From Personal Challenge to HealthTech Innovation
For millions worldwide living with complex chronic illnesses, the journey to diagnosis and effective management can feel like navigating a maze blindfolded. Medical tests come back normal, yet symptoms persist. Limited time with doctors makes it difficult to capture the full scope of a patient's daily struggles. Edoardo Galli, a biomedical engineer with a PhD in physics, understood these challenges from personal experience.
Instead of accepting these limitations, Edoardo saw an opportunity for innovation. Together with Eliza Grigg, they founded Chronically—a platform combining wearable technology and mobile applications to revolutionise how people monitor and manage chronic conditions.
With over 100 million people worldwide facing chronic conditions, the need for better management tools is clear. 
The Spark of Innovation
"It started as a personal project," explains Edoardo. "I was dealing with symptoms that traditional tests couldn’t diagnose. As we connected with others in the chronic illness community, we realised this wasn't just a personal issue but a widespread problem. That's when we decided to turn this into a structured business."
The numbers back up their vision. With over 100 million people worldwide facing chronic conditions, the need for better management tools is clear. But Chronically isn't trying to be a miracle cure. "People don't really understand these complex chronic illnesses and how hard it is to be recognised by the medical system," Edoardo explains. "It's not like you can just go and take a blood test and get your diagnosis. Many people spend years trying to find out what’s wrong, adapting slowly to their symptoms over time."
Unique Backgrounds, Complementary Skills
Edoardo and Eliza bring a unique combination of experiences to their venture. Eliza, a former NZ alpine ski racer turned business analyst, credits her diverse background for her ability to navigate the startup world: "My experience in both self-promotion as an athlete and working closely with developers gave me a unique skill set to translate business needs into actionable tasks. It’s been really useful when working with Edoardo, to develop our app." Eliza shares
Edoardo's technical expertise complements Eliza's business acumen perfectly. "My background is in biomedical engineering, and I did my PhD in physics with a focus on hardware for artificial intelligence," he shares. "I also worked as a data analyst for the government, so I bring the tech side to Chronically."
The Journey Through Validation
“We participated in the UC HealthTech Validation Challenge, which was pivotal in refining our concept. We engaged with chronic illness communities, doctors, and industry experts to validate whether our platform would truly add value for users. Through these discussions, we realised that digital health is not only growing, but with the rising number of people managing complex chronic conditions, the demand for tools like ours will only continue to increase,” says Edoardo.
“A lot of the validation came from direct conversations with potential users. We quickly saw a real need for a platform that simplifies chronic condition management—not just for patients, but for healthcare providers who are increasingly overwhelmed by the complexity of care,” Edoardo adds.
“After UC, we were recommended to join Ministry of Awesome’s Founder Catalyst programme, which was the perfect next step,” Eliza recalls.
“When we joined, we hadn’t even started development yet. Our focus was on solidifying the business strategy, and the structured support of the program helped us during this critical planning phase. The mentoring, networking, and strategic guidance we received ensured that our vision was well aligned before we moved into development,” Edoardo explains.
The support network they’ve built through the Founder Catalyst programme has been instrumental to their growth. "We've connected with so many people, and each one has contributed in their own way," Edoardo reflects. "Even when we don't fully agree with some suggestions, they often spark valuable discussions between us. These conversations push us to consider different perspectives and ultimately help us feel more confident about our direction."
When we joined Ministry of Awesome we hadn’t even started development yet. Our focus was on solidifying the business strategy, and the structured support of the program helped us during this critical planning phase. The mentoring, networking, and strategic guidance we received ensured that our vision was well aligned before we moved into development.
Taking the Plunge: From Side Hustle to Full Commitment
Like many entrepreneurs, the Chronically journey hasn’t been without its challenges. "I think where we really struggled was when we were both in full-time employment," Eliza shares. "We were trying to do this on the side, and it became incredibly draining. We were both doing 40-hour work weeks and trying to cram as much of this into our evenings or weekends as possible. It got to a point where we realised something had to give, and we decided we had saved up enough to take the plunge and bet on ourselves."
Shifting the Focus to Patient Empowerment
For Eliza and Edoardo, ChronicAlly goes beyond just technology. "Our core aim is to help patients make better decisions for long-term management of their illnesses," Edoardo explains. "Continuous monitoring allows us to detect symptoms that are otherwise hard to catch—especially those that occur after specific activities or events."
Their journey has also been enriched by insights from seasoned health tech professionals. "Speaking with mentors from the industry has been incredibly valuable," Eliza adds. "Learning how they developed their own health tech businesses and navigated the complexities of personal medical devices has helped us understand where to focus."
With plans to launch next year, Chronically stands as a testament to how personal challenges can spark innovations that help millions. For Eliza and Edoardo, it's just the beginning of their mission to improve lives through better health management tools. Their experience in the Founder Catalyst program has equipped them with not just the tools and connections they need, but also the mindset to approach these challenges strategically.
As they prepare for launch, they continue to balance ambitious development goals with the wisdom they've gained about sustainable growth, demonstrating how the right support and mentorship can help turn a personal challenge into a solution for millions.