Systematic breathing: Breathment rethinks the care of COPD and asthma patients

The story of Breathment begins during the pandemic in 2021 - while preparing for a hackathon at the Technical University of Munich. Yalvaç Top, one of the founders, is on the phone with his mother. She has seen on TV that breathing exercises are recommended for people infected with Covid to strengthen their lung function. Her problem: she doesn't know how to do it properly. “It's not a pull-up or a squat,” she says.

This sentence becomes the starting point. Yalvaç Top and his co-founder Elçin Can Çavuşoğlu develop a first prototype during the hackathon: software that uses the smartphone camera to recognize breathing patterns - without additional sensors. Shortly afterwards, Baturay Yalvaç joins the team. “A mutual acquaintance from the Turkish community in Munich brought us together,” he reports. "He knew that I came from the medical technology sector. And that's how we grew together - for almost four years now."

The founding team (from left): Baturay Yalvaç, Yalvaç Top, Elçin Can Çavuşoğlu © Breathment GmbH

Digital platform for chronic lung diseases

Today, the hackathon prototype has become a comprehensive digital platform. Breathment describes itself as a “health platform for respiratory diseases”. The solution consists of two closely linked components: a mobile app for patients and a team of physiotherapists.

The app offers training, respiratory therapy programs, meditation videos, medication tracking, a symptom diary, chat function and video consultations. The exercises are recorded by camera - artificial intelligence analyzes breathing movements, mobility, posture and exercise quality in real time. "Patients are guided by the app and our therapists can recognize Where are there difficulties? Where are things going well?" explains Baturay.

At the same time, the in-house medical team, consisting of employed and freelance physiotherapists, works with the patients - individually, hybrid and available at all times. “With COPD in particular, many patients are older, have social anxiety or live in isolation,” says Baturay. “It's crucial for them to have a fixed contact person - we give them that.”

Market with a high disease burden and little innovation

The fact that there are hardly any providers of digital solutions for respiratory diseases has surprised - and motivated - the Breathment founders. "There are countless start-ups for mental health, sleep disorders, diabetes or high blood pressure. But for lungs? There's hardly anything there." Yet COPD and asthma are not only highly relevant in medical terms, they are also a massive economic factor: they cause high hospital costs, inability to work, early retirement.

Breathment relies on a hybrid care model - and deliberately forgoes the DiGA route. “We wanted to remain flexible,” says Baturay. "A DiGA has to be static - every change requires a new test procedure. But we are constantly developing our platform - new indications, new functions, new partners."

Patented technology

Technologically, Breathment is based on an AI analysis that records the body solely via camera. Chest movements, breathing rate and mobility are all evaluated in real time. The highlight: no additional sensors or devices are required. The AI reacts directly, provides feedback, improves exercises and creates analyses for the therapists.

A patent application has now been filed for this technology. Using it is also an interesting option for medical technology manufacturers. For companies that do not have their own digital infrastructure, this is a benefit: "For example, we are working with a manufacturer that offers devices for secretion solutions - purely mechanical, without sensors. They can now use our platform to see whether and how their product is being used - and also prove this to the statutory health insurances," explains Baturay.

One platform for many: Insurers, patients, industry partners

Breathment pursues a broad-based business model with several customer groups: Health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, medical technology manufacturers. In contrast to many start-ups that focus exclusively on reimbursement by statutory health insurers, Breathment positions itself as a platform provider with flexibly customizable patient journeys.

“We are building real care concepts - with coaching, digital content, AI feedback and monitoring,” says Baturay. “And we can customize this for very different partners - for example, for health insurance companies that want to see better results or for pharmaceutical companies that want to improve treatment adherence.”

Breathment has been officially approved as a medical device since the beginning of 2024. The first contracts with health insurance companies have been concluded and others are in preparation. For example, a major Swiss health insurance company will soon join the company - an important step towards internationalization.

Lung cancer: physically fit through digital therapy

The current focus is still on asthma and COPD, but other indications are already in the pipeline. Next up is lung cancer - especially for patients before an operation. "Many are weakened and lose weight and muscle mass. Our programs aim to get them fit before the operation - physically, mentally, educationally. This can significantly improve the prognosis," says Baturay.

Other rarer lung diseases are to follow. The long-term vision: a platform that supports all people with respiratory diseases - digitally, professionally, flexibly.

Baturay Yalvaç and Elçin Can Çavuşoğlu were delighted to win the Start-up Pitch Contest at the Medtec Summit 2025 in Nuremberg. © Breathment GmbH

Expansion of cooperations

Although there are now a few competitors, Baturay believes his team is well positioned. "Where we are better is in patient management and coaching. Many telemonitoring providers do not yet offer real coaching - we do. And with the launch of our telemonitoring program, we are very well positioned technologically and therapeutically."

Around 400 patients are already using the platform - and the trend is rising. Collaborations with clinics (including Asklepios Gauting and Regensburg University Hospital) are to be expanded further. And Breathment is attracting self-pay patients via its own social media channels and website.

Growth planned

Breathment wants to grow - in Germany, but also internationally. Further European markets are to be developed by 2026. The message remains the same: “Respiratory diseases are globally underserved - we want to change that.”

With an AI-supported system that accompanies the patient. With a platform that combines therapy, technology and a personal approach. And with a founding team that has shown that Good ideas sometimes start with a phone call from mom.

Breathment GmbH
Year of Foundation	2021
Head office location	79206 Breisach am Rhein
Founders	Yalvaç Top, Elçin Can Çavuşoğlu, Baturay Yalvaç
Number of employees	10
Website address	www.breathment.com/de/