Medtech startups to look out for
The UK and Ireland continue to set a high benchmark as fosters of innovation, particularly in the medical space. MTI looks at a small selection of young startups set to make waves.
NAME: Oxford Heartbeat
WHAT THEY DO: Software technology which makes cardiovascular surgeries more accurate and safe by helping clinicians to accurately plan and rehearse stent placements inside blood vessels using predictive computations, big data and AI.
WHY IT MATTERS: According to the World Health Organization, complications after inpatient operations occur in up to 25% of patients, and in industralised countries, nearly half of all adverse events in hospitalised patients are related to surgical care. WHO says that at least half of the cases in which surgery leads to harm are considered preventable.
NAME: Creavo Medical Technologies
WHAT THEY DO: Vitalscan, a portable device which can accurately rule out or identify signs of heart disease from a simple three- to five-minute scan.
WHY IT MATTERS: Creavo says that 75% of patients who go to emergency departments with chest pain will have a non-cardiac condition, however most of these will still undergo serial cardiac biomarker testing to rule out a myocardial infarction or other cardiac syndromes. The biomarker tests can take several hours to complete, causing disruption to inpatient care.
NAME: Tookie
WHAT THEY DO: Tookie is a vest designed for children who are receiving treatment via a central veinous catheter. The vest keeps the catheter secure, meaning the patient has more freedom of movement.WHY IT MATTERS: For children undergoing long-term treatment, a central veinous catheter can be limiting when it comes to playing and exercise. If accidentally snagged, CVCs are at risk of being pulled out, causing discomfort to the patient and necessitating re-application.
NAME: SwabTech
WHAT THEY DO: SwabTech is developing a device to automatically extract blood from surgical swabs during procedures, allowing patients to benefit from availability of their own blood after surgery.
WHY IT MATTERS: SwabTech says that re-directing blood into the patient can increase blood recovery rates by up to 30%. However, because it is typically a labour intensive process, it’s not widely done. The new device aims to minimise the work involved, freeing up scrub nurses for other work.
NAME: Kinesis
WHAT THEY DO: Kinesis makes a clinical gait assessment device for accurately assessing the risk of falls and frailty in the elderly. The device comprises a wearable sensor and an app which records ‘timed up and go’ data, and uses predictive analytics to assess the risk.
WHY IT MATTERS: Once an elderly person has fallen, there is sometimes a link between the event itself and a change in their quality of life. Kinesis list fear of falling, declining health, social isolation and depression among the long-term effects of a fall due to frailty.
NAME: OurPath
WHAT THEY DO: Partnered with the NHS, OurPath is a six-week behavioural change subscription service which combines digital wearables and scales, along with an accountability group of peers to help the user stay on track.
WHY IT MATTERS: Studies have shown that long-term, manageable behaviour change is more effective than dieting for managing lifestyle-related diseases.
NAME: Thriva
WHAT THEY DO: One of the new players on the home-diagnostics scene, Thriva offers three different finger prick tests which can be ordered online and administered at home. The most expensive of the three checks for seven key signs of illness or deficiency.
WHY IT MATTERS: Reluctance to attend GP appointments for routine checks is a major cause of illness which could have been prevented or alleviated if caught early on.
NAME: Andiamo
WHAT THEY DO: Andiamo is an orthotic device manufacturer which is using 3D printing to create bespoke orthotic supports. After a clinical appointment with a 3D scanner, the Andiamo team will design and manufacture an orthoses for the patient, at which point they would come to have the support fitted.
WHY IT MATTERS: According to NHS England: “The provision of orthotics has a beneficial impact on a range of clinical conditions by relieving pain, increasing mobility, protecting tissues and promoting healing along with a whole host of other benefits including improved independence and self-image.”
NAME: DuoFertility
WHAT THEY DO: DuoFertility combines a small sensor worn by the woman during the night, with an app which analyses the data. It’s a fairly comprehensive service which also involves professional analysis by DuoFertility’s team. The startup attempts to identigy the 42-78 hour window when conception is most likely.
WHY IT MATTERS: NHS England’s official stats on fertility are: “Around 1 in 7 couples may have difficulty conceiving. This is approximately 3.5 million people in the UK […] For couples who've been trying to conceive for more than 3 years without success, the likelihood of getting pregnant naturally within the next year is 25% or less.”