The Bewe app addresses a very specific problem: It’s designed to help people reduce binge eating by using digital exercises—based on more than fifteen years of neuroscience research—to combat cravings for certain foods. The fact that such a solution is scientifically effective is one thing; whether it proves its worth in the day-to-day operations of insurers and healthcare providers is another. That was precisely the focus of the pilot project with CSS, and the insights gained from it show how a test can evolve into a genuine partnership.
As part of Phase Three of the Future of Health Grant (FoHG), Bewe has moved from clinical evidence to real-world validation. Approximately eighty CSS policyholders tested the app as part of the insurance company’s health coaching program. That initial large-scale pilot has since been followed by others, including one with FoHG partner Ensemble Hospitalier de la Côte. Barnabé Delarze, Head of Growth at Bewe, makes a clear distinction between a study and a pilot: Randomized studies show that the intervention works. The pilot assesses whether it can be easily implemented, fits into existing workflows, and creates value for all stakeholders.
Why Pilots Are Valuable to Insurers
For Jade Sternberg, Open Innovation Manager at CSS and the person in charge of the Future of Health Grant, pilot programs offer a structured method for identifying and validating innovative solutions for policyholders. As part of the health coaching program, CSS can thus assess how digital tools complement human coaching and where they enhance its own service portfolio.
The Bewe pilot ran for a little over a year, accompanied by close collaboration between the teams. Participants were recruited through the CSS program’s coaches as well as through readers of a CSS Magazine article, and both groups showed positive results. Those who had closer contact with the coaching team benefited even more, demonstrating the value of hybrid models that combine digital solutions with human support.
Measurable results instead of gut feelings
Among Bewe’s key metrics is the internally developed “Craving Delta,” which measures changes in cravings for specific foods, supplemented by user satisfaction and retention. Regular feedback from the pilot has significantly improved the product, from simplified onboarding to new reminder features. Next, Bewe and CSS plan to jointly develop more robust indicators to systematically assess cost-effectiveness, operational acceptance, and scalability within the Swiss healthcare system.
The real challenge begins after the start
According to Delarze, the first pilot is usually the most difficult because it requires trust—something the Future of Health Grant helped foster through its mediation. The biggest hurdle after that is that a new solution can quickly fall by the wayside in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, even after the pilot has gotten underway. Keeping the relationship alive is more challenging than the launch itself. CSS also had to be patient, as startups and insurers operate at different paces, and contractual issues surrounding data protection and access rights, in particular, required ongoing dialogue.
The Way Out of the Pilot’s Purgatory
Many startups get caught in what’s known as “Pilot Purgatory”: projects pile up one after another without ever reaching market readiness. Delarze sees the solution in relationships and structure: If both sides are motivated and the solution delivers on its promises, a way forward can be found—even if goals and metrics for truly innovative solutions can rarely be clearly defined in advance.
From Pilot to Partnership
Bewe is now transitioning the CSS pilot into a broader commercial partnership and, at the same time, preparing additional pilot projects. Structured, repeatable pilots are also crucial for CSS because they provide comparable real-world evidence and help accelerate future decision-making. Starting this summer, CSS policyholders will be able to purchase the Bewe app at a discount through the company’s in-house health store, enjoy365 —a concrete example of how a successful pilot is not an end in itself, but can open the door to commercial partnerships and wider adoption. Delarze’s takeaway for other startups: It’s worth investing time in the right projects with the right partners.i
Binci Heeb
See also: Neuria (now Bewe): Thanks to a gaming app, I no longer cravesweets
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