Podcast Vol. 30: ImmuniFriend Winner of our Start-up Award

In this episode, we’re joined by Olivia Rimek, Elsa Fernanda, and Philipp Möhringer — the passionate co-founders of ImmuniFriend, a groundbreaking startup that recently won the Digital Rheumatology Start-up Award for its pioneering work in integrating emotional and psychological support into autoimmune and rheumatic disease care.

We take a deep dive into the often-overlooked emotional challenges faced by patients living with chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The ImmuniFriend team shares how they’re using digital tools to provide psychologist-led group counseling, psychoeducational content, and community-based support tailored specifically for the autoimmune community.

In this conversation, we explore the development of their digital platform, their user-centered design approach, and how they’re helping to redefine holistic care in rheumatology. From early-stage innovation to building partnerships across the healthcare landscape, this episode highlights why emotional well-being should be a core component of rheumatic disease management.