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Tapestry (NSW)
This innovation initially came to life when…
Co-founders Andrew Dowling and Jay Teborek met while studying in Beijing. There, in an engagement with advisors to the Chinese government on macroeconomic policy, they came face to face with what is the biggest demographic trend in human history, one that will transform industries, governments and societies over the coming decades: the ageing population. Ageing societies are an issue not just for China but for governments worldwide, and are going to create many challenges and opportunities for business over the next decade. Tapestry was created in order to address some of these challenges.
WHAT & HOW
The purpose of this innovation is to…
Help families look after their older relatives, no matter whether they live on the other side of the city, or the other side of the world.
It does this by…
Combining a simplified tablet computing device with a set of Tapestry cloud-based online services designed specifically for seniors and their families. Family members help their parents and grandparents stay socially connected while continuing to use the technologies they are familiar with, as well as receiving a rich platform for aged care delivery through Tapestry’s integration with aged care service providers.
PURPOSE & BENEFITS
This innovation improves on what came before because…
Today family members of most seniors have very few options for staying engaged with their parents and grandparents once they move into aged care. Most families rely on traditional technologies such as the phone and letters, and unless they choose to live close by they must rely on aged care service providers to provide care at very high cost.
Its various benefits to the customer/end-user include…
Improved quality of life for seniors through better engagement with their families worldwide; and better peace of mind for families who are able to care for and keep tabs on their ageing parents and grandparents.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
In the past, this problem was solved by…
Using traditional approaches that have remained largely unchanged despite improvements in technologies over the last decade. Social connectivity was handled (if at all) by writing letters and sending photos in the mail. Care and health services were provided solely via nursing staff in aged care facilities, and the only remote telecommunication capability was via the phone.
Its predecessors/competitors include…
Primarily the status quo. Tapestry does have some competitors in the “IT for seniors” space in the US and the UK, but none offer Tapestry’s innovative and patented approach to family connectivity, care, privacy and security.
TARGET MARKET
It is made for…
Our primary purchasers are those who wish to care for their parents but are concerned about their willingness to adopt technology or are worried about issues such as online privacy and security. In late 2011 Commercialisation Australia funded independent market research analysis into the size of this market in Australia and overseas. This revealed extremely strong demand across all age groups, most notably 65-80 as well as those aged 80+. In Australia alone the market size is over 700,000 users, with a potential global audience of over 60m users.
DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY
It is available for sale through…
Tapestry is available for sale online at tapestry.net or through our B2B channel into the aged care sector, where we offer integrated installations of the Tapestry platform to aged care providers seeking to differentiate themselves in the market.
Our marketing strategy is to…
In the B2C space Tapestry is selling direct to the public online, where we are exploiting SEM, SEO, social and viral marketing techniques to promote the product which has seen strong interest from the US, the UK and Europe. Our B2B strategy, on the other hand, relies strongly on alliances with aged care providers in specific geographic markets.
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