Hi Everyone,

Welcome back to Lemons in the Room, the XR digital-therapy startup reshaping the quality of care in hospitals.

We want to share what’s happening in immersive health and inside our lab of Lemons 🍋

Lemons Journal is where we explore how virtual reality, product design, and neuroscience are redefining healthcare.

In this edition:

1. Data Driven Execution 🔢

2. Tech Team Growing 👨🏽‍💻

3. Make Europe Lemons Again 🍎

4. Angels Round 👼🏽

Before we deep dive into this edition, we want to speak a little bit about AI and Agents, since Sanremo is too mainstream.

We are cooking something at the intersection of AI automation and startup management, using agents and tools that put us at the forefront of how modern startups operate.

AI agents that run 24/7 on our infrastructure: not just reading emails, managing memory, drafting documents. Not a chatbot. Not a Notion plugin. A system that connects the dots and keeps the machine running while we sleep.

Under the Hood, our engineering team has been moving fast across the full stack.

We shipped Lemo v0.1.1 to all public channels. We migrated our audio architecture to FMOD, enabling dynamic, multilingual voiceover delivery powered by ElevenLabs.

Our 3D pipeline is producing clinical-grade immersive environments built entirely in-house. A new Breathing VFX system is in prototyping, real-time visual feedback tied to patient interaction.

And we’ve broken ground on something new. More soon. We’re not optimizing the product. We’re optimizing the machine that builds it.

1. Execution Density

Q1 is moving fast. We activated 2 new regions, with 38 new hospitals entering the pipeline. Not just new contracts closed, but strong upselling in hospitals where we’re already active.

The private healthcare sector is concentrated in a few major groups. We’re now working with both of the largest: pilot launched at Palazzo della Salute, part of Gruppo San Donato, activated during GAET. Humanitas Rozzano has confirmed interest on paper for clinical validation.

Healthcare is shifting from volume to value. From procedures to outcomes.

For the fourth consecutive year, hospitals are being evaluated on the implementation of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures, standardized questionnaires measuring functional wellbeing, quality of life, and real clinical impact from the patient perspective. This is exactly where immersive digital therapy fits.

In the latest World’s Best Hospitals 2026 ranking by Newsweek, Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS is #33 worldwide and Niguarda is #43. Both are already in our pipeline.

After Milan in January and Rome in February, March’s target is Naples. Momentum is regional. Strategy is national.

Health Economics

Data is step one. Money is step two.

If immersive care is going to scale inside healthcare systems, it has to speak their language. Not outcomes. Budgets.

So we started building the economic case.

Every session logged, every procedure supported, every anesthesiologist hour saved. It’s all evidence. We’re now structuring that evidence into a health economics framework: cost reduction, workflow efficiency, system-level impact.

This is the bridge between “hospitals love it” and “hospitals pay for it at scale.”

In Germany, DiGA already reimburses digital therapeutics at €541 per prescription. That’s the market we’re building toward.

Usage → Health Economics → Regulatory → Market Expansion.

The chain is logical. And we’re walking it.

2. Product Deepening

The team is not just growing. It’s specializing.

Sound Design. Human Computer Interface specialist. 3D & Animation. Concept Art. A new dev joining. Each role exists because a generic product can’t win in hospitals. Clinical environments are unforgiving. The audio has to work, the interaction has to be intuitive under stress.

We’re not adding headcount. We’re adding depth.

The clearest example is our pediatric app now in full redesign together with Links Foundation. Not a visual refresh. A rethink of the entire interaction model: anxiety reduction as a design variable, adaptive logic, UX built around the clinical moment not around the screen.

Over a year of real deployment in pediatric hospitals. Now it becomes a proper clinical tool.

3. European Legitimacy

Italy is the proof. Europe is the plan.

Next week we’ll be at the health.tech Global Summit in Basel, the largest health tech conference in Europe. We have our booth, 26 meetings already booked with hospital directors, NHS leads, and HealthTech investors. Day 3 takes us inside Kantonsspital Baden and Roche HQ.

Europe isn’t a plan anymore. It starts Tuesday.

We started the MDR Class I path. Because without it, no serious institutional adoption in Europe is possible. It’s the ticket. We’re buying it now.

On Germany: we’ve opened the first conversations. The strategy is deliberate: soft landing with selected hospital pilots, then DiGA pathway for digital therapeutics reimbursement. No rush. The groundwork laid in 2026 becomes the beachhead in 2027.

4. The Bridge

We’ve been working on something we’d like your input on.

We’re structuring an angels round via SAFE. Before we finalize the terms, we want to hear from the people who know us best.

Context: we’ve secured €200k in non-dilutive grants, with €300k more unlocking over the next months. Non-dilutive capital validates the model. But grants don’t buy speed, and speed is what the next 12 months require.

The round is happening. The question is how to structure it well. We have our thinking. But we’d rather stress-test it with people who’ve seen this before than move fast and get it wrong.

If you have a view on the instrument, on the strategy, on the milestones, we’d genuinely value the conversation.

Reach out if you want to hear where we’re going. Momentum is real.

Hi Everyone,

Welcome back to Lemons in the Room, the XR digital-therapy startup reshaping the quality of care in hospitals.

