
DiverSsiTy SA: Therapy for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

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DiverSsiTy SA leverages Mixed Reality (MR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to revolutionise mental health for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The company has developed a personalized therapeutic solution designed to enhance social, emotional, and proprioceptive skills in adolescents with high-functioning autism, ultimately improving their quality of life and social integration.
Origins & Mission
Launched in January 2024 as a spin-off of SIMC – Swiss International Medical Center SA – DiverSsiTy SA aims to advance understanding and treatment for adolescents with ASD and other neurodevelopmental co-morbidities, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The project began in 2022, and since then, its team has focused on creating a digital health platform that not only supports therapy but also follows a regulatory pathway to become an approved medical device eligible for insurance reimbursement.
An Innovative Platform for Dual Access
The DiverSsiTy platform offers a dual solution:
- For adolescents with ASD – A ‘serious game’ designed with various levels of difficulty, accessible via a user-friendly mixed reality headset.
- For practitioners – A sophisticated dashboard that tracks and assesses a patient’s progress through data extracted from the game, providing a unique way to measure mental states and therapeutic outcomes.
According to Razvana Stanciu, the company’s medical director and child psychiatrist, the platform aims to “formalize the co-morbidities of autism in high-functioning adolescents aged 13 to 18, enabling more tailored and effective treatments.”
Early Recognition & Support
Currently raising its first funding round of CHF 800,000, DiverSsiTy has already garnered significant recognition. The start-up was awarded the Prix Créateurs 2024 public prize by Banque Cantonale du Valais (BCVS), reflecting both its innovative approach and strong market potential. The project’s technological development is led by Antoine Widmer, IT systems professor at HES-SO Valais-Wallis, with support from Innosuisse, Switzerland’s innovation promotion agency. Additionally, DiverSsiTy is backed by The Ark Foundation, which is helping produce a unique, locally manufactured prototype in Valais.
An Outstanding Team
The artistic direction and game development are led by Allison Crank, an award-winning designer known for her immersive and interactive narrative content. Her notable projects include ‘Glimpse’ (Best Interactive Experience, Cannes 2022) and ‘Impulse: Playing with Reality’ (Venice Immersive Achievement Award, 2024).
DiverSsiTy SA is the result of a collaborative effort between Anne-Laure Héritier and Philippe Zwahlen, co-founders of SIMC – Swiss International Medical Center SA. In 2018, the duo created SIMC to specialize in medical and mental health initiatives. By 2021, they had opened the Centre for Exceptional Children (CEC) in Fujian, China, which has quickly become a benchmark for autism diagnosis, education, and medical care. This pioneering experience laid the groundwork for DiverSsiTy’s ambitious goal to become a global leader in digital therapeutic tools for ASD.
A Bold Vision for the Future
As co-founder and director Anne-Laure Héritier states, “Our overarching goal at DiverSsiTy is to create and deliver innovative, clinically validated, personalized care solutions. Within the next six years, we aim to become a leading provider of digital health and assessment systems, positively impacting more than 4,000 clinicians and over 100,000 adolescent autistic patients worldwide.”
📸 Co-founders of DiverSsiTy SA: Philippe Zwahlen and Anne-Laure Héritier. © Michel Marie – Innovation Time.