11 September 2019
UP Ventures and Novartis announce Cohort for Greater Manchester Future of Health Challenge
Global tech accelerator, UP Ventures, has announced the 15 businesses who will make up the cohort to take part in the upcoming GM Future of Health Challenge at The Landing in MediaCityUK.
Tech investment and accelerator specialists UP Ventures are delivering the programme in partnership with Novartis, Push Doctor, Google, The Landing, MediaCityUK, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Salford Digital, Health Innovation Manchester and Apadmi.
After a huge response to the call for entries, the group have assessed hundreds of businesses from across the UK and Europe who applied to take part in the challenge which runs from September to December 2019.
Founder and CEO of UP Ventures, Danny Meaney said “I have been hugely impressed by the volume and the quality of the businesses that applied for a place on the GM Future of Health Challenge. I think the response we got bears testimony to UP’s deep networks in the early stage tech ecosystem and Greater Manchester’s fast growing international reputation as a great place to grow early stage tech businesses. After 25 years in the business of innovation, I am still excited to work with the quality of entrepreneurs we have recruited to this cohort.”
Karen Fox, Strategic Partnerships Lead for Novartis said “At Novartis, we are committed to reimagining medicine through digital and data. As our population grows and ages, we need more innovative solutions to society’s complex and chronic health needs. Through our involvement with The Greater Manchester Future of Health, Novartis aims to empower and accelerate emerging health-tech start-up’s to develop and implement their innovative solutions We’re excited to assemble such an interesting and innovative group of start-ups and entrepreneurs and we look forward to collaborating with them during the programme.”
The challenge is informed by Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership strategy and health priorities. It is a “Life Impact Challenge” with a clear focus on what matters to the patient.
The challenge
There are three areas of focus.
1. Solutions that improve the experience of those with Dementia and / or Frailty.
For vulnerable residents at risk of presenting at hospitals through social isolation, frailty and dementia
2. Solutions allowing primary care and outpatient services to be delivered in or near the home for patients.
For patients with a long-term condition that requires regular attendance at outpatient clinics or in a primary care setting.
3. Innovations to allow Digital Nudges to improve Prevention and Public Health
Helping people at risk of developing conditions whose outcomes can be improved through lifestyle change
Solutions were evaluated against the potential Life Impact for each resident or patient type listed above, and the ability to see evidential improvement in:
i) the patient holistic care experience
ii) the capacity and management of primary, community and secondary care.
The cohort
BuddyHub: BuddyHub exists to reduce loneliness and isolation in older people (50+) and promote a more active lifestyle. By using smart technology they better and more efficiently match ‘Members ‘ to ‘Buddy’ volunteers, helping to create a new sustainable friendship circle that is rewarding for everyone.
Cievert: Cievert is a web-based platform that tackles the problems surrounding routine patient follow-up, in particular driving efficiencies and improvement of care for those with long-term conditions.
Collabco: Collabco’s myday platform is designed to improve engagement between the general public and healthcare providers as well as enabling information sharing and data capture on a global scale.
Evergreen Life: Evergreen Life is a Personal Health Platform allowing people to own their own health records and interact with the health and care system which is then combined with digital nudges, advice, and coaching. It also enables the sharing of information with trusted family members and carers to support personal care or the care of others.
Flock: Flock is aimed at people suffering from type two diabetes, obesity, smoking or alcohol addiction. It uses a unique approach to digital profiling to define what each individual is motivated by and provides a pattern of digital nudges designed specifically for each individual.
Gendius: Gendius is a platform that uses artificial intelligence to calculate an individual’s risk of developing complications from diabetes. The associated secure dashboard enables healthcare professionals to track and monitor patients with the highest need and the hints and tips educate the patient around self-care and prevention of secondary complications.
GiveVision: GiveVision’s SightPlus is a clinically validated low vision aid that helps visually impaired people to see up close and at a distance, thus enabling patients with long-term conditions such as AMD, Diabetes or retinopathy that require regular attendance at outpatient clinics. It has already helped hundreds of low vision patients to improve their sight and work and live independently.
Healum: Healum solutions are intended for people with long-term conditions and use behaviour change interventions to improve lifestyle and support people to self-manage their conditions with support from healthcare professionals when outside the clinical environment.
Holovis: Holovis builds some of the world’s most advanced visualisation and software solutions by bringing together sensing technology, data analytics, and multi-sensory, immersive interactivity to solve problems and 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 by alerting carers and family members. Howz 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 drive change using technology that focuses on identifying operational efficiencies to improve the management of 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. This helps to maintain wellbeing, health and saves public funds by reducing hospital and care dependency.
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. It improves the availability of high-quality, evidence-based resources for the prevention and early intervention treatment in children’s mental health.
My Cognition: MyCognition is dedicated to understanding and improving cognition. Taking a research-based approach has resulted in an NHS approved, MHRA accredited (CE Mark) device 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.