We want to share what’s happening in immersive health and inside our lab of Lemons 🍋

Lemons Journal is where we explore how virtual reality, product design, and neuroscience are redefining healthcare.

In this edition:

0. January Opening Snapshot
1. Team Updates
2. Business Momentum
3. Strategic Reset & Roadmap

January started with a totally new energy. We came back from the Christmas break with a new office.

A private one. Back in the OGR Techstars mood.

Not a coworking anymore, where every day at the end of the day you pack your laptop and your ideas into a backpack, but a space where Lemons’ ideas and strategy can stay, grow, and take over desks and walls.

We’re also sharing the space with another startup that just raised and is now scaling fast. The energy is contagious.

And there’s one more reason this month feels special. As I write this update, Lemons turns two.

We’re starting with a clear objective: €750k in revenue, and the structure in place to make it real.

So happy birthday to Lemons, and to everyone who has been part of the journey so far🍋

1. Team & Organization

Over the years, many of you, mentors and investors, told us the same thing: you don’t invest in ideas, you invest in people. We are applying the same principle internally.

That’s why we are intentionally focusing on building a team of individuals with ownership, energy, and the willingness to grow with the company and take responsibility as Lemons scales.

This is also our largest investment today: strengthening the team where execution matters most, and adding the right capabilities as the company enters a more structured phase.

January also marks an important step in how Lemons is organized and operates.

We welcomed Ricca to the team, joining full-time with a focus on business growth. His role is to work closely with sales and founders on pipeline execution, deal conversion, and commercial structure, helping us shift from founder heavy execution to a more scalable setup.

This hire allows the founders to rebalance their time, moving from constant operational firefighting to clearer strategic ownership.

At the same time, the team is physically coming back together in Florence. After a month of fragmentation due to visa related issues, the full team can now work from the same space again. This might sound simple, but the impact on speed, alignment, and execution is very real.

We also selected three new interns who will gradually join the team over the coming months: two management engineers and one developer.

One will focus on structuring outreach and commercial diffusion in Italy in a more systematic and repeatable way.

The other will work on market analysis, competitive landscape, and the definition of actionable expansion paths in selected European countries.

On the technical side, the team is also picking up pace.

Product development at Lemons is no longer just about code. It now brings together software development, 3D art, animation, sound design, and concept art, all working as coordinated parts of the same system.

This multidisciplinary setup allows us to move faster without sacrificing quality, translating clinical needs into experiences that are coherent, reliable, and usable in real hospital environments.

This includes the evolution of our pediatric offering, built on more than a year of real world experience in pediatric hospitals, with active clinical champions, multi department usage, and structured feedback loops. These learnings are now converging into a more mature, clearer, and stronger product direction.

As the team grows, so does the pace at which Lemons can think, test, and execute.

This is a necessary step as we move from an early, founder driven phase into a company designed to scale.

2. Business Momentum

January didn’t just feel different. It showed it in numbers.

In the first weeks of the year, we closed three commercial deals that alone generate the same revenue as the entire 2025. This is not a spike driven by chance, but the result of a more structured sales process, clearer positioning, and better execution across the funnel.

New hospitals have been signed and onboarded, with smoother activation processes and clearer ownership on both sides. This is allowing Lemons to expand its presence across Italy, department by department, with increasing consistency.

At the same time, we are seeing stronger signals of product-market fit.

Usage data, qualitative feedback from clinicians, and clinical outcomes are starting to align. Hospitals that adopt Lemons are not just testing it: they are integrating it, expanding usage, and asking for more.

This momentum is reflected not only in revenue, but also in:

• higher usage per center

• growing upsell opportunities

• 0 churn and stronger renewal signals

Most importantly, commercial traction is no longer detached from the product.

What hospitals are buying is increasingly aligned with how the product is actually used, measured, and perceived on the field.

This is the kind of momentum we want to scale: grounded in real usage, real outcomes, and repeatable processes.

3. Strategic Reset & Roadmap 2026–2028

Growth and progress are not accidental.

They are the result of a meticulous, methodical, and increasingly scientific approach we are adopting to move Lemons forward.

Improvisation is over.

Thanks to the method we learned at Techstars, combined with deep market analysis and industry best practices, Lemons is now operating on much more solid ground.

Over the past weeks, the founders, together with advisors, went through a deep strategic reset.

We aligned on expectations, roles, priorities, and decision-making frameworks.

We translated vision into execution through a clear system of OKRs, KPIs, and project management.

Lemons is no longer run by instinct alone.

From now on, growth is driven by structure, data, and long-term intent.

These pillars guide every major decision we make over the next three years.

1. Zero-Touch Strategy

Transform a hands-on service into a remote, scalable, and repeatable model.

2. Deep Science

Build a strong scientific moat through clinical validation, publications, and measurable outcomes.

3. Breakthrough Product

Continuously evolve the product to stay ahead of the market and remain a clinical reference point.

4. Grown-Up Company Strategy

Scale the organization with clear processes, delegation, project management, and a high-performance culture.

5. Strategic Alliance

Create partnerships that accelerate credibility, distribution, and international growth.

6. European Expansion

Structured territorial expansion with the objective of European leadership in clinical XR.

Q1 2026

For Q1 first sprints, we are tightening execution around one core priority: data driven adoption.

In the last year we learned a simple lesson: without a structured data collection system, every product decision becomes guesswork. Before pushing harder on clinical validation or accelerating international expansion, we need to understand current hospitals deeply and turn usage into actionable insight.

This is how we move from a promising tool to a scalable clinical system: measure, learn, iterate, and only then scale.

Asks

Lemons enters 2026 with clearer structure, stronger traction, and a defined long-term direction.

We’re looking for introductions to strategic partners and hospitals, and we’re happy to discuss the roadmap, assumptions, and execution plan with those who want to brainstorm with us.

At the same time, we’re starting to explore the next fundraising step, and we’re open to conversations with investors aligned with where we’re heading.

If you’d like to be part of this next chapter, now is a great moment to talk.

Hi Everyone,

Welcome back to Lemons in the Room, the VR digital-therapy startup reshaping the quality of care in hospitals.

We want to share what’s happening in immersive health and inside our lab of Lemons 🍋.

Lemons Journal is where we explore how virtual reality, product design, and neuroscience are redefining healthcare.

In this edition:

1. Europe Is Watching: UnitedXR, EIT Health & the Rise of Clinical XR

2. Inside Lemons: New Hospitals, New Minds, New Momentum

3. Product Update: The Road to Lemo 1.0

Opening Snapshot — Back to Where It All Started

We want to start this update with an important moment for us.

Two years ago, three students with nothing but an idea and a lot of stubborn motivation managed to squeeze their way into Forum Risk Management, the biggest healthcare event in Italy.

We had no booth. No team. No real structure.
Just one headset, a prototype, and a lot of energy.

And yet, somehow, we captured the attention of the entire fair.
We were even offered a spot on stage for a completely disruptive talk, totally out of sync with the usual tone of the event.

That was the moment Lemons quietly began.

This month, we went back.
But not as students sneaking in. From the main door!

We returned with our own stand, a fully formed product, and hundreds of conversations with clinicians, nurses, and hospital directors.
We returned as the team we once imagined we could be.

A lot has changed in two years.
But the feeling, that spark, is exactly the same.

1. Europe Is Watching — UnitedXR, EIT Health & the Rise of Clinical XR

Not just Italy anymore.
This month we stepped onto the European stage, and it’s clear that immersive healthcare is no longer a niche experiment. It’s becoming a real movement.

UnitedXR — A New Spotlight for Clinical XR

We been selected among the Startup to Watch to pitch at UnitedXR, the largest XR fair in Europe.

A stage normally dominated by hardware giants, chip manufacturers, and deep-tech labs.
Being invited there means one thing:

Clinical XR is now recognised as an emerging category, and Lemons is one of the companies to watch.

All the big players were there.
Meta, Pico, Varjo, Qualcomm, and the major ecosystem builders.
And for the first time, a VR therapeutic solution designed for hospitals stood next to them.

Beyond the pitch itself, UnitedXR gave us something more valuable: a clear snapshot of where the XR industry actually stands today.

We had the chance to try competing products, speak directly with other teams, and listen to the problems and limitations that many players are facing.

Many solutions still struggle with usability in real environments, others are disconnected from clinical workflows.

Some are built for demos rather than for daily use.

Spending time on the floor, testing devices, and comparing approaches confirmed something important for us:

Lemons is operating at the highest level of the current industry.

Not because of features, but because of focus.

Because the product is designed for hospitals, not adapted to them.

Because it works within constraints instead of ignoring them.

EIT Health — Europe Opening Its Doors

We also reached the final round of EIT Health, one of the most important European networks in healthcare innovation.

A program that brings together hospitals, universities, corporates, regulators, and investors from all over Europe.

And the message was clear:

Our solution has European relevance.
Not just local traction, but the potential to become part of a continental strategy for patient-centered care.

From Arezzo to EIT Health to the main stage of UnitedXR, this month made one thing clear: Europe is starting to see immersive healthcare not as an experiment, but as an emerging standard.

2. Inside Lemons — New Hospitals, New Minds, New Momentum

Lemons is growing inside hospitals, inside teams, and inside the healthcare system itself.

New Hospitals, New Clinical Use Cases

This month we signed new contracts and activated new departments across Italy.
Each week Lemo enters a different ward, meets new clinicians, and interacts with patients in real conditions.

One moment stood out.

Lemo was used during a cardiac ablation procedure, replacing pharmacological sedation and helping the patient remain calm and stable throughout the intervention.

A concrete step toward what we call digital sedation.

Consip: Officially in the National Procurement System

Another important milestone:
Lemons is now officially listed on Consip, the national procurement platform used by all public hospitals in Italy.

This simplifies purchases, removes friction, and makes our solution easier to integrate into clinical workflows.
Being on MEPA means we are a recognized supplier. It is a big validation for a startup in medical innovation.

A New Tool for Integration: The UV Sterilization Base

To support adoption inside wards, we are exploring a UV based sterilization module for our headsets.

Hospitals keep asking for simple, fast, hygienic tools.
Our charging base already solves part of the workflow; adding a compact UV module could remove one of the last practical frictions: sanitizing headsets between patients.
Adding a small and easy module will simplify and enhance the offer and the sanitizing headsets between patients.

3. Product Update — The Road to Lemo 1.0

The product continued to evolve this month, both in stability and in structure.
Our focus has been on refining the foundations that will define Lemo 1.0.

Voice Interaction

We introduced voice control inside Lemo.

This simplifies the experience for patients and improves usability for clinicians, who can now operate the system without touching the headset or navigating menus.

Building a Linear Protocol

Over the last months we started to structure Lemo not just as a VR experience, but as a linear therapeutic protocol, usable and repeatable across different hospitals.

This includes:

• a clear sequence of steps

• consistent clinical objectives

• measurable outputs

• standardization across hospitals

The aim is simple: create something that can be adopted and applied in the same way anywhere, regardless of the clinician or the ward.

Designing the 1.0 Foundation

Much of the product work now is less about adding features and more about defining the architecture that will support Lemo for the next years.

With Lazar we are aligning on:

• the next iteration of the experience

• clinical requirements

• data structure and outcomes

• operational workflow for hospitals

• integration with our roadmap for international expansion

This phase is essential to move toward a stable and scalable 1.0 release.

Wrapping Up 2025

To wrap up 2025, it’s worth taking a moment to look at what actually happened.

Lemons is now active in 15 hospitals, across 5 different regions.

A total of 27 departments, split between adult care and pediatrics.

During the year, 8 scientific papers have been developed, with 2 currently being published, also in collaboration with AIOM, covering areas from oncology to senology.

Clinical results show meaningful impact on anxiety, distress, and pain.

New hospitals are joining the network in Rieti, Grosseto, and Perugia.

Our work has been supported by organizations such as Fondazione Lavazza, Lions Club, and Fratellanza Militare.

And there is more coming.

See you in 2026! Stay Lemons 🍋

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Hi Everyone,

Welcome back to Lemons in the Room, the VR digital-therapy startup reshaping the quality of care in hospitals.

We want to share what’s happening in immersive health and inside our lab of Lemons 🍋.

Lemons Journal is where we explore how virtual reality, product design, and neuroscience are redefining healthcare.

In this edition:

1. Market Signal – Meta AR Shift

2. Inside Lemons – New CTO, New structure.

3. Product Update – Our roadmap towards the VR standard in healthcare.

1. The Shift to Everyday AR

Last month, Meta released the Ray-Ban Meta Display Glasses, the first commercial, always-on AR device.

A huge step in the race toward mass-market augmented reality.

For the first time, Meta’s smart glasses include micro-displays built directly into the frame, moving away from immersive VR headsets and toward lightweight, seamless AR.

It’s a deep shift in the market: from immersion to presence.

Meanwhile, Apple is moving more cautiously, with Vision Pro still off the shelves and new AR glasses expected only around 2027.

And healthcare is joining the race, too.

VR headsets remain unmatched for our use cases where full immersion and sensory distraction can ease pain, stress, and anxiety in hospital settings.

At the same time, AR devices are gaining traction for medical training and surgery, helping clinicians visualize anatomy, vitals, and contextual data directly in their field of view.

Beyond hospitals, it’s hard to predict what happens when a screen lives in front of our eyes 24/7.

Looking at how addicted we already are to the ones in our hands, I’m not too optimistic.

2. Inside Lemons: A New Chapter

This month marks a huge shift in our story.

We’re now three founders leading Lemons forward, a smaller, sharper core, and a team that feels more focused and close than ever.

But we also know that Lemons needs people and talent to keep growing.

That’s why we’ve brought in Lazar, our new CTO.

A psychologist and experienced VR developer. The missing piece we’d been looking for.

He’s the perfect bridge between technology and the human mind, exactly what Lemons was born to connect.

We met Lazar in one of those beautiful serendipities that only happen when you mix networking and wine bar, during our time at Techstars.

Same ideals, same vision, and after just a few months working together, things are already sharper than ever.

This moment feels like alignment: of purpose, of vision, of people.

We’ve spent the last two years experimenting, failing, building.

Now, the pieces are finally starting to fit.

3. Product Update: Towards the VR Standard

In the last few months, we’ve truly realized the power of what we’re building.

The effect, the response, the emotions we see. They’re making a real difference.

We’re not just selling a VR tool.

We’re changing the way people experience hospitals.

That’s why we decided to take the bigger, and harder path.

This isn’t just an update.

We’re building a protocol. The standard for how virtual reality can support patients inside hospitals.

Our main goal has always been people.

So let’s go a little more scientific.

In the 1970s, Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn took the principles of mindfulness and meditation from Eastern traditions and brought them into medicine.

He validated their effects through science and built a structure around them, creating the MBSR protocol (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction).

For the first time, every doctor and every clinic could apply the same framework, speak the same language, and deliver measurable results to patients.

We’re doing exactly the same, but with virtual reality.

We’re turning immersive therapy into a structured, validated, and replicable clinical practice. One that any hospital can adopt, measure, and trust.

Next Stop —> Malta 🇲🇹

Next week we’ll be in Malta for the Pitch Black competition, and we’ll also take the chance to host our founders’ retreat.

A few days to slow down, breathe, and go deep on the next chapters of Lemons: vision, focus, and growth.

Looking Ahead

In the coming weeks, we’ll start opening the doors to a few business angels already close to our mission. People who believe in immersive healthcare and want to shape this movement with us.

Thanks for reading, for following our work, and for helping us grow this lemon tree 🌳🍋

Team Lemons 🍋

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Demo Day wasn’t just a day. It was a whole week.

