Founder: Rob van den Akker
Business: TheLifeSigns
Founders: 1
Employees: 1
Website: https://www.thelifesigns.com/
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Founded: 2018

In today’s hyperconnected world, where technology seemingly offers a solution to every problem, Rob van den Akker’s innovation stands out for its simplicity and purpose. TheLifeSigns, an email-based service, was created for a growing population often overlooked by the latest high-tech gadgets: people who live alone. Its straightforward design allows users to confirm their well-being through regular email prompts, ensuring that if something goes wrong, their designated “buddies”—trusted friends or family members—will be notified. 

Van den Akker’s motivation for creating TheLifeSigns didn’t come from market data or a tech startup incubator. It was an emotional response to a troubling trend he noticed in a newspaper article: increasing numbers of elderly or single adults being found dead in their homes days, sometimes weeks, after an accident or medical emergency. “I read about people, often elderly, who were lying there for days before anyone knew,” he recalls. The experience haunted him. With a background in healthcare, including years working with Abbott, van den Akker was intimately familiar with the needs and vulnerabilities of the aging population. He saw a gap that current healthcare and social services weren’t filling: a simple, respectful way for people living alone to stay connected and avoid being forgotten in a crisis. 

TheLifeSigns runs on a minimalist concept. Users receive emails prompting them to check in with a single click. If they fail to respond within a set timeframe, their “buddies” receive an automatic alert. This process avoids the complexity and intrusiveness of many modern monitoring systems, making it accessible and unintimidating. “I wanted something that wouldn’t feel like surveillance,” van den Akker explains. “People don’t need to be tracked all the time to feel safe.” His focus on minimalism and privacy respects the autonomy of users, allowing them to maintain independence without sacrificing a lifeline to those who care about them. 

Currently, around 800 people have joined TheLifeSigns, along with their chosen buddies, creating a network of quiet, dependable support. Collectively, users have pressed the LifeSigns check-in button approximately 90,000 times—a testament to the trust they place in this simple system. Each check-in is a small but meaningful act, reinforcing the knowledge that someone, somewhere, is aware of their presence. For many, that regular touchpoint has become as essential as a lock on the door or a phone by the bedside. 

The design of TheLifeSigns speaks to van den Akker’s understanding of his audience. Having worked closely with older adults, he knew that overly complex technology could be a barrier to adoption. “Not everyone wants to learn a new app or wear a device every day,” he points out. Email, on the other hand, is nearly universal. By using this familiar communication method, he sidestepped the need for specialized devices or complicated software—a critical choice that has kept TheLifeSigns accessible to people of all ages, including those who may be less comfortable with advanced technology. 

Van den Akker’s approach to growth reflects a commitment to steady, organic expansion rather than aggressive scaling or flashy integrations with smart tech. Instead of pursuing partnerships with smart home systems or launching an app, he’s focused on refining the service based on user feedback. “Our users tell us what they need, and we adapt,” he says simply. This customer-centric approach has kept TheLifeSigns reliable, resonating with individuals who appreciate a service that prioritizes their needs over flashy features. 

As TheLifeSigns begins its journey beyond the Netherlands, van den Akker remains focused on its core mission. His goal isn’t to create another tech dependency, but rather to offer peace of mind for those who need it most. “Every time a new person signs up, that’s one more person who can live with less worry,” he says. For van den Akker, each user represents a life made just a little bit easier, and each buddy spared the anxiety of a phone call that goes unanswered too long. TheLifeSigns isn’t merely functional; it’s thoughtful, rooted in the understanding that even the most independent individuals benefit from a simple, reliable connection to their support networks. 

Coding for Connection: The Technical Skills Behind a Life-Saving Idea 

Rob van den Akker’s path to launching TheLifeSigns is a unique blend of healthcare expertise and self-taught programming—a combination that gave him the tools to build a service with real social impact. His background as a pharmacist and project manager in the pharmaceutical industry instilled in him a deep understanding of health and safety. But it was his independent pursuit of coding, sparked by a desire to streamline workflows in his day job, that ultimately enabled him to develop the platform himself, keeping costs low and control high. This technical foundation allowed van den Akker to transform a personal concern into a functioning, scalable service. 

For van den Akker, programming became more than a professional asset; it was a medium for solving problems. “I started learning to code so I could automate the repetitive tasks in my job,” he explains. What began as a practical skill grew into a passion for finding efficiencies and creating digital solutions. Once he achieved financial independence and stepped away from the corporate world, he was ready to channel his skills into something meaningful. The statistics he’d encountered were disturbing: in cities like Amsterdam, dozens of people die alone in their homes each year, only discovered days or even weeks after their passing. “I realized this wasn’t just a local issue,” van den Akker says, pointing out that similar patterns can be seen worldwide. In Japan, for instance, the phenomenon is so prevalent that it has its own name—kodokushi, or “lonely death”—and is sparking both public concern and policy initiatives. 

Driven by the goal of creating social impact and a commercially viable service, van den Akker began envisioning TheLifeSigns as a lean, digital solution that could prevent tragedies like kodokushi. Equipped with his programming skills, he coded the platform himself, choosing to host it on Amazon Web Services to keep costs low and operations flexible. This approach allowed him to launch the service for free in its early stages, with plans to introduce premium features that would sustain it financially. “I wanted to make it accessible, so people could try it without a barrier,” he says. “Keeping costs down by building it myself was essential to making that possible.” 

Building TheLifeSigns platform wasn’t a quick task. Over the course of more than a year, van den Akker spent countless hours solving technical issues and refining the code, relying on online resources and programming forums to troubleshoot as he went along. His pharmaceutical experience shaped his approach, bringing the same rigor and meticulous attention to detail he had applied to health-related projects. “In healthcare, accuracy is everything. I wanted the app to reflect that level of care,” he explains. From the user interface to the backend infrastructure, van den Akker designed the platform with reliability and simplicity in mind. 

The initial launch in the Netherlands confirmed the need for such a service. Users quickly embraced TheLifeSigns’ low-cost, no-frills approach, validating van den Akker’s concept and proving that there was indeed demand for a solution that combines safety with privacy. 

Building from Scratch: The Technical and Tactical Path to Launch 

For Rob van den Akker, bringing TheLifeSigns to life meant going back to square one in web development. While he had some early experience with legacy programming languages like Fortran and dBase, as well as scripting automation tools like AutoHotKey during his project management career, he found that those skills were dated for the kind of application he envisioned. TheLifeSigns required a more current, versatile programming language. After researching his options, he chose Python—partly for its accessibility, partly because it originated in his hometown of Amsterdam, but mostly for its power and flexibility. Over the next year, he dived into the language, turning to online tutorials, coding forums, and community-driven resources to close the knowledge gap. “Python has this enormous support network, which made all the difference,” van den Akker explains. “Whenever I hit a wall, there was someone out there who’d been through the same issue and posted a solution.” 

To structure the application, van den Akker selected Django as his framework. With its comprehensive documentation and extensive feature set, Django offered a stable foundation for his first major project. But even with a robust framework, the learning curve was steep. He recalls leaning heavily on Stack Overflow to work through specific coding challenges, solving one issue at a time with help from the vast community of developers. “I’d be stuck for hours, sometimes days,” he admits. “But each time I found a solution on Stack Overflow, I felt like I was one step closer to making this real.” 

When the codebase was finally ready, deployment presented a new set of decisions. Managed hosting options like Heroku offered simplicity, but van den Akker opted for a more hands-on approach, choosing Amazon Web Services’ Lightsail. This gave him the flexibility and control he needed without the high costs associated with premium managed services. With Lightsail, he set up an Ubuntu Linux instance and ran Django in Docker containers alongside a PostgreSQL database and an Nginx web server. “It was about keeping control over the environment,” he says, explaining how AWS’s modular tools allowed him to fine-tune each aspect of the setup. His choice of infrastructure reflected his emphasis on scalability and cost-effectiveness, crucial considerations for a small operation without external funding. 

Van den Akker’s meticulous approach extended to every interaction users would have with the platform, including the daily check-in emails that serve as the backbone of TheLifeSigns. He wanted each email to feel fresh and engaging rather than a dull, repetitive reminder. To achieve this, he researched effective email design, drawing on insights from an article that analyzed the impact of visual elements and concise messaging. The result was a library of 600 x 200-pixel images featuring serene nature scenes, paired with a database of motivational quotes. “Each email is a little different,” he says. “The check-in button doesn’t change, but the image and the message do, which adds a touch of variety.” 

This attention to the aesthetic experience was more than a cosmetic choice—it reinforced the connection TheLifeSigns aims to foster with its users. By making the daily emails visually appealing and uplifting, van den Akker hoped to create an interaction that felt more like a friendly check-in than a sterile prompt. “It’s a small detail,” he acknowledges, “but I think it helps users feel valued and cared for, which is what this service is all about.” 

Rolling Out: A Grassroots Approach to Market Penetration 

For Rob van den Akker, creating TheLifeSigns was only half the battle. Bringing it to the public—and specifically to the people most likely to benefit from it—required a savvy approach to marketing on a limited budget. With no major funds for promotion, van den Akker relied on a strategy that blended old-fashioned networking with modern coding skills, starting small and gradually expanding his reach. 

He began with his own circle. Friends and family members who lived alone became TheLifeSigns’ first users, giving him a real-world testing ground to uncover bugs and make early improvements. Their feedback was essential, helping him refine the service to ensure it was stable and easy to use. Once he was confident in the platform’s functionality, he started looking for ways to reach a larger audience. “The people most at risk of being isolated during a health crisis aren’t necessarily the people scrolling through social media every day,” he notes. Instead, van den Akker targeted older adults, a group he knew might be more reachable through traditional media channels. 

To get the word out, he turned to local print publications, focusing on the Netherlands’ many neighborhood newspapers and free magazines that still land on doorsteps. Knowing these outlets were a lifeline for many elderly readers, he carefully compiled a list of contacts from local newspapers and smaller publications. Finding the contact information for journalists and editors across the country was a massive task, but a resource from a Dutch media organization helped him get started. With a Python script he wrote himself, van den Akker scraped publisher websites to pull contact details and gradually built an email list of over 2,000 media professionals. 

Armed with this list, he crafted a straightforward, empathetic email explaining TheLifeSigns’ purpose and potential. “I didn’t want it to come across as spam,” he says. “I wanted editors to understand the real, human impact of the service.” His message struck a chord, with numerous editors choosing to cover TheLifeSigns in their publications. This approach gave him significant visibility in the demographic most likely to benefit, without the need for expensive advertising. 

Encouraged by his success in print, van den Akker began expanding his reach to online spaces, focusing on websites and forums frequented by older adults and their caregivers. By engaging with these communities, he gathered more feedback, allowing him to further fine-tune TheLifeSigns for an audience that valued simplicity and reliability. While the service itself was web-based, van den Akker’s early traction came largely from these traditional media outlets—proof of his deep understanding of his target demographic and his creative approach to reaching them. 

For van den Akker, the entire process was a lesson in patience and resourcefulness. Building a solid, technically sound product was only the beginning. Bringing it to the people who needed it most meant stepping out of the tech mindset and into the world of targeted, grassroots marketing. Through carefully tailored outreach and an unwavering focus on his audience, van den Akker succeeded in establishing a loyal base of users in the Netherlands, setting the stage for future growth and a broader rollout beyond his home country. 

Lessons Learned: Balancing Perfection with Progress 

For Rob van den Akker, creating TheLifeSigns wasn’t only a mission to solve a pressing social problem; it was also a crash course in the realities of launching a tech product from scratch. As a first-time founder with a background in pharmaceuticals, van den Akker had long been steeped in an industry where rigorous standards and meticulous planning were non-negotiable. That mindset initially shaped his approach to TheLifeSigns—but he soon found that the world of digital product development demanded a different rhythm, one that balanced reliability with a tolerance for imperfection. 

“I was used to the idea that nothing goes to market until it’s flawless,” van den Akker says, reflecting on how his pharmaceutical background influenced his early work on the platform. He admits he spent “countless hours” immersed in programming books and video tutorials, determined to get everything right. Looking back, he now sees this as a form of over-preparation. “Reading about coding doesn’t make you a coder,” he acknowledges with a laugh. It wasn’t until he dove into building the application that he started making real progress—and came to appreciate the steep learning curve that practical experience provides. While he sometimes cringes at his earliest code, he’s proud that it still works, a functional foundation for what TheLifeSigns would become. 

One key turning point came when van den Akker’s son, a professional in the field of computer science, advised him to release the app before it was “perfect.” His son’s encouragement helped him see the limitations of endless internal testing and pushed him to seek feedback from real users. “I realized that no amount of theory or testing in isolation would match what I’d learn from actual users,” he says. That decision to release, even with some rough edges, was liberating. The validation from his early testers—friends, family, and eventually, a broader circle of users—showed him that the app was indeed valuable, even if not flawless. 

Van den Akker acknowledges that his initial hesitancy to launch may have slowed him down. The instincts he developed in the pharmaceutical world, where lives depend on product precision, were difficult to shake. But in the fast-moving tech space, he learned, holding back for perfection can be a disadvantage. “The feedback loop is crucial,” he explains. “Getting the product into users’ hands taught me more in a few weeks than I could have learned in months of development alone.” 

As he looks toward expanding TheLifeSigns beyond the Netherlands, van den Akker has advice for other aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly those creating mission-driven products. “If you’re building something meaningful, something that genuinely helps people, that purpose will carry you through the obstacles,” he says. To him, the most fulfilling part of this journey has been the intersection of technology and social impact—using modern tools to address an age-old human need for connection and safety. His parting guidance for founders: focus on building something that matters, use the wealth of learning resources at your disposal, and don’t let perfectionism get in the way. If the mission is real and the enthusiasm is genuine, he believes, everything else will follow. 

Success Factors: Why Did TheLifeSigns Succeed? 

• Clear Social Purpose and Mission: Van den Akker’s commitment to solving a real, pressing social issue—the isolation and vulnerability of people living alone—was the core driving force behind TheLifeSigns. His mission wasn’t just about creating a product; it was about addressing an unfulfilled need that existing healthcare and social systems had overlooked. This strong sense of purpose helped him stay motivated and likely resonated with users and media outlets, making it easier to generate interest and trust. 

• Personal Connection and Empathy: TheLifeSigns wasn’t born from a market opportunity alone, but from van den Akker’s emotional response to the tragic stories he read in the news. His empathy for people facing isolation and the risk of unnoticed medical crises informed the design and marketing of the product. This empathy likely made his outreach to users and media more authentic and relatable, helping the service gain traction, particularly among older adults. 

• Resourcefulness and Technical Self-Sufficiency: As a self-taught programmer, van den Akker demonstrated remarkable resourcefulness. He tackled coding and technical challenges himself, leveraging online resources, tutorials, and forums. His choice of cost-effective tools like AWS Lightsail, Django, and Python allowed him to build and deploy the platform without relying on a large team or extensive funding. This self-sufficiency kept his expenses low and allowed him to retain control over the platform’s development. 

• Lean, User-Centric Product Development: Van den Akker focused on creating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that was simple, functional, and respectful of user privacy. He prioritized ease of use and accessibility, understanding that many of his target users might not be comfortable with complex technology. This lean approach allowed him to launch quickly and adapt based on real user feedback, which was crucial for refining the product and ensuring it met the needs of its audience. 

• Adaptability and Willingness to Embrace Imperfection: Initially, van den Akker’s background in pharmaceuticals led him to approach the project with a perfectionist mindset. However, with encouragement from his son and through experience, he learned to let go of the drive for perfection in favor of progress. By releasing the product even with minor flaws, he was able to gather invaluable feedback and make continuous improvements. This adaptability allowed him to speed up development and avoid the common pitfall of getting stuck in endless revisions. 

• Targeted, Cost-Effective Marketing Strategy: Without a significant promotional budget, van den Akker used a grassroots marketing approach to reach his target demographic. He started with traditional media, focusing on local newspapers and magazines that older adults still read. By automating the process of building a media contact list using Python scripts, he was able to efficiently reach editors and journalists across the Netherlands. His targeted and empathetic messaging resonated with these publications, leading to media coverage that boosted awareness among his intended audience. 

• Focus on the User Experience: Van den Akker put considerable thought into the details of user interaction, such as designing visually engaging, uplifting daily check-in emails. By incorporating nature images and motivational quotes, he transformed a simple prompt into a more personal experience for users. This attention to the user experience helped foster a sense of connection and care, reinforcing the service’s mission of providing peace of mind to people living alone. 

• Emphasis on Real-World Testing and Feedback: Rather than relying solely on internal testing, van den Akker involved friends, family, and early adopters in the development process. This feedback loop allowed him to see how the product performed in real-life scenarios and quickly identify areas for improvement. Real-world testing was instrumental in validating the product’s usefulness and gave him the confidence to push forward with the public rollout. 

• Persistence and Learning Mindset: Throughout the development and launch of TheLifeSigns, van den Akker demonstrated a willingness to learn and adapt, tackling everything from coding to media outreach on his own. His persistence in overcoming technical and logistical challenges—combined with a focus on hands-on learning over passive preparation—helped him steadily move the project forward, even when faced with setbacks. 

Key Lessons to Learn 

1. Start with a Real Problem and a Clear Mission: Van den Akker’s motivation for creating TheLifeSigns came from a genuine desire to solve a social issue: the isolation and vulnerability of people who live alone. He didn’t start with a business opportunity or market trend—he started with empathy and a clear purpose. This mission-driven approach not only kept him motivated but also helped him resonate with users and media outlets. The lesson here is to focus on solving a real, impactful problem. When a product is rooted in genuine purpose, it’s easier to attract both users and supporters. 

2. Leverage Your Existing Skills and Be Willing to Learn New Ones: Although van den Akker had a healthcare background, he took the initiative to learn programming and build the product himself. His technical self-sufficiency allowed him to keep costs low and maintain control over the project. For aspiring entrepreneurs, this is a reminder to leverage whatever skills you have, while also being willing to learn new ones. In today’s digital world, there are abundant resources available online to acquire skills—especially in coding and digital marketing—without formal training or large budgets.  

3. Embrace the MVP Mindset and Avoid Perfectionism: Van den Akker’s background in pharmaceuticals initially made him strive for perfection, but he eventually learned that a tech product doesn’t need to be flawless to launch. With the help of his son and early users, he realized that releasing an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) was essential to gather real-world feedback. This approach allowed him to improve the product based on user experiences rather than endless internal revisions. The key lesson here is that perfectionism can slow you down, especially in tech. Launch with an MVP, gather feedback, and iterate as you go. 

4. Prioritize User-Centric Design and Accessibility: Design with your users’ comfort and ease of use as top priorities. Sometimes, simplicity is more powerful than high-tech sophistication. Van den Akker’s background in pharmaceuticals initially made him strive for perfection, but he eventually learned that a tech product doesn’t need to be flawless to launch. With the help of his son and early users, he realized that releasing an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) was essential to gather real-world feedback. This approach allowed him to improve the product based on user experiences rather than endless internal revisions. The key lesson here is that perfectionism can slow you down, especially in tech. Launch with an MVP, gather feedback, and iterate as you go. 

5. Be Resourceful and Creative with Marketing: Without a large budget for marketing, van den Akker found creative, low-cost ways to reach his target audience. He leveraged local newspapers and traditional media—channels he knew his older target demographic would trust. He even wrote Python scripts to compile contact information for journalists, saving time and effort on outreach. This resourceful approach highlights the importance of knowing your audience and meeting them where they are, even if it means using unconventional methods. 

6. Seek Real-World Feedback Early and Often: Get your product into users’ hands as soon as possible. Their feedback will be invaluable in refining and improving your offering. Instead of relying solely on internal testing, van den Akker involved friends, family, and early adopters to test TheLifeSigns. This gave him immediate, practical feedback and revealed usability issues he wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. Real-world testing is crucial, as it provides insights that can’t be replicated in a controlled environment. For entrepreneurs, the lesson is to get your product into users’ hands as soon as possible. Their feedback will be invaluable in refining and improving your offering. 

