A challenge we saw too many families still facing alone
Switzerland — like most of the world — is ageing fast. By 2050, around 6% of the Swiss population will be aged 85 or older. Yet the system that should support them remains fragmented: families navigate dozens of services with no unified picture, no clear plan, and no one to guide them.
AVA Smart Care was founded in Lausanne in 2025 by Alberto Prieto Patron, PhD, after years of observing this gap — first in research, then through direct conversations with families who were exhausted, confused, and alone in their most difficult moments.
The answer was not another information website. It was a structured, AI-assisted assessment conducted by a trained human counsellor — the Architect of Autonomy — who could turn scattered worry into a personalised, actionable Care & Autonomy Plan.
“Every family we spoke to said the same thing: they wished they had done this sooner. AVA exists to make sure they can.”
— Alberto Prieto Patron, PhD · Founder & CEOThe values at the heart of everything we do
Autonomy above all
Every senior has the right to direct their own life. AVA is built to amplify their voice — never to replace it. Every plan starts with what they want.
Clarity over complexity
The care system is complex. Families should not have to be experts to navigate it. AVA translates complexity into a clear, shared roadmap anyone can follow.
Human intelligence, amplified by AI
Our AI supports and structures; our counsellors lead and validate. Technology enhances human judgement — it never replaces it.
Earlier is always better
Most care crises are preventable with the right plan in place. We encourage families to act before urgency forces the conversation.