A week of energy, shared pressure, laughter, and last-minute slides.

Getting ready all together. Feeling the rush. Breathing the same excitement.

And then the actual day.

Lights on.

Martin charging us like a warrior coach.

That moment on stage? Unforgettable.

I just want to say thank you to all of you who’ve been part of this wild, intense, beautiful ride.

For sharing space and time. Happy time and desperation time.

Three months that felt like a lifetime.

Thank you Martin, Sheila, Virgi, Carlotta, Ema, Dottor Chiara, Christian, Giorgia Silvia.

Thank you to our Dream Mentor Team, and to everyone who gave us a hand, a challenge, or a word of support: Nicola, Chiara, Stefano, Emanuele, Andrea, Diego, Tommaso, and so many more.

And thank you to the 12 amazing teams and all the founders who made this journey truly special.

Lemons are doing great.

We’ll be staying in Torino for the next few months, sharing the office with Vocations.

Come say hi, we’ll have espresso, and probably new KPIs too.

With love,

Team Lemons 🍋

The weekend’s over, the inbox is filling up… but before diving in, here’s your weekly squeeze of fresh Lemons.

Double Launch: Siena & Prato

It’s official: Siena and Prato are now part of the Lemonverse.

The first sessions with Lemo are already underway: feedback from healthcare teams has been energizing, with early signs of real patient impact.

Nicco, Matteo, Emma & Milo led the onboarding on-site, setting up visors, supporting staff, and laying the groundwork for new case studies.

Torino Gets a Dose of VR

Two new visors delivered this week at Candiolo Cancer Institute, just outside Torino.

A new department has joined the journey marking another step forward in bringing immersive care into oncology.

Step by step, we’re turning Piemonte yellow.

Meyer Onco Goes Live

A very special launch is happening next week at the Pediatric Oncology department at Meyer in Florence.

It’s a delicate space, and we’re honored to bring VR where courage meets care.

The countdown has started and we’re ready.

Ale Goes West

West Coast Lemon🇺🇸

Ale is flying to San Francisco in two weeks to join the Innovit startup program.

It’s an honor to be selected: he’ll be diving into the heart of startup culture and planting seeds for Lemons beyond borders.

From pitch decks to pier views, it’s all about global expansion, one connection at a time.

Stories in Motion

We’re filming.

This week, new content is being captured directly from hospitals: interviews, patient stories, and raw moments of impact.

It’s the soul of what we do, and soon it’ll be live on our social channels. Stay tuned.

🍋 That’s a wrap for WK10

Thanks for riding along. Whether you’re in Tuscany or California, the Lemonade flows strong.

And a huge thank you to everyone who joined the Lemons Party this week… laughter, hugs, new faces, and old friends. You reminded us once again: we’re not just a team, we’re a family.

Here’s to more impact, more smiles, and a lot more yellow.

With love,

Team Lemons 💛

Let’s kick off the week with our classic dose of Lemons: here’s your weekly snapshot to start the week with energy and a touch of that signature lemonade spirit.

Sheila’s Countdown Continue

Sheila keeps pushing with the countdowns… and it’s starting to feel real: just two weeks left together. The mood is getting emotional: it’s super sad to think this chapter is closing soon.

Nicco's Back & Going Global

Freshly back from Japan, building international bridges for global impact.
We’ve just been invited to two more international events:

• Prague, May 17 – unfortunately, we won’t attend due to the Techstars finale

• Madrid, end of June – a great opportunity to explore after the program ends

A Lemon in Every Office?

This week we had a super inspiring talk with a mentor about corporate wellbeing.
Same science, same soul, just a different setting.
Lemons for employee wellbeing and burnout prevention? It might just be our next frontier.

Bringing lemonade everywhere.
This could also help us shorten sales cycles and significantly expand our market. In this space, it's easier to justify economically preventing burnout means saving huge costs for companies.

Onboarding New Hospitals

• Aviano IRCCS: demo scheduled next week

• Siena & Prato: new partner hospitals, onboarding in progress

• Nicco and Milo will be on-site to set up 15 new VR systems, collect feedback, and start new case studies.

Due to these important launches, we’ve introduced new VR experiences that test different scientific principles. We’ve added a supporting character designed to enhance empathy and emotional understanding, and rolled out new interaction-based experiences to cognitively stimulate the brain and help mitigate the effects of the disease.

Demo Day: Getting Real

We’ve confirmed our on-stage presenter: Dr. Renzo Ricci, Director of Technical Health Professions at AOU Careggi. Renzo is a nationally recognized figure in the Italian healthcare system, and having him introduce Lemons on stage is a true honor.
Pitch is 90% ready. Storyline is sharp, visuals are almost locked, energy is building.

The Last Supper (Techstars Edition)

Preparations underway for the final family dinner.

The Bernardos opened the season with a bang, and now Lemons will close it in true Tuscan style.
Good food, good vibes, and the best way to say ciao for now.

Lemons Party

🍋 That’s a wrap for WK9

Thanks for making it all the way down here. If you loved this weekly (or thought it was mid), drop a comment we actually read them.
Got ideas, intros, or feedback? Slide into our DMs or come say hi at OGR.

The best is yet to come. Love you all, have a great week.

