Blackpin.IoT
The healthcare and IT start-up Blackpin.IoT aims to revolutionize the nursing care market in the coming years. With the help of a smart, AI-powered sensor mattress overlay, the company seeks to enable safe and effective care for people in need of nursing support, both in care facilities and, above all, in their own homes. Its new location in Leipzig will play a key role in this development. “For us, Leipzig brings together science, clinical expertise and funding opportunities in one place,” says Sandra Jörg, Managing Director and Founder of Blackpin.IoT.
The young company is a spin-off of BLACKPIN GmbH, based in Baden-Württemberg, which has many years of experience in secure digital communication and IoT applications. Its BLACKPIN Messenger is a GDPR-compliant, highly encrypted Matrix-based messaging app designed for deskless teams in the healthcare sector. In 2022, Sandra Jörg was named “IT Woman of the Year” in the “Digital Transformation – Business Innovator” category.
Sensor Technology, AI and Secure Communication
The expertise gained through these activities is now being directly incorporated into Blackpin.IoT and its DecubiMat product. The intelligent sensor mattress overlay measures pressure points and provides AI-powered recommendations to help prevent pressure ulcers (decubitus). Sensor data is displayed and analyzed on a dashboard, securely documented in compliance with GDPR, and subsequently shared with nursing staff and family members via IoT interfaces.
“The idea emerged from practical experience and the growing shortage of nursing staff. By 2030, the number of people requiring care in Germany is expected to double, while the country could face a shortage of around 500,000 nursing professionals,” emphasizes Sandra Jörg. “Some of the initial ideas came directly from customers who were already using our BLACKPIN Messenger. They showed us where information was missing in everyday nursing care and how much time was spent repositioning patients and documenting care activities. This led to the idea of combining sensor technology, AI and secure communication.”
The solution is based on optical sensor technology originally developed for the aerospace industry. The technology transfer was supported by ESA Spark Funding and the ESA Feasibility Study programme. These programmes, run by the European Space Agency (ESA), help companies adapt space technologies for new applications beyond the space sector.
Numerous Partners in Leipzig
Blackpin.IoT has ambitious plans for its new Leipzig location, where four employees are initially based. Together with ICCAS (Innovation Center Computer Assisted Surgery) and Leipzig University Hospital, the company is working on validating and further developing its product. Scientific studies and pilot tests involving DecubiMat are being conducted for this purpose. The company's manufacturing partner for the sensor mattress overlay is inotec Forschungs- und Entwicklungs GmbH, located in southern Leipzig. The company has extensive expertise in sensor technology and electronics for medical applications. Blackpin.IoT is also working with the life sciences enabler leap:up to develop a regulatory strategy for the successful certification of DecubiMat.
Invest Region Leipzig GmbH (IRL) supported the company throughout its establishment process, including assistance with finding suitable premises and facilitating connections through its extensive network. These included introductions to Sächsische Aufbaubank (SAB), where Blackpin.IoT successfully applied for the Business Angel Bonus funding programme, as well as to the digital health incubator InnoTrack. InnoTrack supports promising founding teams and start-ups in transforming their ideas into viable solutions. By joining its nine-month programme, Blackpin.IoT was able to secure office space at the Alte Messe site, directly adjacent to the BioCity Campus, the heart of Leipzig's life sciences ecosystem.
“At InnoTrack, we benefit from the support of a team with an extensive network across the healthcare industry. The programme also gave us the opportunity to meet potential partners and clinical institutions directly on site. Our connection to leap:up also came about through the programme, specifically through its mentor network,” explains Sandra Jörg.
The DecubiMat concept has also attracted prominent supporters. For example, Lutz Meschke, former Chief Financial Officer of Porsche AG, has joined Blackpin.IoT as a shareholder. The sensor mattress overlay is expected to enter the market in 2028. By then, further studies and the certification process are scheduled to be completed. The company aims to obtain classification for DecubiMat as a Class I medical device under the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR), which covers medical devices presenting a low risk to patients and third parties. In addition, Blackpin.IoT is seeking recognition of its product as a nursing care aid under Section 139 of the German Social Code (SGB). This would mean that people requiring care would not have to cover the costs of DecubiMat themselves — an important prerequisite for widespread market adoption.
We wish Blackpin.IoT every success at its new location in Leipzig!
The shareholders of Blackpin IoT GmbH: Norbert Mitwollen, Lutz Meschke, Managing Director and founder Sandra Jörg, Volker Zeh, and Michael Musick (from left to right)