Fifteen HealthTech firms have been announced as the selected cohort for a new accelerator programme at The Landing, in Manchester’s MediaCityUK.
Tech accelerator UP Ventures announced the firms which are taking part in the new Greater Manchester Future of Health challenge.
The programme is delivered in partnership with Novartis, Push Doctor, Google, The Landing, MediaCityUK, Salfold Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Salford Digital, Health Innovation Manchester and Apadmi, who also recently announced their move to The Landing.
Selected companies come from London, Belfast, Kent and the North West, including Alderley Edge-based Gendius, a platform that uses AI to calculate risks relating to diabetes, and Manchester-based Mind Moose, a digital activity platform that helps children develop self-awareness and self-esteem.
Founder and CEO of UP Ventures, Danny Meaney, said: “We received and reviewed hundreds of applications for the GM Future of Health Challenge and have been hugely impressed.
“The response is a testament to both UP’s repututation and connections in the early stage tech ecosystem, and Greater Manchester’s international reputation as a great place to grow early stage tech businesses.”
The 15 fast-growth start-up and scale-up businesses have been selected based on their potential to transform lives through the application of technology, particularly those focused on supporting people with long-term health conditions such as dementia, diabetes and vision impairments.
The accelerator programme will support these companies to drive innovation, create new business opportunities and attract investors.
Josie Cahill, head of stakeholder engagement for MediaCityUK, added: “MediaCityUK has a great and ever-growing track record of successful accelerator programmes. Health innovation is one of our key focuses and we’re delighted to see the strength and calibre of applications.
“We will continue to support and encourage these types of partnership programmes which speak to MediaCityUK’s ambition to be a living lab for the UK’s most exciting and emerging technologies. Watch this space for future opportunities.”
Dan Sodergren, head of business services at The Landing, added: “The Landing has developed a specialism in digital health and we are fully geared up to help drive this programme.
“We’re excited to welcome these businesses from all over the UK and particularly pleased to see a number of North West-based companies in this cohort.
“As a region we continue to lead the way with the outstanding technology firms who either start-up here or choose to move here and we’re confident all the companies in this Greater Manchester Future of Health accelerator will benefit hugely from this experience.”
The Greater Manchester Future of Health challenge business are:
BuddyHub: Reduces loneliness and isolation in older people by using smart technology to match members to volunteers
Cievert: A web-based platform that tackles the problems surrounding routine patient follow-up and improvement of care for those with long-term conditions.
Collabco: Its myday platform is designed to improve engagement between people and their healthcare providers
Evergreen Life: A personal health platform allowing people to own their own health records and interact with the health and care system. It also enables the sharing of information with trusted family members and carers to support personal care or the care of others.
Flock: Aimed at people suffering from type two diabetes, obesity, and smoking or alcohol addiction and digital profiling to provide a pattern of digital nudges designed specifically for each individual.
Gendius: A platform that uses artificial intelligence to calculate an individual’s risk of developing complications from diabetes.
GiveVision: GiveVision’s SightPlus is a clinically validated low vision aid that helps visually impaired people to see up close and at a distance. It has already helped hundreds of low vision patients to improve their sight and work and live independently.
Healum: Its solutions are intended for people with long-term conditions and use behaviour change interventions to support people to self-manage their conditions with support from healthcare professionals.
Holovis: builds some of the world’s most advanced visualisation and software solutions to measure and monitor patients’ responses and wellbeing.
Howz: Howz is a smart home system designed to help older people suffering from conditions such as dementia or frailty to stay independent for longer. It learns a person’s daily routine and uses this to detect short term anomalies and long term changes.
ImproveWell: ImproveWell is a quality improvement platform designed to empower frontline staff to improve experiences and outcomes for patients. From the ward to the board, everyone can make suggestions to improve their workplace.
Konsie: Konsie is bringing Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the home to support elderly independent living, dramatically reducing injuries and loss of independence associated with falls, strokes and immobilising conditions.
Mind Moose: MindMoose helps children understand how their brain works and to develop healthy self-awareness and self-esteem by using fun, interactive digital tools to support early intervention and prevention in children’s mental health.
My Cognition: MyCognition is dedicated to understanding and improving cognition. Taking a research-based approach has resulted in has an NHS approved platform that allows a user to comprehensively track, change and consolidate their cognitive health, strengthening their health and mental resilience.
TriMedika: TriMedika is an innovative thermometer that uses no consumables and has zero contact with the patient (infection control and patient comfort). The thermometer delivers cost and time savings for nurses and reducing hospital infections & plastic waste.