Revolutionizing aging: The role of neurostimulation and VR in AgeTech’s future — an interview with Bernard Gołko, CEO of QVITI S.A.

1. What do you consider the biggest challenges and opportunities that demographic change (especially aging of the population) brings for Poland in terms of technological development?

Demographic change is not just a challenge for the pension or healthcare system – it’s a fundamental question about the model of society. Population aging forces us to redesign services, products, and entire operational models. The opportunity lies in grounding this redesign in new technologies – not to replace humans, but to restore autonomy, dignity, and agency. AgeTech technologies, including our neurostimulation and VR solutions, can truly improve quality of life while easing the burden on the healthcare system.

According to the 2024 Ageing Report, public spending linked to population aging in the EU will rise from about 25% of GDP to over 26.5% by 2070. That translates into tens of billions of złoty more annually for healthcare and social budgets. AgeTech technologies – including VR and neurostimulation – can help reverse this trend. VR-based rehabilitation systems reduce hospitalization time, lower the need for stationary care, and improve cognitive therapy outcomes. New economic models show that slowing biological aging could save over 600,000 zł per person over a lifetime, with total health and economic value potentially exceeding 30 million zł per intervention.

2. Longevity doesn’t mean passivity. Seniors today are increasingly active – they travel, learn, and work. How is this redefinition of old age influencing AgeTech product and service design to meet their evolving needs and aspirations?

That’s exactly right – longevity more often means activity, not withdrawal. We’re seeing a redefinition of aging – not as the “final stage,” but as one of many life phases, during which people want to learn, work, pursue passions, and remain independent.

It’s no longer enough to create technologies for older people – we must design with them, respecting their lifestyles, needs, and aspirations. Seniors today expect solutions that are aesthetic, intuitive, and flexible – tools that don’t stigmatize, but help them achieve their goals: maintaining health, independence, and social connection.

At QVITI, we fully understand this. Our devices – like CorStim tES or the upcoming VRStim platform – are next-generation medical technologies that can be used not just in clinics but also at home, remotely and in tune with the patient’s lifestyle. These users are often active individuals seeking recovery after stroke, relief from depression symptoms, improved concentration, or slowed cognitive decline. They’re informed users who seek value, not dependency.

Moreover, this redefinition of aging shapes our company’s philosophy: we don’t sell “gadgets for seniors” – we deliver technologies that support human growth regardless of age. AgeTech is not just about tools; it’s a mindset: one that respects agency, dignity, and the ability to choose. That’s what we aim to promote.

3. The AgeTech market is growing rapidly, with the largest share held by companies in the US. Where does Poland stand globally, and what unique advantages might speed up the sector’s growth here?

The US and certain Asian countries like Japan and Singapore are AgeTech leaders. Aging hit those societies earlier, and their innovation ecosystems are mature. But Poland – and broadly Central and Eastern Europe – now has a chance to make a “technological leap” in AgeTech.

Why? First, we’re at the heart of a major demographic shift – over 25% of Poland’s population is already over 60. At the same time, we have a dynamic startup and medical sector ready to adopt innovations. Second, our strengths include excellent engineers, research teams, and a growing openness in healthcare to new technologies – especially in long-term care and rehabilitation.

At QVITI, we harness this potential to create technologies developed and tested in Poland, with global ambitions – like our transcranial brain stimulation (tES) systems, relevant not only to AgeTech but broader social challenges such as rehabilitation, depression, and neurodegeneration. Our products are also examples of dual-use technologies – applicable in both civilian and military contexts – making them strategically important for security as well.

Poland could become a values-driven AgeTech leader – not just market-oriented, but ethically grounded, where technology upholds dignity and autonomy. We have the intellectual resources to do it – we just need more courage, investment, and trust in our own capabilities.

4. As a practitioner and startup mentor, what are the biggest barriers for Polish startups entering the AgeTech market?

From my experience – both as CEO of QVITI and mentor to other startups – the main barriers are threefold: systemic, mental, and market-related.

Systemic – we lack clear pathways to implement innovations into healthcare and caregiving. Even if the technology works, it’s hard to test it in real environments like care homes or hospitals. There are no institutional AgeTech “sandboxes” like in Scandinavia or Singapore. Startups are left with products that have no place to take their “first step.”

Mental – for years, AgeTech was equated with “a tablet for grandma” or social aid, not real innovation. But today’s seniors are active, digital, and diverse. We must break these stereotypes, even within the innovation ecosystem. At QVITI, we develop neurologically advanced tech tailored to older users – and we see no contradiction in that.

Market-related – investors still prefer to fund apps for 30-year-olds rather than technologies for 70-year-olds, even though the latter are Europe’s fastest-growing consumer segment. In AgeTech, product maturity often takes longer – especially in medicine or care solutions – requiring a different patience and business model.

