Praesens Care, a start-up based in Belgium, has developed a mobile laboratory with the aim of safely testing people for a wide range of killer diseases. Its mobile laboratories enable monitoring of infectious diseases and improve diagnostic capabilities in remote areas in Africa. The case tells the story from its origins to the difficulties encountered in the public health sector, with three questions at the core: what and who are its targets, how to align its operations to achieve them, and how to finance its operations.
The case is suited for teaching themes related to operations management and entrepreneurship, in this instance the challenges faced by a start-up in the public health sector. The emphasis is on elucidating the services it seeks to provide, the market for its services, and how best to operate and finance their provision. It can be used in multiple courses, including those with a focus on operations management, technology and business model innovation, entrepreneurship, and different funding and financial models.
- Diagnostics
- Mobile Laboratories
- Business Model Innovation
- Praesens Care
- Use of New Technology
- Healthcare
- Infectious Diseases
- Disease Outbreaks
- Epidemics
- Routine Surveillance
- Operations
- Supply Chain Design
- Medical Laboratories
- Public Health
- Q12021
