1.
Uncertain times as
drivers of innovation
Remko Vermeulen, VP of Product (Innovation)
Koa Health, Telefonica Alpha
remko.vermeulen@koahealth.com

2.
Remko Vermeulen
VP of Product Innovation
Koa Health

3.
Remko Vermeulen
VP of Product Innovation
Koa Health
-
Delft University of Technology, Innovation
Management & Product Design Engineering,
Leiden University, Psychology
-
Warner Brothers, Financial Times, Telefonica, O2,
British Council, Renault, Yukos Russia, Delsey,
Electrolux, Vivo Brasil, Reliance India
-
Harvard Medical School, Royal College of Art,
Imperial College, London School of Economics

4.
3
To create simple,
personal and accessible
mental health support

5.
25%
Experience mental health issues
during their life
WHO

6.
Anxiety
8.1%
Depression
6.5%
Before Covid
CDC https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6932a1.htm

7.
Anxiety
8.1%
25.5%
Depression
6.5%
24.3%
Before Covid
/After Covid
CDC https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6932a1.htm

8.
Suicidal ideation
4.3%
Before Covid
CDC https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6932a1.htm

9.
Suicidal ideation
4.3%
10.7%
Before Covid
/After Covid
CDC https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6932a1.htm

10.
Pandemic

11.
Pandemic, Crisis

12.
Pandemic, Crisis,
Uncertainty

13.
Pandemic, Crisis,
Uncertainty & Innovation

14.
危机

15.
危机
Crisis

16.
危机
Dangerous

17.
危机
Dangerous, Machine, Crucial point

18.
World War 2
The Great
Depression
Black
Death

19.
Black Death

20.
• Black Death (1348)
• Less agricultural workers
Peasants’ Revolt (1381)
• Better payment & conditions

21.
The Great Depression

22.
• Great Depression (1929)
• No jobs
• Female workers up 24%
• People create jobs/invention
• Razors/Car radio/Tampon

23.
Second world war

24.
• Second world war
• Need to protect people now
• Radar & code breaking
accelerated
• Radar &
fi
eld of AI started

25.
Existing problems
Changing conditions
New possibilities (tech)
Urgency

26.
Uncertainty
uncertainty, doubt, dubiety, skepticism, suspicion,
mistrust mean lack of sureness about someone or
something. uncertainty may range from a falling
short of certainty to an almost complete lack of
conviction or knowledge especially about an
outcome or result.

27.
Uncertainty, so what?

28.
“The future is already
here - It’s just not very
evenly distributed”
William Gibson, American-Canadian Speculative fiction/
Sci-fi author

29.
“What if”

30.
“What happens generally is an episode will start
with Annabel and I discussing an idea. It could be an
issue like parenting or an observation on life, and at
some point there will be a ‘what if’ idea. It will ping-
pong back and forwards, as I try to think of the
worst possible outcome.”
Charlie Brooker & Annabel Jones, Black Mirror

31.
“What if we
live longer?”

32.
“What if we
have arti
fi
cial
wombs?”

33.
“What if trust
in religious
institutions
diminishes?”

34.
What if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if,
what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if,
what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if,
what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if,
what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if,
what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if,
what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if,
what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if,
what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if,
what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if,
what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if,
what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if,
what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if,
what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if

35.
Which “what if’s” are most likely?

36.
Which “what if’s” are most likely?

37.
UnSome certainty
unsomecertainty, some doubt, some dubiety,
some skepticism, some suspicion, some mistrust
mean lack of some level of sureness about
someone or something. unsomecertainty may
range from a falling short of certainty to an
almost complete some lack of conviction or
knowledge especially about an outcome or result.

38.
Manage UnSome certainty,
innovate & design for
changing realities.
(While maintaining good mental health)

39.
Thank you!
Remko Vermeulen, VP of Product (Innovation)
Koa Health, Telefonica Alpha
remko.vermeulen@koahealth.com