Data and public health: the Bluesquare success formula

“Bluesquare develops tools to measure and monitor public health”, Nicolas de Borman explains. “Our customers play a leading role in world health: the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Bank, bodies like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, governments, public health ministries, research organisations, insurers, pharmaceutical companies and so on.”

The outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic initially put the brakes on Bluesquare’s activities. Not until May, when the demand for means of combating the virus rose, did the company return to its previous rate of growth. In the interim, the cash flow was maintained thanks to the intervention of the bank.

“Even when worldwide demand rose, we were still able to rely on our bank to meet the needs of the market”, says Nicolas de Borman. Bluesquare, which employs 44 people, is expecting to record a turnover of EUR 4.4 million in 2020.

Charting Covid-19

“Our technology collects, processes and integrates data on infections in existing systems. Many countries have set up call centres to trace infected people. We link these data with other systems that are being deployed in the fight against the pandemic.”

Bluesquare crosses the data that it collects with those from other health systems, telephone operators and mobility data. This makes it possible to chart the spread of Covid-19. “This way we also discovered that there are big differences between Europe, Latin America and Africa”, Nicolas de Borman explains.

“We are measuring the impact of the coronavirus crisis on other diseases, as well. It is striking to note that in every country, people are putting off routine care and what are – in their eyes – less urgent medical consultations. This may be the follow-up of chronic diseases, for example, or dentist’s appointments or prenatal care.

Disease modelling

In its assessments, Bluesquare also takes account of the national context. “In Southern countries, people with a cough think first of tuberculosis and people with a fever of malaria. Two diseases which are considered to pose a greater risk than coronavirus. We measure the effect of that, too”, the CEO explains.

This ‘disease modelling’, for which Bluesquare works with two institutes that are part of the Gates Foundation, is very useful when making predictions and taking decisions to combat coronavirus.

Cash flow challenge

“Bluesquare also follows vaccination campaigns or crises such as ebola”, says Simon David, Relationship Manager at BNP Paribas Fortis. “The company needs financial resources to install its technology, train people, etc. But often it is only paid three, six or even nine months later, depending on the contract. So we make credit lines available to ensure that there are no cash flow problems standing in the way of the company’s growth. In our Innovation Hubs we can take more risks to support scale-ups like this. Particularly since public health is one of our socially responsible business priorities”.

“A quarter of our activities now involve coronavirus and that is heading towards 40 %”, says Nicolas de Borman. “This epidemic is strengthening our conviction of the need for a worldwide approach to public health. In any case, it’s very motivating to be a link in this process and work with the biggest players in the sector.”