Building Community as a Founder: How Healio Found Its Home at CHICC

Healio is a Melbourne-based digital health company revolutionising patient engagement through its innovative mHealth platform. Committed to a patient-centric approach, Healio empowers individuals to actively participate in their healthcare journeys.  

The company’s mission is to enhance health literacy, outcomes, experience, access, equity and expenditure within the healthcare system.

Its platform stands out for its cybersecurity, interoperability, flexibility and scalability, making it adaptable to diverse clinical needs.

“I wanted a space where I could connect with like-minded startups and gain insights that could directly benefit my team and our mission.” 

This vision led Josh Farrington, Healio’s passionate Founder, to choose CHICC for its tailored support.  

CHICC provides a unique environment where local innovators access free resources and support designed specifically for startups in the digital and connected health space.  

Josh and his team leverage CHICC’s resources extensively, including meeting rooms, Expert Workshops and networking opportunities tailored to emerging companies in the industry.

For Healio, CHICC is more than just a coworking space – it’s a vibrant community that aligns perfectly with its vision.  

“The relationships I’ve built here have been transformative. It’s reassuring to connect with others who are passionate about improving healthcare, collaborating to extend our reach and impact.”
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Additionally, CHICC’s resources have been pivotal in helping Healio implement new strategies, refine its patient engagement approach and expand its connections.

Through mentorship programs and workshops specifically designed for digital health companies, Healio has accessed invaluable guidance.

Healio's growth potential has also been recognised through its selection as one of 15 local startups in the 2024 ANDHealth ACTIVATE program. This opportunity brought them into CHICC for in-person content sessions and further accelerated their development and exposure to local networks.

“The workshops and events held at CHICC have been incredibly valuable. The facilitators, mentors and speakers have been world-class.”

“CHICC consistently provides insightful content and meaningful networking opportunities.”

 Impact on growth and community

The results of Healio’s engagement with CHICC have been significant. Through participation in various workshops and activities, the team has refined its approach to product development, quality and go-to-market strategy. The insights gained have been instrumental in shaping the direction of its mHealth platform, with its first pilot going live in early 2025.

Healio’s business model and platform has seen notable advancements, including:

• A re-imagined value proposition
• The identification of new market segments
• Feature enhancements to provide a unique selling proposition
• Business plan updates
• The creation of data room collateral to enable VC investment
• Improved go-to-market (GTM) strategy
• Renewed pricing model

CHICC’s facilitated workshops and events, along with ANDHealth’s programs hosted at the space, have also prepared Healio to pursue key quality and cybersecurity certifications in their second year of operation. Beyond formal sessions, incidental engagements with other digital health founders at CHICC have provided additional learnings and inspiration.

Reflecting on his journey with CHICC, Josh emphasised the importance of community:

 “For other digital health founders, my advice is to seek out a supportive environment where you can learn and grow. The connections you make can open doors you never imagined possible.”

With the support of CHICC and its vibrant community, Healio is well-positioned to continue driving meaningful change in the healthcare landscape.      

To learn more Healio, check out their website.