Team Lemons 🍋

A Donation that Feels Like a Hug

We're proud to announce a new chapter in our journey: Fondazione Pitigliani has chosen to support patients at Santo Stefano Hospital in Prato by donating 4 Lemons headsets, for a total value of €20,000.

Thank you, Fondazione Pitigliani, for believing in the power of immersive care. 🍋

New Hospital, Same Mission: Humanizing Oncology Care

This week, we’re starting a new test at San Giuseppe Hospital in Empoli, bringing Lemons into their oncology wards for the first time.

Meanwhile, our pilot phases in Pisa and at OSMA Florence have just come to a close: with 100+ patients involved and an average satisfaction score above 95%.

We’re learning with every step.

Partnership with LINKS Foundation

We're teaming up with LINKS Foundation to enhance our VR technical development capabilities. This partnership is a big step forward in advancing our technology and boosting the impact of our solutions.

Strategic Collaboration with Pico

We're finalizing a strategic partnership with Pico for hardware supply, co-marketing initiatives, distribution, and logistics. This collaboration will significantly streamline our operations and boost our market reach.

Growing the Lemons Family

We're actively scouting a Senior VR Expert to join forces with Greg, our talented Junior VR Developer. Know an yone exceptional? Send them our way!

Clinics & Revenue Sharing

We've secured a demo with Smart Clinics (Gruppo San Donato) a major private healthcare group operating 50 clinics across Italy.

This partnership aims to:

• Develop a tailored business model specifically for private clinics.

• Pilot an innovative revenue-sharing approach, unlocking significant market potential.

Next Stop: Japan 🇯🇵

Lemons is officially going international we’re headed to Japan! We've partnered with a 5 continents Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Services Distributor to expand Lemons' global reach. This marks a huge milestone in our international strategy.
Next week, Nicco will be in Fukuoka attending a conference where we will present our solutions and explore further opportunities. Wish us luck as we bring some Lemons to Japan!

Pitch Practice

The pitch is starting to produce a good melody. Lots of work ahead and many more iterations to go, but we know we will kill it. More updates soon!

Stay Tuned!

Family dinner is coming up on the 15th! Big things ahead, Lemons family! Drop your thoughts, connections, or just say hi: we love hearing from you. Let's keep squeezing the best out of every opportunity.

Lemons Party

🍋 That’s a wrap for WK8

Thanks for making it all the way down here. If you loved this weekly (or thought it was mid), drop a comment we actually read them.
Got ideas, intros, or feedback? Slide into our DMs or come say hi at OGR.

Love you all, have a great week.

Team Lemons 🍋

Hospital Conversations: Big Moves in Turin

This week, thanks to our mentors’ help and network, we spoke with key clinics in Turin:

• Regina Margherita

• Candiolo

• Mauriziano

Great feedback, lots of interest.

In just one meeting, we secured director approval and booked a demo in two departments at Regina Margherita Pediatric Hospital.

That’s how quickly things are moving.

Digital Therapeutics: The Next Step

We’re diving into DTx (Digital Therapeutics), a critical area that will allow us to scale and reach even more patients.

We’re working on securing the necessary certifications and establishing the right connections with the Health Ministry.

This is a huge challenge, but with high reward.

🌱 Chatbot, Community, and Matchmaking

We’re continuing to explore the potential of our Lemo Chatbot, which will allow us to engage with patients even outside the hospital. This will include community building and matchmaking for peer support.

🤝 Fast Agreement for Advisors

We’re preparing a fast agreement for our advisors—big players in the healthcare industry who want to join us in this exciting ride.

We want to streamline the process and make it as efficient as possible with people who can bring real value to the table.

Any suggestions on how to prepare it?

We’re open to feedback from those who’ve been through the process before or have insight into what’s best for both parties.

🍋 That’s a wrap for WK7

Thanks for making it all the way down here. If you loved this weekly (or thought it was mid), drop a comment we actually read them.
Got ideas, intros, or feedback? Slide into our DMs or come say hi at OGR.

Love you all, have a great week.

Team Lemons 🍋

Welcome back to Lemons in the Room.

Week 6 tasted like validation. Not because someone said “bravi,” but because another major hospital made it official.

AOU Le Scotte in Siena, one Tuscany’s key public hospital, has officially adopted Lemons. It’s not the first. It’s big. And it means that what we’re doing is not just promising. It’s working.

Siena highlights

• Siena is now Lemons – Full adoption of our service in both Oncology and Pediatric Surgery. Two very different contexts, one shared goal: improving patient experience.

• Closed a €30K deal – This isn’t just a symbolic win. It’s a financial commitment, and a sign that the value we bring is recognized at scale.

• New departments, new challenges – Pediatric surgery brings a whole new environment, different needs, and new types of patients. We’re stepping in ready to learn, adapt, and grow.

• Co-creation in action – We’ll be working side-by-side with doctors, nurses, and hospital staff. Their feedback will be crucial to understand what works, what needs refining, and how to make Lemons even more impactful.

  ---

Florence highlights voices from the field

Alessandro here, writing from Florence.

I came back to test the homeland.

A small stage, yes but one that meant a lot.

On Friday, I joined the first internal conference at AOU Careggi, where we reviewed the first 3 months of Lemons in Oncology.