Still, I believe the situation is improving. We’re seeing more success stories, growing media and fund interest, and awareness that AgeTech is not a niche – it’s the future of entire social systems. But we need an ecosystem that stops treating tech for seniors as “less sexy” and starts seeing it as a space for innovation, responsibility, and real impact.

5. At QVITI S.A., you’re developing medical systems like CorStim tES and VRStim, which use transcranial brain stimulation and VR in neurological rehabilitation. How do these advanced technologies align with AgeTech’s broader mission? Can they truly increase seniors’ independence and quality of life?

Absolutely. Our solutions, although technologically advanced, are designed for people who, with age, don’t want to lose autonomy, agency, and dignity. At QVITI, we say AgeTech isn’t about gadgets – it’s about tools to reclaim independence. That’s the essence of our systems CorStim tES and VRStim.

CorStim tES is a certified medical device for transcranial brain stimulation that supports neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to reorganize after stroke, in aphasia, or in depression. This tech can genuinely improve cognitive function, reduce rehabilitation time, and lessen pharmacological burdens.

VRStim, our upcoming platform, combines tES with virtual reality therapy, enabling personalized, engaging, and effective home therapy under remote supervision. For seniors, this means less stress, more motivation, and – most importantly – the ability to exercise when they feel ready.

This is the core of AgeTech: technology that enhances independence, not takes it away. Our systems also follow a dual-use logic – developed for both civilian use and soldier/veteran rehabilitation. It shows that regardless of age or social role, the human brain deserves tools that help it regain function and life quality.

We believe innovation without ethics is just engineering – that’s why our solutions are always co-developed with doctors and therapists, to ensure effectiveness and responsibility. AgeTech isn’t just the future of the market – it’s the future of care.

6. With your experience and the dynamic development of technologies including AI, how do you envision the future of AgeTech in Poland and globally over the next 5–10 years? What new development paths and applications might emerge for senior-focused tech?

Population aging is the biggest force transforming society and the economy. The market is already pushing for change. In the next 5–10 years, AgeTech will evolve from “supportive technologies” into ecosystems of independence. We’re already seeing how AI, personalized medicine, neuromodulation, and extended reality are reshaping how we age, heal, and function socially – but this is just the beginning.

On a macro level, AgeTech will respond to the structural crisis in healthcare systems: staff shortages, overloaded facilities, aging populations. In this new reality, tech for seniors will need to combine automation, empathy, and interoperability – scalable yet deeply supportive of individuals.

Emerging directions include:

• AI assisting in geriatric medical decisions, e.g., polypharmacy management or fall risk monitoring.
• Neurotechnologies like tES or BCI for prevention – enhancing cognitive function before dementia sets in.
• Ambient assisted living environments – where lighting, temperature, sound, and interfaces adapt to daily rhythms, mood, and activity.
• AR/VR not only for therapy but to reduce loneliness, support autobiographical memory, and maintain family contact.

We believe AgeTech’s future lies in the convergence of medicine, engineering, and humanism. That’s why we’re developing CorStim tES and VRStim not just as products, but as part of a bigger mission: helping people live longer, function better, and – equally important – continue to feel needed and independent.

If we make the most of this decade, Poland can become not just a recipient, but an exporter of AgeTech innovation – we have a unique combination of demographic challenges, brilliant engineers, and a growing awareness. All we need is courage and a long-term systemic vision (including investment).

7. What skills do you consider essential for leaders of digital transformation in the coming years, especially in the MedTech sector?

Digital transformation in MedTech today demands more than just technological proficiency. The most important competencies are courage, interdisciplinary integration, and ethical awareness.

First – the ability to connect worlds: medicine, engineering, regulation, and health economics. Leaders must understand patient and therapist needs, but also how reimbursement systems work, certification processes (e.g., MDR, FDA), and clinical validation paths. Without this interdisciplinarity, innovation will stay in the lab.

Second – navigating uncertainty and rapid change. MedTech leaders must work with incomplete data, make decisions under resource constraints, and build trust in new solutions where the stakes are human life and health.

Third – empathy and ethics. In the age of AI and neurotechnologies, the key question is: “Should we?” – not just “Can we?” A leader must not only understand the tech, but take responsibility for its social impact, especially in sensitive areas like therapy, aging, and disability.

Finally – communication and cross-disciplinary team building. Digital transformation is not an IT project – it’s a cultural shift. And that starts with people who can listen, explain complexity, and inspire action.

Our team learns this every day – combining neuroscience, immersive tech, and medical engineering with real patient and therapist needs. Tomorrow’s leaders will need to blend hard and soft skills – and technology with humanity.