When Helpany was created, the team knew it had something special. The Swiss-engineered, Phoenix-based fall-prevention system, “Paul,” was built to keep older adults safe without cameras, microphones, or intrusive monitoring. Instead, Paul is a quiet, ceiling-mounted companion that detects trouble before a fall occurs.
Recently, TIME Magazine named Helpany’s Paul one of its 2026 Best Inventions in the medical and healthcare category.
“It was definitely one of those nice days,” said Sandro Cilurzo, Helpany’s co-founder and chief executive officer.
“You can briefly take a deep breath and celebrate and just be grateful for all the clients. Because without them, we would not be where we are.”
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Helpany received a brief heads‑up that TIME was evaluating the technology, but nothing was guaranteed.
“We knew it could be a possibility, but it was not confirmed until announced,” Cilurzo said. “They approached our COO [Eugenie Nicoud] for more information and due diligence, but we didn’t know for sure until it went live on their page.”
The team — which includes chief technology officer Arthur Habicht — celebrated modestly.
“It was a great day, but it’s equally a recognition for all the customers we serve,” he said. “They’re the ones using it daily and making a difference for their residents.”
Paul uses radar — not cameras or microphones — to understand a resident’s movement patterns and detect changes. It tracks gait, sleep, restroom frequency, sedentary behavior, and other indicators that may signal an increased risk of falls or health decline.
Arizona and Pennsylvania senior communities are using Helpany, with Kansas and Ohio coming next.
At Glencroft Center for Modern Aging in Glendale, nighttime falls were eliminated for three consecutive months, while care teams completed more than 250 proactive interventions. The community also reported 22% more time available for resident care without adding staff.
Green Valley’s Arroyo Gardens saw a 64% reduction in falls, zero fall-related 911 calls, and a 57% reduction in general injuries within two months of implementing Helpany.
The system’s privacy‑preserving design is one of the reasons Cilurzo believes TIME took notice. TIME did not respond to requests for an interview.
“It’s really about preserving dignity and privacy of the resident,” he said. “There is no camera, no lens, no microphone. That’s intentional.
“I want residents to make an informed choice. It’s their home. They need to see a value, and we see at scale that they do.”
For caregivers, those numbers represent more than metrics.
“If you are a caregiver, a CNA, a nurse, or an executive director, and you see 60%, 65%, 70% fewer falls, that’s life‑changing,” Cilurzo said. “It’s a fundamentally different work environment.
“It is traumatic for these people because they want to do the right thing. They try everything they can. Now they see those results.”
Cilurzo’s motivation isn’t abstract. He still visits senior living communities, holding resident council meetings and answering questions.
“For me, it is as personal as it gets,” he said. “This is so much more than a company. It’s about serving these residents.”
He keeps the thank‑you notes, and phone numbers that residents give him.
“I know many residents in Arizona where I have even their cell number,” he said. “They tell me, ‘I wasn’t aware of having challenges with my resting periods at night. That information helped me talk to my physician. Now I’m able again to walk on my own around my campus.’”
Those stories, he said, are the real reward.
“They gained quality of life and independence back thanks to their new personal health companion Paul. That’s what keeps me motivated.”
Helpany’s roots stretch back nine years to a healthcare facility in Switzerland, where Cilurzo worked as a cybersecurity officer and joined an interdisciplinary think tank studying fall prevention.
“I was consulting the chief medical officer on fall management,” he said. “After seeing over and over why systems were not meeting expectations, I thought, I would do this really differently myself.”
He spent two years on research before incorporating the company in 2019. The engineering and research teams remain in Switzerland.
Cilurzo moved to Arizona in October 2024 after the first Phoenix‑based community published a case study showing dramatic reductions in falls.
“After that, I didn’t spend a single day in California or Switzerland,” he said. “It made sense to be close to the community we serve.”
For all the praise, Cilurzo welcomes critical questions, too, such as those related to privacy.
“I totally understand that,” he said. “But that’s why I invented a technology that is privacy‑preserving by nature.”
Education, he said, is essential.
“You need to educate, be proactive and show up. Take their concerns seriously and address them.”
But ultimately, the decision belongs to the resident. “Whatever choice they make, that’s their own decision,” he said. “It’s their home.”
For Cilurzo, TIME’s recognition is a milestone. However, it’s not the finish line.
“These kinds of recognitions are the cherry on the cake,” he said. “But I’m happier to bring that back to the communities. They made the choice to use a technology built around privacy, dignity and freedom.”
