This Mobile App Designed by AIM Students Detects Developmental Delays in Children
Agap.ai encourages early intervention for children with developmental delays.
Agap.ai, second runner-up winner of GrowthCon PH 2025’s Startup Pitching Competition, is the first Filipino AI-powered milestone monitoring application for children. It is designed to chronicle a child’s growth and development, and immediately detect any developmental delays.
“There is a need for a simple, expert-validated, and accessible tool that can make early screening possible, anytime and anywhere,” says Reynand Canoy, agap.ai’s Founder and CEO, in an interview with The Business Manual.
Studies show that up to 50% of children with developmental delays could have lived relatively normal lives if they had been diagnosed early. Agap.ai aims to be a tool that empowers parents to provide such an option by alerting them of any delays in a child’s development and encouraging early intervention.
Backed by Experts
Agap.ai was designed by a group of Masters of Innovation students from the Asian Institute of Management, its core team composed of experts in either IT or medicine.
Founder and CEO, Reynand Jay Canoy, has 15 years of experience in science and research. He took his undergraduate and post-graduate degrees in Biology at the University of the Philippines, and his PHD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from a university in France. The other core group members are similarly highly qualified professionals, composed of a psychologist, IT and AI experts, doctors and geneticists.
Three additional doctors who specialize in Pediatrics and Genetics have joined the healthtech startup.
“Developmental delay disorders touches all of us, whether we realize it or not,” Canoy says, explaining why they developed the application in the first place. “Because we may have a niece who struggles to speak; [or] another sibling may not connect the way others do.”
Developmental Monitoring Redefined Through AI
For a monthly subscription of only Php199, agap.ai will provide the following services: AI-assisted monitoring of a child’s developmental milestones, reporting and analysis of health data, various educational resources, and access to community forums.
To use the mobile application, a user is asked to register the child’s personal information. The succeeding screen then presents the user with various categories: social, communication, cognitive, and physical, with each category offering a set of basic milestones a child is normally able to reach at their age. This way, parents can check how their child fares versus the expected milestones at a specific age, and see if there are any aspects where their child might be falling behind for each of the categories.
With the help of AI, the mobile app gathers data and provides an overall analysis of the child’s development status. These records can be consolidated with the child’s existing health records for pediatrician review. Community forums allow parents to connect with one another and share experiences and best practices.
“It’s really complete. It’s not about just monitoring. If you monitor and there’s a developmental concern or problem, we will direct it to the doctor. We will also direct it to the therapy center,” explains Canoy.
Agap.ai plans to add even more functions, such as early detection of autism and telemedicine services.
Partnerships and Expansion Plan
Agap.ai, which targets to officially launch by the end of August 2025, has plotted its expansion in three phases:
Phase 1: Urban Adoption
Agap.ai will begin its operations through partnerships with key institutions in Metro Manila such as the Philippine Society of Pediatricians and the Philippine Society for Developmental Pediatricians, as well as various hospitals, to establish its reputation and enable easy access to its target market.
Phase 2: Nationwide Expansion
The partnerships will extend to other institutions and hospitals nationwide to attract subscribers from provincial areas.
Phase 3: Integration Into National Programs
The final phase envisions a regional rollout through government partnerships and the availability of telehealth services. The team’s vision includes possible adoption of the mobile app by the Department of Health and inclusion in PhilHealth-covered services.
Making a Difference, Leaving a Mark
Ultimately, agap.ai aspires to be the standard in developmental milestone monitoring locally and internationally, and set the bar for innovative and impactful healthtech solutions.
“Our long-term plan is to become a national standard for milestone monitoring in the Philippines and further expand in the ASEAN region and beyond ASEAN,” says Canoy.
Beyond building a mobile application, agap.ai is redefining proactive childhood care as an inclusive, AI-driven, and sustainable force for change across ASEAN and beyond.
agap.ai Team
Chief Executive Officer – Dr. Reynand Jay Canoy
Chief Strategy Officer – Patrcia Mae Parungao
Chief Technology Officer – John Romeo Alvarez
Chief Operating Officer – Ma. Cristina Zapanta
Chief Clinical Innovation Officer – Dr. Pablito Planta, Jr.
Chief Medical Officer – Dr. Ebner Bon Maceda
Chief Health Development Officer – Dr. Ma-am Joy Tumulak
About GrowthCon PH 2025 Startup Pitching Competition
As part of GrowthCon PH 2025, The Business Manual introduced the Student Edition of its Startup Pitch Competition—a platform designed to spotlight emerging talent from leading academic institutions with established incubator programs.
This initiative seeks to empower student founders by providing the opportunity to present their AI-driven business ideas before a distinguished panel of industry experts and business leaders. The competition encourages innovation and entrepreneurial growth at the academic level and highlights the critical role of Artificial Intelligence in shaping the future of business.
Read more:
This Mobile Application Developed by Teenagers Will Help Detect a Stroke Before it Happens
These Student-Led Startups Are Democratizing Health Monitoring in the Philippines
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