Bringing research closer tothe people it is meantto serve.
ResearchReach is a participant-first platform helping health and digital research studies recruit, engage, and retain participants — co-designed in Zurich with researchers, patients, and advisory communities.
The problem
Research recruitment is one of the most persistent bottlenecks in health and digital science.
Studies are delayed, sample sizes go unmet, and participants disengage — not because eligible people don't exist, but because today's recruitment relies on fragmented tools, opaque language, and processes that weren't designed with participants in mind.
~50%
of studies miss their recruitment targets.
Not for lack of eligible people — but because the path to participation is fragmented and unclear.
Delayed.
Recruitment is often late.
Delays add cost, slow scientific discovery, and erode public trust in research.
Unheard.
Patients are left out.
Participants are too often treated as data sources, not partners. We're building research that listens — and reports back.
Our mission
We believe research should feel like a conversation — not a transaction. ResearchReach is building the tools, and the trust, to make that real.
Together with patients, advisory groups, and university partners in Zurich, we're shaping a recruitment experience that respects people's time, listens to their voices, and brings them back into the conversations that shape their care.
Recruitment isn't broken because participants are missing — it's broken because the path between studies and people is.
Effortless from first click to final visit
Plain-language study discovery is just the start. We design the whole journey — discovery, screening, consent, follow-up — around what actually causes drop-off, so participation feels clear, respectful, and easy from end to end.
A two-way conversation
Ideas flow both ways — questions, feedback, and lived experience shape the study as it runs. The result: higher patient approval, recruitment targets actually met, and research grounded in real-world scenarios rather than assumptions.
Built with patients, not just for them
Co-designed with patient advisory groups, support communities, and university networks. Every step is shaped by the people it's meant to serve — grounded in transparency, genuine informed consent, and trust that lasts well beyond any single study.
The team
Building at the intersection of health research and accessible technology.
Akhila Obilisetty
CO-FOUNDER | PLATFORM & PRODUCTMSc Computer Science at University of Zurich. Leads platform development and the participant-facing experience, translating co-design insights into a focused, accessible product.
Réka Enz
CO-FOUNDER | RESEARCH & COMMUNITYPhD in Digital Health at ETHZ and Schulthess Klinik. Leads research design, stakeholder partnerships, and community building with patient groups and university networks.
Backers & programs
Supported by institutions that share our vision.
Currently backed by
- ETH Student Project House
- UZH Teaching Fund
Previously part of
- UZH Entrepreneurship Bootcamp
- UZH Market Validation Lab
Get involved
Better research takes partners on both sides.
Research groups in Zurich
We're partnering with research groups at UZH, ETH, and affiliated hospitals to pilot ResearchReach in real recruitment scenarios. Early partners shape the platform and gain participant-first recruitment support.
Pilot with us→Patient & advisory groups
We work with patient advisory groups, support communities, and advocacy networks who want a seat at the table — shaping how studies communicate, recruit, and report back.
Join the co-design→