Bondura - AI Care for Seniors

Project Overview

Bondura began as a 16-week entrepreneurship project at UC Berkeley, where our team of four identified a critical gap in senior care technology. Through extensive market research and user interviews, we discovered that 43% of seniors face isolation, yet existing solutions like smart speakers and complex apps fail to address their needs. Our approach was fundamentally different: create technology that feels invisible to the user while providing powerful capabilities underneath.

The project showcased my ability to lead product strategy, conduct market analysis, and coordinate cross-functional teams under tight deadlines. We validated our assumptions through partnerships with real retirement homes, developed comprehensive financial projections, and created a scalable business model that attracted genuine investor interest. By the semester's end, we had transformed an academic exercise into a viable startup concept with clear paths to market and measurable social impact.

The Challenge & Our Approach

The Loneliness Crisis

43% of seniors experience isolation, increasing premature death risk by 29%. Current tech solutions are too complex, with 64% of adults 50+ feeling technology isn't designed for them.

            Key insight: Retirement homes cost $5,000/month, yet families still struggle to maintain connection and monitor health effectively. Existing solutions like ElliQ ($249/month) and Apple Watch are either too expensive or too complex for widespread senior adoption.
          

Screen-Free Innovation

A voice-activated wearable that requires no tech literacy. Simple as talking to a friend, yet sophisticated enough to provide AI companionship, family communication, and health monitoring.

            Strategy: Start with retirement homes for validation and easier adoption, then expand to individual consumers as the 85+ population doubles by 2040. This B2B2C approach reduces customer acquisition costs and provides valuable usage data.
          

Market Opportunity

$2.3B

Families with Elderly

80M projected elderly by 2040, 28.5% experience loneliness, 13% clinically depressed

$119M

Retirement Homes

30,600 assisted living facilities, $94.2B industry value as of 2023

$17M

Healthcare Facilities

37% of inpatients report loneliness, driving up healthcare costs

Our Startup Journey

Weeks 1-3

Problem Discovery & Validation

Conducted market research revealing that 13% of US seniors experience depression (7M people). Interviewed retirement home staff and families to understand pain points. Identified that existing solutions like ElliQ ($249/month) and Apple Watch are too complex or expensive for mass adoption.

Weeks 4-6

Solution Design & Differentiation

Designed screen-free, voice-activated approach after learning seniors find modern tech intimidating. Created three core value props: AI companion for guided reflection (gratitude is #1 non-medication depression treatment), effortless family communication, and invisible social networking based on shared experiences.

Weeks 7-10

Business Model Development

Developed dual revenue streams: $250 device + $20/month subscription (vs ElliQ's $249/month). Calculated detailed unit economics: $10.50 software cost/month at scale, with gross margins of 47%. Created go-to-market strategy starting with retirement homes for validation.

Weeks 11-14

Partnership Strategy & Validation

Established partnerships with Ashby Village and Sequoia Living retirement homes. Connected with insurance companies Carelon Health and NeueHealth for clinical trials. Validated through user interviews that residents find current tech too complex and families want real-time health updates.

Weeks 15-16

Investment Pitch & Scaling Plan

Created comprehensive 2-year hiring plan ($1.68M total costs), developed clinical trial strategy to prove efficacy, and prepared Series A pitch for $2.2M. Financial projections show $56M annual revenue by year 6 with break-even in year 3. Presented to actual investors and startup accelerators.

Product Innovation

AI Companion

Voice-activated friend that guides seniors through positive life reflections, helping combat depression through gratitude—the #1 non-medication treatment backed by clinical research.

📞

Effortless Communication

Stay connected with family using simple voice commands. No complex interfaces or small screens—just natural conversation that seniors can use immediately.

💚

Health Monitoring

Tracks Alzheimer's progression through conversation patterns and integrates biosensor data, providing real-time alerts to family and caregivers for proactive intervention.

Revenue Strategy

$250

Device

One-time hardware cost for the AI-powered wearable pin or necklace with 2+ year battery life

$20

Per Month

Subscription for AI features, health monitoring, family communications, and cloud storage

TAM: $2.3B targeting 7M clinically depressed seniors

The Founding Team

Raiyan Rizwan

CEO • EECS

SpaceX experience in product development and technical strategy. Led overall vision and investor relations.

Kaif Jeelani

CPO • EECS

Typeface AI/ML expertise. Designed user experience and AI conversation systems for seniors.

Sara Crogh

COO • MechE

Apple hardware engineering. Led operations strategy, partnership development, and manufacturing planning.

Rehaan Arya

CTO • Data Science

Big Data at Berkeley. Built technical architecture and health monitoring algorithms for early detection.

Entrepreneurship Learnings

Market-First Approach

Starting with retirement homes provided controlled validation environment and faster feedback loops than direct consumer approach. B2B2C model reduced acquisition costs significantly.

Unit Economics Validation

Calculating exact COGS ($10.50 monthly software cost) and scaling projections early proved business viability. Detailed financial modeling was crucial for investor credibility.

Partnership Strategy

Early partnerships with retirement homes and insurers provided credibility and distribution before product completion. Relationships matter more than perfect prototypes in early stages.

User-Centric Design

Research revealed 80% preferred anonymous health interventions over direct confrontation. Deep user understanding shaped our entire product strategy and differentiation.

MVP Thinking

Focused on core problems (loneliness, communication barriers) rather than building comprehensive feature sets. Constraint-driven innovation led to clearer value propositions.

Academic to Reality

Transitioning from theoretical models to real partnership discussions required different skills. Learned to balance academic rigor with practical business execution.