In today's fast-paced technological landscape, amidst countless innovations, discovering a transformative platform can be a rarity. Enter Jam Up! - a remarkable app born out of a mother's love and determination to assist autistic individuals in conquering everyday challenges.
Rachael Malthouse is the mother of an autistic child who has inspired her to found and develop Jam Up!. Jam Up! is an app that supports autistic individuals through the daily tasks many of us take for granted.
We had the pleasure of meeting Rachael for the first time at Slush’d Cornwall in early September 2023. She pitched this incredibly heartwarming story and went on to win a great set of prizes organised by Software Cornwall.
Rachael is a physiotherapist and is currently studying for a PhD at the University of Plymouth; she does not describe herself as a natural entrepreneur and genuinely feels she has fallen into this space while trying to fix a need within her family.
In this piece, she talks about her transition from working as a physiotherapist in the NHS to the startup tech sector, the process of co-production, and the lessons learnt along the way.
At multiple points across the blog, Rachael talks about co-production. In her own words, she describes this development technique as:
"Collating feedback at various stages through surveys, focus groups or other means, writing a report and then using the outcomes from the report to inform what areas of the app we will focus on next."
After 20 years in the NHS, what was the catalyst that drove you to transition into the tech world and create JamUp!? How much of the inspiration came from your personal experiences with your son, James?
"I've been a physio for almost 20 years, working in a range of clinical roles in both acute hospitals and the community as well as research and governance posts. For the last two years, I have been undertaking a PhD at the University of Plymouth. However, my leap into the tech world was entirely unplanned! I stumbled upon a challenge related to my son's daily tasks and wanted to find a way to assist him."
Transitioning from the healthcare sector to the startup scene must have come with its set of challenges. Can you share some of the most significant learning curves and how you overcame them?
"Moving from healthcare to startups brought various challenges. As a physio, problem-solving is at our core. Physiotherapists help to create different solutions to manage practical challenges our patients/clients face using a person-centred approach. Being resourceful and resilient helped me with some of the major hurdles I’ve encountered which have included:
Access to finance: However, various funding sources, from grants to crowdfunding have helped. Nothing has even been too small to apply for and I have not let a single grant opportunity pass without going for it! This has been very time and resource-consuming, so I need to look for other ways to raise the capital needed to grow going forward.
Coproduction, a method I used to improve the app, required extensive collaboration with busy parents and carers of autistic individuals. We are developing a framework to help us refine our co-production approach. Currently, we are working on some accessibility challenges, enhancing our wardrobe and ensuring our pets can eat pizza! I have learnt trying to get feedback on a Monday morning or just prior to kids going back to school after the summer holidays is not ideal! Being able to listen and act on feedback, has been really important in my healthcare career and has been joyful to incorporate into the co-creation of Jam Up! and see how positive the results are.
Balancing my Full-Time PhD with Jam Up! as well as being a mum had been getting difficult. Luckily, I’ve been able to go part-time on my studies from the start of this month which has made things a little bit easier. "
Since its launch, how have you seen JamUp! impact the lives of individuals with autism and their families? Do you have any heartwarming success stories you could share?
"The story of my own son is amazing! Jam Up! was initially made for him. Prior to Jam Up! we used traditional stickers or reward charts to help him do things, which had limited success.
Children who have pathological demand avoidance (PDA) profiles are often resilient to being told what to do which can cause a lot of friction. Jam Up! uses a different approach to engage children and my son has become a lot more independent with getting dressed since being able to use JamUp!
I’ve also been doing some coproduction work in Essex and sharing it with lots of families. From this, I’ve received lots of feedback about the difference it’s made to families and how positive so many people are about it. This is amazing because it is exactly what I wanted to do; help other people who were struggling with those everyday tasks."
Raising £33,000 in grant funding and succeeding on Crowdfunder is no small feat. What were some key strategies you employed during the fundraising phase? How did you communicate the vision and potential of JamUp! to potential backers?
"I’ve had experience with grant funding applications from my previous research roles. It is important to think about what the people you are seeking funding from are looking for and that you try and answer the questions really specifically and not repeat yourself across questions. The other thing I have always done with grant funding is getting loads of feedback from friends, family and business advisers before submitting anything. I’ve found the whole process of grant applications really positive in understanding how you communicate and develop your vision, even if you’re not successful it helps you move forward onto the next step.
Our crowdfunding was mostly from friends and family, anyone who knew me, the boy's school, and lots of the rugby group were incredibly supportive of us. It was also really special that people I had met through EPIC and SWAHSN also supported our Crowdfunder. It was really exciting doing the crowdfunding campaign because we had lots of people supporting us, which was really nice on a personal level. Every time we had a donation we would have a little celebration because it was really exciting, especially the last few days when we were getting so close to our target!"
Winning first prize for your pitch is commendable! Can you share insights on how you prepared for it and what, in your opinion, set your pitch apart from others?
“I worked incredibly hard on my pitch because I knew I'd be very nervous about public speaking on stage. We were fortunate to have some sessions with Martin Barnes to help us prepare for the pitch. I also sought advice from Sam Simpson and a friend in marketing, who helped me fine-tune other aspects. I didn’t realise how much telling a story was going to make such a positive impact but I think it’s what made the difference on the day.”
With the current success and recognition, where do you see JamUp! in the next 5 years? Are there any new features or expansions on the horizon?
"It's an exciting journey because we've initially focused on one task, "getting dressed." However, as we've been developing this and conducting more market research, along with our focused co-production work co-production, we’ve received lots of feedback on new ideas and extra things that people would want to add. For the next year or two there are loads of areas that we would like to see it developed so it's exciting. I’m really driven to make this work and reach as many families as possible. I don't know necessarily where it's going to take us next but am loving the adventure."
Based on your unique journey from the NHS to the tech startup world, what advice would you give to others, especially those looking to create solutions for the special needs community?
"I'm fortunate to have an understanding of aspects of working in the NHS and the challenges it presents (being a physiotherapist probably earned me a few extra brownie points when I’ve been speaking with other healthcare professionals and other key stakeholders along the way) but I also understand who the customer is, because I am also that person. My main advice would be to revolve around using co-production in your approach. You've got to listen and incorporate the opinions of the people who will use the technology you're developing, otherwise, they're not going to use it. Jam Up! is a bit more complicated because you need to consider the child and their parents/carers views."
Through the process of developing JamUp! and navigating the startup landscape, how do you feel you've evolved both as an entrepreneur and on a personal level?
"In terms of being an entrepreneur (which still feels strange to say, as I don't necessarily consider myself an innovator or entrepreneur!), this journey has been incredibly exciting. We've had a fantastic time, and I've been able to capitalize on many skills I already possessed. However, I've also had to learn a plethora of new skills, which has been remarkably rewarding. Bringing your idea to life is an amazing feeling. On a personal level, it has boosted my confidence significantly, as reaching this stage has been an incredibly positive journey. One of the most positive things for me is having the support of both of my sons. We have built something together and seen it grow from an idea into something useful – it has been hugely positive for us all."
If you could give one piece of advice to new founders, what would it be?
"If I were to offer one piece of advice to new founders, I'd say do something you're genuinely passionate about and deeply care about. Entrepreneurship can be exceptionally challenging and at times lonely, but if you're working toward a cause that means a lot to you, it will provide the motivation to keep you going."
Interested in JampUp! or Rachael Malthouse? Find their links here: Facebook, LinkedIn and Email (rachael@jamup.net)
We look forward to building with you,
The foundercentre team
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