Celtic Connection: Scottish dev firm acquires majority stake in Irish home care firm

Scottish mobile app and web development firm Vidatec announces that it has acquired a majority stake in Ireland’s CareZapp, a cloud-based, technology-enabled care (TEC) platform.

Through the platform and associated companion app, CareZapp, based in Dublin, Ireland is transforming care and support at home among communities around the globe.

Founded in 2014, CareZapp is best known for leveraging the power of technology to aid people in need of additional support – whether as a result of ageing, disability or other needs –to help them live a fuller, more independent life.

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Its platform works by aggregating real-time data from in-home sensors and digital devices, which are then utilised via the CareZapp application and its intelligence engine. The data can then be used to provide meaningful notifications, alerts and insights into people’s activities and movements within the home, on a 24/7/365 basis.

Andrew MacFarlane

“This investment by Vidatec is a vote of confidence for the work we have done so far. Working alongside them now means we have the opportunity to take the business to the next level, enabling us to access growth capital, strong leadership support and excellent resources to drive our expansion plans,” said CareZapp CEO and Co-Founder Andrew MacFarlane in a statement.

“Together with Vidatec, we want to transform care and home support, amongst communities all around the globe,” he added.

Alongside the platform, the CareZapp app provides a private social network where caregivers and professionals can collaborate and be kept informed on a person’s wellbeing.

Greig Johnston

“When we launched Vidatec we had a very clear idea of where the focus of the business should lie – to harness the power of technology to improve people’s lives. By acquiring a majority stake in CareZapp we are putting those words into practice,” said Vidatec CEO Greig Johnston in a statement.

“CareZapp is truly unique. It connects organisations, services, people and technology, enabling a holistic approach to be applied amongst personalised networks for care and support. The platform is designed for everyone and accessible everywhere, improving overall life quality, meaning citizens can feel secure in a place they call home,” he added.

To date CareZapp has successfully launched pilots in Scotland, Ireland and the USA. One such pilot is with Cornerstone, one of Scotland’s largest social care charities that provides support to over 2,700 people including children, young people and adults with disabilities and additional support needs.

Edel Harris

“Cornerstone’s charitable purpose is focused on helping people to live a valued life. Key to this is allowing people to build their own independence – something that CareZapp has been integral in supporting,” said Cornerstone CEO Edel Harris.

“The platform provides valuable data that can be used to help people feel safe in their own home, while also providing peace of mind for families and those who care for them. We see CareZapp as critical to our growth and are very excited to see its future secured through Vidatec,” she added.

“Looking to the future,” said Johnston, “we have plans for an exciting pipeline of new care apps that we want to add to the framework, that can use the data collected to deliver even better insights and support to communities.”