Vivonep is developing Aapo – a phone-based AI service to support older adults in everyday life
Vivonep Oy is a wellbeing and software technology company based in Tampere, Finland. We are developing Aapo, a conversational AI service for older adults that works through a regular phone call.
Aapo is designed to offer regular conversation, daily rhythm and a sense of security in the easiest possible way. The service works with an ordinary phone, and the user does not need a smartphone, an app or a new device. Answering the phone is enough.
Aapo does not replace family members, friends, caregivers or human contact. It is designed to complement those moments when loved ones do not have time to call, volunteers are not available, or a person simply needs a small moment of conversation during the day.
Many older adults live alone. At the same time, families are balancing work, children, distance and the realities of everyday life. The concern for an older loved one can be constant, even when the willingness to help is strong.
Many existing solutions focus on safety, alarms or arranging care. These are important, but many of them become relevant only when concern has already grown or a clear problem has appeared in everyday life. There is still a distinct lack of long-term, preventive solutions that support everyday wellbeing before a situation becomes more serious.
Regular conversation, check-ins and support for daily rhythm can help strengthen mood, encourage activity and support living at home for longer. The goal is a better everyday life, better quality of life and more peace of mind for both the user and their loved ones.
Finland’s population is ageing rapidly, and more older adults are living alone. There are already more than 1.3 million people over the age of 65 in Finland, more than one million people over the age of 70, and nearly half of those over 75 live alone. Loneliness affects a significant share of older adults: around one third of people over 75 recognize that they experience loneliness at least occasionally.
Aapo’s primary target group in Finland consists of older adults living at home who would benefit from more conversation, daily rhythm and a sense of security. Based on a conservative estimate, the core target group in Finland is approximately 250,000–350,000 people.
This makes Aapo both a human and societal opportunity. It is not only about technology, but about a growing need to support older adults in a way that is easy to adopt and also works for people who find digital services difficult.
The idea behind Aapo has developed over several years. Vivonep’s founder, Kalle Rehakka, saw through people close to him and through observing the everyday lives of older adults how meaningful regular contact can be. At the same time, it became clear that loved ones are not always able to be present or stay in touch as often as they would like.
Before founding Vivonep, the background included several years of following developments in health, care and technology, as well as visiting events and exhibitions in the field.
The work became a full-time effort focused on research, interviews and concept development, including discussions with older adults, family members, care-sector professionals, experts and potential partners.
Vivonep Oy was founded to move the Aapo service forward in a structured way. After the company was founded, the work continued as active preparation: user understanding was deepened, cooperation networks were built, feedback was gathered from older adults and experts, and technical implementation options were prepared.
The work also expanded into regular group meetings and ideation sessions with older adults, allowing the need and user experience of the service to be assessed directly with the target group.
A broader publicly supported development and piloting phase began. During 2026, the focus is on service development, piloting, collecting user feedback and refining the user experience.
Aapo is a phone-based AI service that can call the user regularly and talk with them about everyday topics. Conversations may include daily check-ins, routines, memories, interests or light reminders.
The most important design principle is ease of use. The user does not need to learn a new app or purchase a new device. Aapo works through a familiar phone call, making the service accessible also to people who find digital services, touchscreens or complex technologies difficult.
Aapo is intended especially for older adults living at home who would benefit from more conversation, rhythm or a sense of security in their everyday life.
The service may be suitable for someone who lives alone, whose loved ones cannot call every day, who experiences occasional loneliness, or who benefits from regular and gentle everyday contact.
Aapo can also bring peace of mind to family members. A loved one can know that the older person has one additional point of contact in their day — one that does not get tired, forget or disappear in the middle of a busy schedule.
Our first market is Finland. Our goal is to make Aapo available to consumers in Finland during 2026, once piloting and development have progressed far enough.
We are starting with the consumer market because older adults and their family members can decide to try the service quickly and with a low threshold. As we gather more user experience and impact data, we will expand cooperation with care-sector organizations, associations and the public sector.
Aapo has been designed from the beginning to scale internationally. After Finland, our goal is to localize the service into other languages and cultures, starting with nearby markets such as Sweden and Denmark.
Vivonep’s development work has been advanced with private funding, support from the business sector and partner networks. In addition, the work is supported by a business development grant from the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, which helps us develop, pilot and test Aapo in real user environments.
We work with software developers, experts, several higher education institutions and networks that work with older adults. The project also includes expertise related to AI ethics and the development of age technology, and we have started initial discussions with international organizations in the field. Through piloting and user feedback, we make sure the service does not remain a technical experiment, but becomes a solution that genuinely fits everyday life and benefits its users.
Vivonep is building Aapo into an accessible, phone-based AI service that supports older adults in everyday life. We want to offer conversation, rhythm and a sense of security in the moments where many people currently fall between existing services.
Aapo is not a replacement for people. It is additional support for everyday life, a familiar voice on the phone when conversation is needed.