We heard what worked, what surprised, and what still needs to evolve. The vibe? Electric. The energy around VR is tangible doctors, nurses, and coordinators are not just using the tool, they’re curious, engaged, and eager to expand it.

Several department heads attended and asked: “Can we bring Lemons to our unit too?”

Upcoming events – Lemons on the road

So much happening in the next few days.

• Monday – Human Care Meeting, AOU Le Scotte (Siena)

  We’ll be back in Siena to present Lemons at the hospital’s internal Human Care session, focused on improving patient wellbeing through innovation.

• Saturday – International Pain Conference (Rome)

  We clicked with one of Italy’s leading pain specialists. After hearing our story, he immediately invited at his next event: Roma Pain Days.

  We didn’t just attend. We connected.

• April 15 – Ikigai Cyberdays (Siena)

  Ikigai invited us to speak as a success story one of their startups now active in multiple hospitals. Feels good. Feels full circle.

• April 16 – Pitch session @ MIP Firenze

  One year later, we’re back this time not as applicants, but as the case study.

  Real-world validation meets new generation energy.

KPIs: progress & reset

Last week we played hard. And it showed.

Here’s the scoreboard for our April 3 targets:

• ✅ 5/4 new pilots in public hospitals

• ✅ 5/5 appointments with foundations/associations

• ➖ 2/10 interviews with patients or caregivers

• 🔥 9/10 interviews with ICP-aligned private clinics

We hit most of our numbers. But what stuck with us the most weren’t the meetings or the metrics.

It was what patients told us. The emotional side. The confusion. The loneliness. What happens between one hospital visit and the next? What happens when the VR comes off?

What’s next: a bigger picture emerges

So, we start asking bigger questions.

What if Lemons wasn’t just a tool used in hospitals, but something more? What if it could follow patients everywhere, into their routines, their phones, even their fears?

That’s where the Lemo Chatbot comes in.

A simple, empathetic WhatsApp-based assistant designed to support oncology patients. It’s early. Nothing is clear yet. But the process has begun. And we’re excited to explore what it really means to extend care beyond hospital walls.

Lead mentors: locked & loading

We’ve officially confirmed our Lead Mentors and this week, we’ll host our first Mentor Kick-Off.

If you’re a mentor reading this:

Thank you for jumping on this journey with us. We’re not here to impress you we’re here to build with you. Let’s make this real. We also want to talk, challenge and shape this next big thing. It’s early, it’s raw and that’s why your input is gold.

Write down every idea you’ve got. Let’s bring them to the table and build this together.

🍋 That’s a wrap for WK6

Thanks for making it all the way down here. If you loved this weekly (or thought it was mid), drop a comment we actually read them.
Got ideas, intros, or feedback? Slide into our DMs or come say hi at OGR.

Love you all, have a great week.

Team Lemons 🍋

Some friends came to visit us, some good techno music, sunshine, and a full day at the park. We took the time to breathe, recharge, and just be together as a team.

Now we’re back clearer, stronger, and ready to go.

The team: our most valuable asset

In the rush of Techstars, we started moving fast but not always forward.

Internal friction, blurred roles, missed opportunities. It happens.

So, we did the most important thing: we talked.

Just the four of us, some beers, and a lot of honesty. We realigned on why we’re here, what we want to build, and how we want to work.

Now we’re moving as one.

KPI mode: no more wasted motion

This week, we set clear, action-driven KPIs. No fluff. No vanity.

Just numbers that force us to learn and execute faster. Main objective: Find real product-market fit.

How?

• Talking to patients and buyers

• Refining our offer based on direct feedback

• Testing what actually creates value

• Targeting the Torino market with precision. We’ve built strong local contacts who are ready to support us in the coming days.

Torino is our testing ground and we’re moving fast. We’ve built the right connections, gathered real insights, and now it’s time to execute. If you’re in the game, now’s the time to talk.

Mentor feedback: brutal and exactly what we needed

We received something rare and precious: a full, written feedback report from all the mentors we’ve met so far, and it hit deep. Seeing ourselves through their eyes raw, honest, unfiltered was exactly what we needed.

It was one of the most useful moments of the entire program.

So… what did we understand?

• We’re strong when it comes to energy, vision, and ambition.

• But we still need to work on clarity, positioning, and how we communicate our core values.

Some mentors went even further they told us our product seems weak, maybe even unnecessary. That hurt. But we’re not here to be comfortable we’re here to build something that matters. So instead of backing off, we’re pushing forward with even more conviction.

And we’re more determined than ever to prove that what we’re building is a game changer for healthcare. The doubt fueled us. Now we’re ready to answer with results.

Private clinics: real data, real direction

This week, we moved from intuition to insight.

Thanks to surveys, interviews, and direct conversations, we’re now collecting structured feedback from both patients and medical staff.

We’re learning:

• Where Lemons fits best in the patient journey

• What features truly deliver value and which ones don’t

• How to speak the language of clinic directors, not just innovators

This isn’t just validation. It’s co-creation. We’re building the product with the market, not just for it.

We need you

Here’s what we’re asking from you this week:

• Support us on LinkedIn & Instagram we’re building visibility one post at a time.

• Constructive conversations with mentors who criticised our product to understand how to improve it

🍋 That’s a wrap for WK5

Thanks for making it all the way down here. If you loved this weekly (or thought it was mid), drop a comment we actually read them.
Got ideas, intros, or feedback? Slide into our DMs or come say hi at OGR.

