RALEIGH, N.C., July 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- K4Connect, a mission-driven technology company that integrates the best in technology to serve and empower older adults and those living with disabilities, today announced a financing raise of $7.7 million led by Forte Ventures. This financing officially closes K4Connect's Series B round at $21 million, bringing the company's total outside venture funding to-date to $31 million.
RALEIGH, N.C., June 29, 2020—COVID-19 continues to put older adults at unprecedented risk. To improve the lives of seniors by empowering caregivers with answers to important questions, K4Connect, a mission-driven technology company that integrates the best in technology to serve and empower older adults and individuals living with disabilities, is partnering with Pryon, an AI company focused on augmented intelligence for the enterprise, to bring the power of AI to the senior living industry.
RALEIGH — Older adults are one of the most vulnerable and isolated populations during this pandemic. But one local startup is stepping up to make sure that they’re safe.
K4Connect, which creates technology solutions centered to help older adults and individuals with disabilities, has teamed up with Amazon to distribute over 8,000 Echo Dots to more than 40 independent and assisted living communities in West Coast regions highly affected by COVID-19.
Technology usage has climbed sharply during Covid-19. Pew Research notes 53% of responders in April consider the Internet as ‘Essential’– although, no surprise, the oldest did not. And Nielsen observed that the pandemic was a catalyst for the rise of tech use for working at home and shopping, among other uses. In addition, telehealth usage has skyrocketed, with virtual doctor visits expected by Forrester Research to top 1 billion by years end. The spike has been attributed to a) the declaration of a state of emergency in March; b) introduction of Medicare/Medicaid coverage matching in-person visits; and c) encouragement from hospitals and medical practitioners.
The title should not surprise. The month of April had only one subject – no matter where you looked or what you read. Covid-19 and its impact and implications, starting early in the month following event cancellations, travel bans and stampedes, telehealth insurance changes and senior living visitation lockdowns. That was followed by a collection of companies offering free services for use of their technologies in the context of an increasingly isolated older adult population in senior living communities, nursing homes and at home. But it was a conundrum: so many of those older adults lacked access to or knowledge of technology, let alone the ability to acquire it, learn how to use it or participate in family Zoom sessions. In case you missed them, here are five Covid-19 blog posts from an April that was unlike any other:
