Rethinking Female Health: Venture Clienting between AOK PLUS and LipoCheck

For many females living with lipedema – a painful, chronic fat distribution disorder – the path to a diagnosis is often paved with years of frustration. Between infinite doctor appointments, endless tests, and misdiagnoses, the lack of specialized attention to women's health has left many female patients underserved.

Lipocheck, a startup from SpinLab’s 16th class, has made it its mission to change that and provide women suffering from lipedema with a tailored platform.

Closing the Diagnostic Gap in Lipedema

Founded by two sisters Helena Rapprich and Anina Langhans alongside their father, Dr. Stefan Rapprich, LipoCheck provides a holistic digital ecosystem for lipedema management. Through its flagship apps, LipoCheck and LipoAlly, users can:

• Document symptoms with precision to track disease progression.

• Access expert medical knowledge to better understand their condition.

• Utilize telemedicine services tailored specifically to the needs of lipedema patients.

By collaborating closely with health insurance providers and medical professionals, LipoCheck ensures high-quality care – from the initial suspicion to long-term treatment.

The startup received €2.5 million in funding from TGFS (Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen), a SpinLab partner, to expand its telemedicine services and enter new markets. The startup is currently working on a strategy to expand into the U.S. market.

Scaling Digital Therapy for AOK PLUS Policyholders

Following its successful graduation from the SpinLab Accelerator program, LipoCheck achieved a major milestone: a venture clienting partnership with AOK PLUS. This collaboration makes the LipoAlly app free of charge for over 3 million policyholders.

To ensure easy access, LipoCheck has streamlined the administrative process:

1. Referral Support: Since specialist appointments are notoriously difficult to secure, LipoCheck’s physician network provides the necessary medical referrals.

2. Seamless Reimbursement: Patients simply upload their invoice and referral via the app or the "Meine AOK" portal.

3. Full Coverage: AOK PLUS reimburses the costs within coverage limits directly to the user’s account, granting them 12 months of premium access to LipoAlly.

"With AOK PLUS, we have gained a strong partner. This enables us to reach and support significantly more people affected by lipedema—bringing us one step closer to our ultimate goal: comprehensive, accessible care for every patient." — The LipoCheck Founding Team.

Looking to accelerate growth within your organization?

Check out the Venture Clienting model at SpinLab.

The success of LipoCheck and AOK PLUS exemplifies the strategic partnership between SpinLab and AOK PLUS, which has been driving healthcare innovation since 2017.

Through this model, startups gain the unique opportunity to partner with national industry leaders. This low-risk, no-equity approach allows corporates to integrate emerging tech solutions rapidly, accelerating the transition from startup innovation to real-world impact.