Souuthe, a startup developing soothing technology for people living with dementia or receiving palliative care, has won a £75,000 grant as part of Innovate UK’s largest-ever Women in Innovation cohort.
Lou Willis-Keeler, founder of Souuthe, was one of just 61 women leading businesses selected from 1,590 applicants to receive a £75,000 grant.
The idea for Souuthe took shape after Willis-Keeler, a former NSPCC child protection manager, lost four family members within a year.
She saw first-hand how end-of-life care relied on medication to manage anxiety and agitation.
Willis-Keeler began developing her tech solution nine years ago, and the grant will fund clinical testing and support Souuthe’s regulatory approval process ahead of planned trials with hospices and NHS trusts.
She will also receive 12 months of business support from Innovate UK, including training, networking and mentoring.
Built into teddy bears
Souuthe’s technology is built into familiar, comforting objects such as teddy bears and cushions.
It draws on research into what makes a hug physiologically calming, from the release of feel-good chemicals to the way touch can help regulate heart rate.
Souuthe’s technology is intended to sit alongside existing care, not replace it.
Willis-Keeler said: “This validates years of hard work. I’m neurodivergent, with dyslexia, ADHD and Tourette syndrome and I’ve often struggled to get a vision onto paper in a way that attracts funding.
“It’s rooted in my own experience of loss, and how much reliance there still is on medication as the only answer to anxiety in end-of-life care.”
Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation cohort includes entrepreneurs working on innovations that could improve healthcare, strengthen supply chains, support the transition to net zero and help UK businesses compete in global markets.
Of the 100 women recognised, 61 award winners will receive a £75,000 grant alongside 12 months of tailored business support, training, networking and mentoring opportunities. A further 39 highly commended applicants will receive the same 12-month business support package.
Spanning the UK, from Glasgow to Cirencester and Belfast to Gateshead, the cohort is developing innovative solutions across three priority sectors: advanced manufacturing, digital and technologies, and life sciences.
Tom Adeyoola, executive chair of Innovate UK, said: “This year’s Women in Innovation cohort represents some of the UK’s most exciting entrepreneurial talent.
“These founders are developing the ideas, technologies and businesses that will drive economic growth, attract investment, and tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges.”