GEN-ZEN Launch

Lensbox Foundation and Softeq Venture Studios are partnering to launch GEN-ZEN Health, a new accelerator program, focused exclusively on Generation Z (GenZ) health and wellness. This is an opportunity to be on the ground floor of a community that aims to commercialize innovations addressing Gen Z.

Join us alongside innovators, investors, and clinicians interested in driving innovation and improving health outcomes within Generation Z.

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GenZ is the future of healthcare

These days, Gen Zers form 20% of the market. In the U.S., Gen Z is the most ethnically diverse and largest generation in American history, and eclipses all other generations before it, in embracing diversity and inclusion. With more than 68 million Gen Z members in the US, GenZ’s buying power is estimated at $144 billion.

Although the future, Gen Z lacks a platform dedicated exclusively to supporting their health and changing attitudes towards healthcare. Gen Z has a unique set of healthcare and economic challenges unprecedented in past generations, and a refreshing outlook on digitization and democratization of healthcare. This generation will define the future of healthcare for humanity, and we want to be front and centre in accelerating this much-needed change in the healthcare space

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GenZ faces unique health challenges

Nearly two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began in the United States, Gen Zers, ranging from middle school students to early professionals, are reporting higher rates of anxiety, depression, and distress than any other age group. The mental-health challenges among this generation are so concerning that US surgeon general Vivek Murthy issued a public health advisory on December 7, 2021, to address the “youth mental health crisis” exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As such, Gen Z knows and cares more about their health and wellbeing than ever before. Because what it means to be “well” today is so much broader than fitness and nutrition – it’s about maximizing all areas of your life, including physical health, emotional wellness, job satisfaction, financial health, a sense of belonging, personal relationships, leisure time, and much more. It demands an ecosystem that’s unique to each individual.

The changing healthcare challenges and opportunities GenZ creates:

• 91% of Gen Z experiencing physical or psychological symptoms due to stress in 2021
• Almost 25% Gen Zers report that it is “extremely” or “very” challenging to get help during a behavioral-health crisis. This lack of access is concerning for a generation 2 – 3x more likely to report seeking treatment in the past 12 months for suicidal ideation or attempted suicide, than any other generation
• 25% of Gen Z respondents said they could not afford mental-health services, which had the lowest perceived affordability of all services surveyed
• Gen Z relies on emergency care, social media, and digital tools when they do seek help
• Gen Z is increasingly dissatisfied with the traditional healthcare model, and 45% do not have a primary care provider (PCP)
• Only 50% of Gen Zs feel they do enough to manage their stress and 73% say they could have used more emotional support in the last year
• Gen Z turn to Reddit, TikTok, and influencers for health and wellness expertise
• Gen Z represents the largest adopters of digital health technologies
• Millennials and Gen Z represent 80% of all gym-goers and account for 89% of total users of online or app-based workouts
• Gen Z drinks on average 20% less alcohol per capita than millennials did at the same age.
• 72% say they view healthy eating as an integral part of both their physical and mental health

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Introducing GEN-ZEN Health Accelerator

An early-stage innovation accelerator that accelerates and invest in technology companies focused on providing solutions to improve healthcare for Generation Z with a focus on the following markets:

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Agenda

The event will be taking place on October 13, 2022 from 6:00 – 9:00pm PST

6:00 pm PST – 7:00 pm PST: Cocktails & Networking

7:00 pm PST – 8:00pm PST: Dinner

8:00 pm PST – 9:00 pm PST: GenZ Healthcare Panel

Panel focuses on addressing the challenges Gen Z faces within mental health, eye care, and preventative health.

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About Softeq Development Corporation

Founded in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Softeq Development Corporation provides early-stage innovation, technology business consulting, and technical solutions to enterprise companies and innovative startups. The company’s clients are often disrupting existing industries or going through digital transformation—an effort that requires a broad range of business and technical skills. Softeq offers a full spectrum of consulting services plus full-stack software, firmware, and hardware engineering services all under one roof and delivered by 400+ employees globally. The company is headquartered in Houston, Texas, and maintains sales and delivery offices in Los Angeles, London, and Munich, Germany. The company’s development centers are based in Vilnius, Lithuania, and Monterrey, Mexico. Softeq bridges technology gaps in knowledge-intensive projects and builds end-to-end solutions for connected devices and IT systems from the ground up. To help clients transition from analog to digital, the company provides expertise in various trending technologies, including the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Industrial Automation, Robotics, Blockchain, and AR/VR. Softeq customers include Verizon, Epson, Microsoft, Lenovo, AMD, Disney, Intel, NVIDIA, Arrival, Wagz, and others.

In 2020, the company launched the Softeq Innovation Lab to provide an environment where corporate intrapreneurs and preeminent innovators from Houston and beyond can collaborate, create the technologies of tomorrow, and expedite the commercialization of ideas. In 2021, the Softeq Venture Studio was created to help early-stage startups build their products and get follow-on funding. The Softeq Venture Fund was launched in 2022 to provide capital to the Venture Studio and make follow-on investments in the top portfolio companies. Learn more at softeq.com.