The launch of the SXT MedStartr campaign (crowd source funding for medically related projects)

SXT is a social enterprise whose mission is to facilitate access to sexual and reproductive health care services.  This is done by providing high quality sexual health information in under a minute and then real time identification of a local service.  Available on the web, mobile and SMS the information provided by SXT is not trapped by any digital divide.

The initial funding for this project came from UnLtd & 4iP (June 2009, £5000) and this money was used to scope the idea, choose the name, build the first prototype and identify the next steps to develop the service.  This data was then used to apply for funding from Guy's & St Thomas' Charity (February 2011, £66,000) and this award has enable SXT to develop a powerful digital platform to meet our mission.  Over the last couple of years SXT has had two major changes to its design and the data provided to clients and providers.  The MedStartr campaign has been developed to coincide with the third and final change to the SXT service that is funded from the charity.  MedStartr have successfully raised funds for medically related projects in the USA and they are now bringing their expertise to Europe. 

The changes in version three of SXT are as follows:-

• A complete re-design to support the education of clients
• Develop an application programming interface to support partners with high quality information
• Build a simple sharing tool to allow partners to be informed of infections and then locate a local service
• Upload all the key UK sexual & reproductive health care services
• Capture effectively how many clients are turned away because of closure or demand and then support these individuals to find a local open service
• Translate SXT into Spanish for the growing community in London
• Support the provision of online appointments

In the MedStartr campaign we also are keen to support:-

• The development of digital public health marketing campaigns
• Enhance peer to peer education by the medical student organisation Sexpression
• A project manager to introduce the changes and evaluate their introduction and impact

Thank you to Alex Fair & Ben Heubl for their support to set up the MedStartr campaign.  The marketing for this $90,000 fund raising campaign will fully commence with the launch of the SXT version 3.0 next week.