7. Don’t Let the Learning Curve Intimidate You: Van den Akker’s journey was filled with challenges, from learning a new programming language to tackling server deployment and media outreach. He taught himself each new skill through online tutorials and trial and error, demonstrating that a learning mindset can overcome technical or logistical obstacles. For other entrepreneurs, this is a reminder that initial inexperience shouldn’t hold you back. With persistence and the wealth of online resources available today, you can teach yourself almost anything needed to launch a business. 

8. Understand the Importance of Patience and Persistence: TheLifeSigns wasn’t built overnight. Van den Akker spent years bringing the project from idea to reality, facing countless technical and logistical challenges along the way. He learned to be patient with the process and persistent in the face of setbacks. Entrepreneurship often requires a long-term perspective, especially when creating something meaningful. Persistence, even when progress feels slow, is essential. 

9. Focus on Adding Genuine Value to People’s Lives: Van den Akker’s advice to aspiring founders is to build something meaningful, something that adds genuine value to users. This emphasis on purpose and impact is what kept him motivated through technical challenges, financial constraints, and the ups and downs of launching a startup. Products that serve a real purpose tend to resonate more deeply with users, creating loyalty and trust that can’t be bought through advertising alone. 

10. Be Flexible and Willing to Adapt: Although van den Akker initially struggled with letting go of his pharmaceutical standards of perfection, he eventually adapted to the faster, iterative nature of tech development. This adaptability allowed him to move forward and embrace user feedback rather than waiting for a “perfect” product. The takeaway is to be flexible and open to change. Sometimes the best path to success requires adjusting your initial approach. 

Opportunity Matrix 

Founder Background 

Rob van den Akker, trained as a pharmacist with a career in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. Self-taught coder with experience in automation and problem-solving. 

Problem Identification 

Increasing cases of isolated individuals (especially elderly or single adults) who go unnoticed during medical crises, sometimes for days or weeks. Identified through news stories and statistics highlighting this social issue. 

Market Opportunity 

Growing demographic of elderly and single adults living alone, especially in aging societies. High demand for low-cost, easy-to-use solutions that ensure safety without continuous monitoring 

Competitive Landscape  

Competing solutions include high-tech monitoring devices and wearable health trackers. However, most are more complex, expensive, and intrusive, which may be unsuitable for the target audience. 

Market Research 

Initial research from news articles, societal trends, and statistics (e.g., cases of “kodokushi” or “lonely deaths” in Japan). Real-world testing and feedback from early adopters further refined the product. 

Business Model 

Freemium model: Core service offered for free, with potential for premium features to generate revenue. Focused on low-cost, accessible service for maximum reach.   

Initial Capital 

Minimal initial capital; self-funded. Founder handled most of the development, coding, and marketing to keep costs low. 

Product/Service Development 

Self-developed MVP using Python and Django. Focused on creating a simple, reliable check-in system accessible through email. Iterative development based on user feedback from early testers. 

Marketing Strategy 

Grassroots approach targeting traditional media (local newspapers, magazines) that elderly users are likely to read. Built a media contact list using Python scripts to automate outreach.    

Milestones 

• Initial MVP release in the Netherlands 

• Established a stable user base through early adopters 

• Expanded media outreach to build awareness among target demographic 

• Iterative product improvements   

Scalability 

Service can scale globally with minimal additional infrastructure due to AWS hosting. Designed for broad accessibility without device or app dependencies, making it suitable for various international markets. 

Potential Risks and Challenges 

• Difficulty reaching less tech-savvy audiences outside traditional media channels 

• Balancing simplicity with potential premium features 

• Potential regulatory challenges in healthcare-related markets 

Key Performance Indicators/Metrics 

• Number of users and “buddies” registered 

• Frequency of daily check-ins (e.g., 90,000 presses of the check-in button) 

• User feedback and engagement metrics 

• Rate of user retention and growth