Describe Fitra Health in one sentence…
Fitra Health is a mental health app that combines evidence-based therapy with faith-based approaches to provide culturally sensitive and inclusive mental healthcare for Muslim communities.
Where did the idea originate?
The idea came from the student selected component of my medical course on cultural psychiatry, which recognised the importance of tailoring mental health interventions to meet the unique needs of different ethnic and cultural groups, especially the Muslim population. I have been working on the idea for several months and have been making progress towards creating the app and preparing for a pilot study.
Why did you decide to enter the Entrepreneurship Institute's Idea Factory competition?
I saw that many health and med-tech projects from across King’s had been through the competition, and I was inspired by their journeys and the help they had received. We had just completed a market validation by surveying 250 people, so believed it was the right time to participate. I’m a competitive person so wanted the experience of going through the competition myself.
What did the winning moment feel like?
It felt amazing! All the teams had really good pitches, but I was really happy and proud to be selected as the first place winner.
How did Idea Factory help you move forward with your idea?
The support and networking opportunities really stood out for me. As all the events and bootcamp sessions were in-person, I ended up becoming good friends with other students and learnt a lot from them. Taking part in the competition definitely helped me move my idea forward in terms of marketing. I have received congratulations from people all over the world after posting about my win on social media and have had people expressing an interest in collaborating and hearing more about my idea.
What’s next?
I need to continue working on the development of the app and preparing for a pilot study. I plan to spend the prize money on video production for the app and preparation for the pilot study, which will help me to further develop and refine my idea.
To find out more about Fitra Health, visit LinkedIn. Watch Nawal’s winning pitch on YouTube.