Love you all, have a great week.

Team Lemons 🍋

Netflix & Chill? Nah. Tonight it's Lemons & Weekly Update 🍋

You received this newsletter because you're officially part of the Lemons Club. Every Sunday night, you’ll get our Social Weekly, a mix of real updates from our Techstars journey, field stories, reflections, and bold asks. This isn’t just a newsletter. It’s a community. Jump in, comment, add your thoughts. We’re building this together.

Mentor Madness is Over. Time to Sell.

Yes, Mentor Madness is done and you probably already knew that. So let’s cut to the chase.

We’ve come to terms with a big truth: even if our product isn’t (yet) our ultimate dream solution, it’s time to sell.

(@Diego's golden tip: stop looking only at Italy, start thinking global.)

Quick status update:

• We’re currently active in 3 public hospitals. We want to do more.

• But it’s also time to go private.

• That means refining our sales strategy and product positioning for premium clinics.

This week we kept asking ourselves: What’s the perfect pitch to a CEO of a major private clinic group?

Our first take:

"Enhance patient experience to increase the perceived value of therapy."

Indeed, that’s the question we tried to answer not just conceptually. We hit the field.

Reality Check: Door-to-Door

We started in Torino. Opened Google Maps. Typed in "best-reviewed private clinics." And just started walking in.

Yep. Real door-to-door.

Turns out, it's hard. Dentists, cosmetic surgeons, overwhelmed front desks, confused receptionists. Most of the time, it didn’t work.

Until one day, a surgeon finally let us in. After listening for a few minutes, he hit us with it:

"Nice to have. Not a priority. We need to increase efficiency and revenue. That’s all."

Boom. Reality check. We shifted gears. Bigger fish.

Operation: Clinic Takeover

We searched again this time aiming higher: top-tier clinics and medical centers.

And guess what? It worked.

• In one case, we landed a meeting with the founder & CEO of a major northern Italy clinic group: CIDIMU Group.

• In another, we spoke directly with the General Director of one of Torino’s most prestigious clinics: Clinica Fornaca.

How? We just walked in the front door. Took the stairs to the general offices. Knocked. Asked if they were available. And maybe we come across as charming (who knows), but both of them gave us time. We shared coffee. Had a great intro chat.

More updates coming next week.

Key learning: Sales conversations are cool. But now? It’s time to close deals.

Tuscany Updates

Even if we’re not physically in Florence, things are moving fast.

This week, we launched 2 new tests in two important Tuscan hospitals:

• Santa Maria Annunziata (Florence) – Oncology department

• AOU Le Scotte (Siena) – Hematology department

That brings us to 4 departments currently testing Lemons, while 3 hospitals are fully operational.

Back at OGR – Strategy Deep Dive

Back at base, we’re setting up meetings with more potential lead mentors. So far, our dream team has one confirmed member. The rest? We’re still scouting.

But some deep conversations this week gave us a lot to think about.

We realized we might need to:

• Focus more clearly on specific patient types and departments, based on patient response.

• Dive into the feedback we’re collecting (surveys, questionnaires).

• Conduct interviews with patients and families.

• Map out departments with the biggest budgets and patient volumes, both public and private.

Also: We want to form a medical advisory board at Lemons. If you know amazing doctors or medical professionals who might want to help shape the future of patient experience, send them our way. Drop a name in the comments!

We’ve officially set OKRs until April 17

• 10 medical advisory members

• 10 patient/family interviews

• 10 product demos with clinic or group directors

• 3 new tests launched, thinking not just Italy but globally.

Upcoming Events & Big News

We’re going public. Literally.

On April 4, we’ll announce to the press our first official VR project for patient wellbeing launched in oncology and gynecology at AOU Careggi.

Then on April 15–16, we’re heading to Bologna, joining Prof. Gianni Amunni on stage at Cracking Cancer to present the same project.

Oh, and we’ll also be at IKIGAI Cyberdays in Siena on April 9 as guest speakers.

Stay tuned. Lemons is on the move.

TL;DR for the Lazy Readers

We see you, Weekly skimmers. Here’s the recap:

• We’re shifting hard toward sales, especially in private clinics.

• We’re live in 4 hospital departments and expanding.

• We’re forming a medical advisory board, aiming for 10 members by April 17.

• We’re preparing for cold calls and field sales missions.

• Big events incoming: April 4 (Careggi press event), April 9 (IKIGAI Cyberdays), April 15–16 (Cracking Cancer).

We Need You

Here’s what we’re asking from you this week:

• What’s the perfect copy to pitch a CEO of a private clinic group?

• Know anyone at Gruppo Villa Maria or Fondazione Umberto Veronesi? Please connect us!

• Got healthcare pros who’d be great on our Medical Advisory Board? Drop names below!

• Wanna support us on LinkedIn? Here’s our latest post.

• In Torino? Come by OGR for a coffee or a lemonade. We’re here 7 days a week.

🍋 That’s a wrap for WK4

Thanks for making it all the way down here. If you loved this weekly (or thought it was mid), drop a comment we actually read them.
Got ideas, intros, or feedback? Slide into our DMs or come say hi at OGR.

Love you all, have a great week.

Team Lemons 🍋