enna enables everyone to use the internet

Although the internet is there for everyone, people with a lack of digital literacy find it difficult to take advantage of the World Wide Web. Munich-based startup enna, founded in 2020, enables people with little online experience to independently access digital services such as communication, entertainment or support.

With the help of the enna Dock, a haptic operating concept that enables the error-free use of a tablet by means of NFC command cards and a docking station, and the enna App, the startup offers a globally unique service. By enabling everyone to connect with friends and family, enna promotes digital inclusion and combats loneliness and isolation.  

In an interview with 5-HT, Tobias Bily, Head of Business Development, goes into more detail about the infinite variety of digital offerings that enna provides. 

Tobias Bily, Head of Business Development at enna

How would you explain your solution in three sentences to a professional colleague from the 
health sector?

"enna is the window to the digital world for people without digital literacy. In order to make digital services such as video telephony, video content or telemedicine and telecare services accessible to all, we extend a commercially available tablet with a haptic operating concept. By placing NFC command cards on our enna Dock, digital commands are executed on the tablet. When the cards are removed from the dock, the action is immediately terminated."

What problem motivated you to start the company? 

"In Germany, there are around 10 million people who use the internet only a little or not at all. In most cases, this is because digital devices are too complex to use. This concerns mostly people of advanced age or with physical / mental impairments. But it is precisely these people who could particularly benefit from digital services.

The enna team (back row f.l.t.r): Rafael Shahkarami, Timo Köhler, Tobias Bily, (front row f.l.t.r): Moritz Kutschera, Tim Haug, Jakob Bergmeier

With enna, we want to give people without digital competence access to these digital offers - independently and actively. The first prototype of enna was built in 2016 for the grandmother of our founder Jakob Bergmeier, who wanted to be able to look at Whatsapp photos of her grandson's vacation, even though she can’t use a smartphone due to a developing dementia."

How do you convince a pharmaceutical company, a health insurance company or another potential client to set up a pilot project with you? 

"enna combines maximum simplicity in the use of digital commands with the greatest possible variety of digital offers. In addition to a large selection of ready-made digital offers, e.g. TV programmes, podcasts or livestreams, individual content can also be played out in the form of enna Cards. From video calls with the family, photos of the granddaughter or video tips from YouTube, everything is possible with enna.

The enna Dock is the heart of enna's operating concept. Simply place the desired card and off you go!

With enna, operators of care facilities enable their clients to experience real digital participation and a way out of social isolation. The clients' relatives also experience a completely new access to the life of their loved ones in the facilities through enna. The user-friendly operating concept also offers real added value to staff in facilities, as enna enables low-threshold access to information from everyday care processes. With enna, operators can also create the ideal infrastructure for telecare and telemedicine."

Who are your current customer (groups) and who do you want your potential customers to be?

"Our users are people who are unable to use smartphones or tablets due to a lack of digital competence and / or physical or mental impairments, but who would like to benefit from digital offers such as communication, support or entertainment.

On the one hand, our customers are the relatives of our users who would like to get closer to their loved ones again with enna and give them a real opportunity to participate in life outside their own four walls or the institution. On the other hand, we are also targeting operators of institutions where our users live. These include care facilities or support centres for people with disabilities."

Where do you see yourself in 3 years and how can 5-HT support you?

"We will grow strongly in the next 3 years. In 2022, we want to bring 2,500 systems to market, and by the end of 2025, there will already be over 80,000 systems in circulation. Until then, we will have at least two more financing rounds, where the 5-HT network can of course help us.

We are currently still looking for a total of €450,000 for our seed round, which we hope to close during September. Term sheet and due diligence are available and completed. Interested parties are welcome to contact us at short notice for further details! In addition, we are always on the lookout for players from the healthcare sector who would like to carry out an initial pilot project with us."