Six Companies from the Boomer Venture Summit 2014

What's new with startups in the boomer-senior market segments? We often note that the boomers have all the money. Yet they are not always the recipients of thoughtful product design or effective marketing strategy. But consider the media interest in the boomer-beyond topic, especially in the health-related segments -- where there's news, there's innovation. And where there's innovation, let's reflect on the Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit in Santa Clara, a business plan competition and series of events organized by Mary Furlong and delivered at Santa Clara University. The tone of the event was energetic and entrepreneurs were eager to discuss their offerings and insights. Here are just a few of the companies that were present:

eXscan.  The first technology-based solution designed to stem the varied forms of financial abuse that plague the elderly.  eXscan protects your assets and peace of mind. It guards older Americans against financial exploitation by daily scanning of financial accounts and timely alerts to suspicious activity. It helps protect you by detecting abnormal spending patterns, unusual credit card charges, missing deposits, unexpected cash withdrawals and identity theft. Learn more at eXscan.com.

TrueLink Financial.  With a trusted person acting as an administrator, the True Link Card combines a debit card, mobile alerts, and an online spending monitor into one easy and convenient service. The card supports the ability to block purchases at specific stores or merchant categories; easily set or adjust spending limits; receive alerts of suspicious charges; and auto-reload from a linked account on a schedule or as needed. Learn more at TrueLinkCard.

OurFamilyLives. Our Family Lives is a private, online place that inspires modern families to engage in meaningful, multidimensional dialogues about the past, present, and future captured automatically with interactive playback forever. It's new and something we know you haven't quite experienced before. Always Private. Always Secure. No Advertising. No Tracking. No Collection of Personal Info. - See more at OurFamilyLives.

OurPaths. OurPaths is an interactive social media site that commemorates and celebrates those we have lost. We enable users to create memorials as straightforward as an obituary with multiple photos or as sophisticated as an interactive virtual 3D community. These memorials will never be hidden behind a paywall or given an expiration date. OurPaths memorials can be collaborative — built by communities of people — or created by one person. We make it simple for everyone to add memories, photos, video and stories so that the various threads of a person’s life can be woven together into its own tapestry. Learn more at OurPaths.com.

 Cathmaps. People who have had a heart attack are at significant risk of a repeat cardiac event in the future. If this happens, calling an ambulance and rushing to the nearest hospital with a Cath Lab is crucial. The nearest hospital is often not the same as the one the patient previously visited, and it is highly unlikely that the medical records will be on hand. The CathMaps+ App stores documentation of the patient’s cardiac medical history, so that it can be easily presented to the attending physician in an emergency situation – saving time when every second counts. Learn more at CathMaps.com.

NewAvenue.  Building an accessory dwelling creates multiple ways to stay more connected to others, and its purpose can evolve as your life changes. Your second unit can be a space or home for your child, your parent, renters, friends, caregivers, a long stream of fun and interesting guests, or yourself. Simply put, life is more fun when you share it with others. Learn more at NewAvenueHomes.com.