare well, especially for the questions investors may ask. I think preparation is key but I would also advise you to think about the future. Analyze what is going to happen and trace a realistic scenario with everything you are going to need and everything that will influence your business in the future. This is very important for investors to see, when they ask a question or raise a related issue.