IBZ is giving the spotlight to another incredible team of changemakers from the Hack the World: Analyze & Design – GlucoSolutions! Founded by Tenzin Dhonyoe and Justin Allen with the help of Omar Ali-Yare, Raphael Mancini, and Gleb Levashov, GlucoSolutions focuses on creating accessible recreational tools to assist individuals with limited mobility and dexterity in their athletic pursuits.
Diabetes and prediabetes affect hundreds of millions worldwide, yet monitoring blood sugar remains invasive, expensive, and inconvenient. GlucoSolutions, founded by Tenzin Dhonyoe and Justin Allen with the help of Omar Ali-Yare, Raphael Mancini, and Gleb Levashov, is developing a non-invasive wearable for early glucose trend detection, empowering users to take control of their health before it becomes critical.
Instead of relying on finger pricks or implanted sensors, GlucoSolutions uses a light-based sensing system to monitor signals from the body that are associated with changes in blood sugar. The device pairs with a smartphone app designed for everyday use so that users can see their patterns, understand how food, sleep, and activity affect them, and make more informed decisions about their health.
Focused on prevention rather than treatment, GlucoSolutions bridges the gap between clinical glucose monitors and general wellness trackers. It offers accessible, real-time feedback that helps users make small lifestyle adjustments to prevent type 2 diabetes.
To make their dreams a reality, the GlucoSolutions team participated in the Hack the World: Analyze and Design hackathon hosted by the Innovation Boost Zone in 2024. During this intensive, seven-week incubation program, the GlucoSolutions team worked closely with expert mentors and identified gaps in the prediabetes market to idealize their product. Guided by the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their project directly contributes to Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages.
During Hack the World, the founders of GlucoSolutions were inspired to think more broadly about the factors that drive innovation and entrepreneurship, including marketing, technology, and how to reach users and stakeholders throughout the development process. Hack the World and the IBZ provided the GlucoSolutions team with the resources and support needed to take the next steps in bringing their product to market.
Currently in its prototype phase, GlucoSolutions is looking for clinicians and health economists to help bring this device to people who need it most. This innovative device takes a proactive approach to healthcare to help folks “keep life safe and sweet.”
Hack the World: Analyze & Design was the second program in a series of three innovative experiential learning opportunities hosted by Innovation Boost Zone. In this phase, four student-led teams from TMU engaged with their stakeholders and worked with field experts to gain new insights and deliver a product or service to provide solutions to real-world problems. This hackathon provided students with a clear runway to success, bolstering them to evaluate and test their ideas and make a positive impact.
