Curo Technologies, a health tech startup company, recently opened its first operations outside of Australia at the SPARK Central Innovation Center. Located on the business accelerator’s fourth floor, Curo made the strategic decision to build its U.S. team from Ann Arbor, where it will hire software developers as well as a business development support team.
“Opening our U.S. office in Ann Arbor made great business sense for Curo,” explained Steve Hopkins, director of Curo Technologies in the U.S. “Compared to the coasts, Ann Arbor offers an attractive talent pool from which we can recruit developers as well as a relatively low cost of doing business. We can do a lot more with less in Ann Arbor, without sacrificing quality; it’s truly a premium location for tech businesses.”
Curo recently received a $1 million investment from Australian-based health insurance company HCF. The funding will support its expansion to the U.S.
“Curo is the second international company to use the SPARK Central Innovation Center as a location for a ‘soft landing’ in the U.S.,” said Paul Krutko, Ann Arbor SPARK president and CEO. “Through the SPARK Central Innovation Center, Curo has a flexible space that can accommodate growth right in the heart of Ann Arbor’s tech corridor. Curo is the perfect representation of the need Ann Arbor SPARK identified for this type of space in the region, and our vision when expanding our business accelerator operations.”
Curo’s technology provides reassurance of the safety and wellbeing of loved ones living independently. Its wireless sensor technology learns the daily activities of seniors, such as completion of expected daily tasks, at home or away status, and last activity monitored, and can alert caregivers when that person is outside of their normal routine.
This year, Curo plans to add six to eight to its team in Ann Arbor. The company will also begin aggressive sales activities to health care providers throughout the U.S.
