Global teamwork creates women’s health innovation

 
MentorMate, part of Tietoevry Create, collaborated with Pelvital to develop a connected digital solution that transforms the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. Driven by a motivated team across the United States, Paraguay and Bulgaria, the project reflects MentorMate’s pan-global expertise and commitment to inclusion.

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) affects millions of women worldwide. Everyday actions such as coughing, sneezing or lifting heavy objects can trigger episodes. The condition is linked to weakened pelvic floor muscles due to childbirth, aging or hormonal shifts. 

Recognizing the need for an accessible solution, US-company Pelvital developed Flyte® – a device that targets pelvic floor muscles. Using Flyte® several times per day for a number of weeks can restore muscle function and improve bladder control.

However, the original product lacked data-collection capabilities. Users could not monitor progress or share insights with their clinicians. To address this, the entirely women-owned and operated company turned to MentorMate in the United States.

“We saw this as an opportunity to make a real difference in solving a problem that is often endured in silence. Working with a women-owned company also aligned perfectly with Tietoevry and MentorMate’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” explains Jay Miller, Head of Americas Market at MentorMate, a company acquired by Tietoevry in 2023.

MentorMate has an integrated team working across the United States, Paraguay and Bulgaria. Focused on developing digital healthcare solutions, the team combines expertise in design, user experience, software development and medical devices.

Designed in partnership

The project began with a series of immersive workshops to understand user needs and map out technical requirements. These workshops laid the foundation for an enhanced, data-driven version of Flyte® that would integrate with a Bluetooth-enabled mobile app and a clinician-facing web portal. 

The app allows users to set goals, track their progress and access educational content. Clinicians can see shared user data via the web portal, enabling them to provide better guidance and adjust treatment plans.

“At MentorMate, we specialize in building custom solutions tailored to each client’s unique needs. “Our approach always begins with design, because we want to ensure we’re solving the right problems,” explains Federico Cáceres, Manager, Healthcare Americas at MentorMate.

“This engagement with Pelvital was very inspiring. Unlike a traditional project – where you may have clear requirements on what to design and deliver – our team partnered with Pelvital throughout the entire process,” says Cáceres. “We created interactive mock-ups and clickable wireframes that people could provide feedback on. Then we went back to the drawing board and decided what we needed to build.”

The team also had to consider stringent US regulations around medical solutions. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets requirements for rigorous testing and meticulous documentation. Data storage has to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for patient privacy. Throughout the process, MentorMate adhered to the IEC 62304 quality standard for medical devices.

Collaboration across continents

One of the standout aspects of the project was the seamless collaboration between MentorMate team members across three continents. 

“This setup essentially gave us more working hours,” explains Miller. “We could meet with the client in the US with our team in Bulgaria participating virtually. They would work through the feedback and by the next morning we were ready to move forward. This way we were able to meet tight deadlines. It was a great example of what you can achieve with a multicultural global team.”

Pelvital had a strict go-to-market goal, requiring the team to work intensively to define the product and ensure it met all necessary regulations. This meant collaborating closely with the device manufacturer to troubleshoot any issues and ensure seamless functionality. MentorMate also needed to prepare the app for validation on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

In parallel with this work, the MentorMate team supported Pelvital in creating demo-ready prototypes for conferences and investor pitches. These efforts played a key role in helping the company secure further funding.

This project was truly inspiring for our team,” says Miller. “The passion came from knowing we were building something that could genuinely change people’s lives. It was the kind of work that everyone wanted to be a part of.”