WoW Woman in HealthTech | Mariëtte Abrahams PhD MBA RD, CEO & Founder of Qina

Interview by MarijaButkovic

Mariëtte Abrahams Ph.D. MBA RD is the CEO & Founder of Qina, a niche consultancy and platform based in Portugal that provides market intelligence and access to experts in personalized nutrition to launch projects fast.

Mariette has a combined background in business, research, and nutrition, with a passion for health and technology.

Qina’s mission is to leverage technologies in order to close the gap between science, industry, consumers, and frontline health professionals, by helping companies to develop clear strategies, conduct research, and provide domain expertise.  

Mariette, what is the idea behind your project/product and how did you come up with it?

We work in the emerging area of Personalised nutrition providing consultancy services to companies across several industries. The personalized nutrition industry is at the intersection of science, technology, health, and society. It is an incredibly dynamic and interesting area, but because it is growing so fast, not only is it difficult to stay on top of all the developments, there is also little transparency in terms of what separates evidence-based products from the marketing evangelist products. In addition, the adoption of new technologies by health practitioners is slow, and with the potential of technologies to have a wide reach, we wanted to simplify this process and ensure we leave no one behind. We found that we as experts in the field were constantly approached by companies and practitioners on our opinions of solutions in the marketplace, so we wanted to develop a solution that was not only transparent but also independent for different stakeholders in the market.

Our Qina platform makes it easy for any players such as investors, companies, or practitioners to view each segment within the Personalised nutrition industry, but also get an idea of how credible a solution is based on our in-depth knowledge and experience. The function of the platform is two-fold, whilst companies involved or interested in Personalised nutrition solutions can get insight into how a segment is developing, practitioners can keep pace with new innovations and look up a company in the event a client or patient enquires.

With the rapid adoption of digital health tools for both prevention and disease management, we need to make sure that we keep the safety of the public at the center. We have developed a unique Qina score based on important criteria that are aligned to what we believe makes a good Personalised nutrition solution such as scientific validation, alignment with the UN sustainable development goals, the importance of Inclusion & diversity, and privacy to name a few. Each company receives a score out of 100. 

Access to the Qina platform is on subscription, but companies can top up to access experts or to request projects. So essentially, we have developed Qina into a platform that is both a  product and a service with a specific focus on Personalised nutrition from prevention all the way to medical nutrition.

When did it all start and do you have other members in your team?
Although I have been in the nutrition field for over 20 years, I have been consulting for the last 10 years. The Qina platform is a natural evolution of my experience and knowledge in nutrition, business, and research by leveraging technologies to create value and working in new ways.

How long did it take you to be where you are now?

My A-ha moment to develop Qina into a platform came when I was attending a bootcamp during the summer of 2019. Since then, I have refined the idea, did my market research, and mapped out my lean canvas. However, it was only until I spoke to a developer who immediately understood what I wanted to achieve, that the idea became a reality, and he even made it better. From first mapping the customer journey, to finally finalizing the MVP took 5 months, and I must say with very few changes and tweaks because we spent the time challenging each other and making sure we were aligned along every step. 

What is the biggest obstacle?

Funding without a doubt, we initially received some support to develop the MVP and now we have some traction, we are looking for funding to integrate the features and functionality to improve the experience. We are currently looking for the right strategic investors to help us get to the next phase.

What are your biggest achievements to date?

We found strategic partners before we launched. We have built up our company and personal brands over the last 10 years, which means that we do less “selling” as we are already recognized in the industry as leaders and trendsetters.

What are the challenges of being an entrepreneur in the niche you are in? How about being a female founder/entrepreneur?

There are many challenges, which is common for me as I tend to take on projects where I am usually a “first” and an “only”. Not only is the industry emerging which itself brings its own challenges, but I am also a woman in STEM, a woman in tech, a woman of color, and a South-African (living in Portugal) with no headstart in terms of networks or support from the bank of mom and dad. Unless someone has had their head buried in the sand this past year, it is obvious what a huge challenge this is. However, despite this, I am resilient and confident, and knowing you are doing the right things for the right cause, is enough to keep you on a solid path. I always think of the late Martin Luther King Jr who ended his famous quote “….whatever you do, just keep moving” and that is exactly what I intend to do. 

What are the projects you are currently working on?

I am fortunate that we get approached to design and execute interesting projects where we get to ideate and execute. We are conducting some market research projects, conducting social listening research for another client, and also conducting a Digital study (citizen science) later in the year. We are always looking for companies to partner up to do trendsetting work and generate new data. This can be leveraging technologies to gather insights, solving real problems that can help people improve their health, or that can make simplify a process. Projects we are currently looking for are in women’s health, digestive health, and automated feedback to nudge behavior change.

Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?

It is very important, we are sorely underrepresented in the industry and it’s not for a lack of skills and talent, it is about being not heard or not visible enough. As a collective, we can not only support each other but help one another’s voices to be elevated to the point where we are equally heard and our views equally acted upon. Together we have can have a huge impact especially in the world of health, food, and nutrition.

What is the most important piece of advice you can give to all female founders and female entrepreneurs out there?

Too many women think they can’t do it or expect that you have to build the next Google from scratch, it shouldn’t be that daunting. If you are unhappy with your current situation and have an idea, start today to map it out and do your research to find out if your idea has legs. In the end, it is not always the idea, it is your mindset and execution that will get you through. Build your network, foster your relationships, focus on the impact you can have or what you will be able to give back t society. 

Keep your eye on the prize, whatever that means for you.

What will be the key trends in the health tech industry in the next 5 years and where do you see it heading?

In my view this year has been a pivotal turning point in the health industry. Not only in terms of the adoption of digital tools but more importantly the increased understanding and awareness of the important role nutrition plays in our overall health. This trend will continue to grow and the demand for evidence-based solutions, functional foods together with solutions that reduce the impact on the climate and environment will continue to be at the forefront over the next 5 years. I see an increasing trend of blurring lines between industries particularly Pharma and food. Women’s health will enjoy increased focus and research funding, and most importantly we will see Femtech growing into a key sector with more platforms offering health on subscription.

Who are your 3 inspirational women in (health) tech?

1. Joy Buolamwini

2. Timnit Gebru

3. Arlan Hamilton

All of them have inspired me to do more and do better on a daily basis especially when it comes to ethics, access, and equality.

Find out more about Qina on their official website, or follow the company updates on their LinkedIn.

This interview was conducted by Marija Butkovic, Digital Marketing and PR strategist, founder, and CEO of Women of Wearables. She regularly writes and speaks on topics of wearable tech, fashion tech, IoT, entrepreneurship, and diversity. Follow Marija on Twitter @MarijaButkovic.