WOMEN-UP · Project

Digital Home Treatment Platform for Urinary Incontinence Cutting Healthcare Costs by 72%

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Imagine millions of women dealing with bladder control problems but too embarrassed or too busy to keep visiting a clinic. WOMEN-UP built a smartphone-based system that lets women do guided pelvic floor exercises at home while their doctor monitors progress remotely. Think of it like a personal physiotherapy coach on your phone, with sensors that track whether you're doing the exercises correctly, and a dashboard that lets your doctor step in only when needed. The goal was to replace expensive, frequent clinic visits with effective self-management at home.

By the numbers

56 million

European citizens affected by urinary incontinence

346 million

people worldwide experienced UI in 2008

420 million

projected global UI cases (by 2018)

$10 billion

lost every year in direct treatment cost and lost productivity

72%

targeted reduction in health system costs

total project deliverables produced

consortium partners across 6 countries

The business problem

What needed solving

Urinary incontinence affects 56 million Europeans and costs nearly $10 billion per year globally in treatment and lost productivity. Current treatment requires frequent, expensive clinic visits that many women avoid due to embarrassment or inconvenience, leaving the condition unmanaged for life. There is no widely available, cost-effective digital solution that lets women self-manage their treatment at home while keeping their doctor in the loop.

The solution

What was built

The project built a complete digital self-management platform for urinary incontinence, including a patient-therapist interaction module (demonstrated), sensor-based pelvic floor muscle training supervision, a clinical decision support system, and remote monitoring tools. In total, 23 deliverables were produced covering the technical system, clinical validation, and lifestyle intervention components.

Audience

Who needs this

Digital health companies building women's health or chronic condition management appsHealth insurers looking to reduce claims costs for pelvic floor and incontinence treatmentsMedical device manufacturers producing pelvic floor trainers or biofeedback sensorsHospital networks and physiotherapy clinic chains seeking remote patient monitoring solutionsPharmaceutical companies in the continence care space looking to add digital therapeutics to their portfolio

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Digital Health / mHealth

SME

Target: eHealth platform companies or medical device startups developing women's health apps

If you are a digital health company looking for a clinically validated self-management platform for chronic conditions — this project developed a complete ICT system with sensor-based pelvic floor training, a decision support engine, and remote clinical supervision. With 56 million affected Europeans and a potential 72% reduction in health system costs, integrating this technology into your product line opens a massive underserved market.

Health Insurance

enterprise

Target: Health insurance providers seeking cost-effective chronic care solutions

If you are a health insurer struggling with the ongoing costs of urinary incontinence treatment across your member base — this project demonstrated a home-based digital treatment system designed to reduce health system costs by up to 72%. With nearly $10 billion lost globally every year in direct treatment and lost productivity, covering a digital self-management tool instead of repeated clinic visits could dramatically cut your claims spending.

Medical Device Manufacturing

mid-size

Target: Manufacturers of pelvic floor training devices and wearable sensors

If you are a medical device company producing pelvic floor trainers or biofeedback sensors — this project developed an innovative approach for supervising pelvic floor muscle training remotely, including a patient-therapist interaction module. The system was tested across 6 European countries with clinical partners, giving you a validated platform to embed your hardware into a complete digital care pathway.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much could this reduce treatment costs?

The project objective states the ICT-based solution was designed to reduce health system costs by up to 72%. Currently, nearly $10 billion is lost every year globally in direct treatment costs and lost productivity due to urinary incontinence. The exact validated savings from the pilot would need to be confirmed with the consortium.

How large is the target market?

According to the project data, 56 million European citizens are affected by urinary incontinence. Globally, 346 million people experienced UI in 2008, projected to reach 420 million. This is a lifelong chronic condition with no spontaneous resolution, meaning the addressable market only grows over time.

What about intellectual property and licensing?

The project was funded as a Research and Innovation Action (RIA) with 10 partners across 6 countries. IP is likely shared among consortium members under the Horizon 2020 grant agreement. Licensing discussions would need to go through the coordinator, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya in Spain, and the 3 industry partners in the consortium.

Does this meet healthcare regulations?

The system was developed with clinical partners and tested in multiple European countries (Finland, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Romania, Spain). As a medical-grade eHealth tool with sensor components, it would need CE marking and compliance with the EU Medical Device Regulation for commercial deployment. Based on available project data, regulatory certification status is not confirmed.

How quickly could this be integrated into existing systems?

The project delivered 23 deliverables including a patient-therapist interaction module. The system includes lifestyle intervention tools, sensor-based training supervision, and remote clinical assessment. Integration timelines would depend on your existing infrastructure, but the modular design with separate patient and clinician interfaces suggests adaptable components.

Was this actually tested with real patients?

The project ran for over 4 years (2015-2019) with clinical partners across multiple countries and involved both professionals and patients in strategy, design, and implementation. A demo deliverable — the patient-therapist interaction module — was produced. Specific patient trial numbers would need to be confirmed with the consortium.

What ongoing support is available?

The project ended in May 2019 and is now closed. The coordinator at Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (Spain) and the 3 industry partners would be the primary contacts for technology transfer or licensing. The project website was women-up.eu, though availability may vary since project closure.

Consortium

Who built it

The WOMEN-UP consortium brings together 10 partners from 6 European countries (Spain, Finland, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Romania, and Switzerland), with a balanced mix of 3 universities, 3 research institutes, and 3 industry players plus one additional organization. The 30% industry ratio and 3 SMEs suggest genuine commercial intent beyond pure research. The coordinator is Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, a major Spanish technical university, providing strong engineering capability. The geographic spread across Northern, Southern, Central, and Eastern Europe indicates the solution was designed for diverse healthcare systems, which strengthens its commercial transferability. For a business partner, this means tested cross-border applicability rather than a single-market prototype.

UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYACoordinator · ES
UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAIparticipant · RO
FUNDACIO DE RECERCA CLINIC BARCELONA-INSTITUT D INVESTIGACIONS BIOMEDIQUES AUGUST PI I SUNYERparticipant · ES
HOSPITAL CLINIC DE BARCELONAthirdparty · ES
ACADEMISCH MEDISCH CENTRUM BIJ DE UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAMparticipant · NL
BITTIUM BIOSIGNALS OYparticipant · FI
POHJOIS-SAVON SAIRAANHOITOPIIRIN KUNTAYHTYMAparticipant · FI

How to reach the team

Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (Spain) — contact via university technology transfer office or search for the project PI in the eHealth / biomedical engineering department

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the WOMEN-UP team to discuss licensing or technology integration? SciTransfer can connect you with the right people in the consortium. Contact us for a matchmaking consultation.

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