STFC backs health start

STFC backs health start-ups to improve lives

From stroke recovery to supporting survivors of domestic abuse, UK health tech start-ups are developing technologies to improve lives and patient outcomes.

Seven pioneering health start-ups are taking on some of our toughest healthcare challenges at the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Daresbury Laboratory.

The companies are the latest to join STFC’s DeepTech Catalyst Health (DTC Health), which helps early-stage businesses bring new ideas to market faster, to improve lives and succeed in global markets.

From a wearable robotic arm to support stroke rehabilitation, to a new method for assessing eye conditions, these innovators are developing technologies to improve patient outcomes and healthcare.

Innovation for real-world solutions

Located within the Sci-Tech Daresbury campus in the Liverpool City Region, DTC Health provides start-ups with a tailored support package worth up to £70,000.

It helps them turn breakthrough ideas into real-world healthcare solutions faster.

DTC Health was launched in 2024 with £1.8 million from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Innovation Zone Programme.

The DTC Health incubation programme sits within the growing North West Health Cluster, giving start-ups access to resources rarely available at an early stage.

These include artificial intelligence (AI) and prototyping facilities, expert business guidance, and intellectual property support, to accelerate the development of products that:

Innovation for better patient care

The latest start-ups to join DTC Health are the following.

Trauma-informed VR and AI support for the wait before therapy.

Built by a survivor and backed by evidence, UKind XR gives employers, healthcare providers and frontline services a way to offer immediate, confidential emotional support, with no waiting list and no stigma.

Eyetech Innovations is developing a portable device that measures eye movement excursions, with the potential to support clinicians in assessing a range of neurological and ophthalmic conditions.

HMA Technologies are developing a wearable robotic arm support that could help stroke survivors carry out intensive rehabilitation exercises independently at home, supporting recovery beyond traditional clinical settings.

Beyond Blood are developing portable blood-testing technology that combines artificial intelligence with advanced microfluidics to deliver laboratory-quality results closer to patients, in clinics, community settings and, in future, at home.

Asika are developing AI agents for hospitals and clinics which automate administrative workflows, reducing paperwork and driving operational efficiencies.

CCI Photonics are developing an AI-enhanced diagnostic platform that uses infrared light to detect and assess infections rapidly at the point of care, helping clinicians make treatment decisions sooner.

InformiX Pharma are helping pharmaceutical companies develop better medicines by using advanced 3D X-ray imaging to understand how medicines are structured, supporting the design of more effective treatments.

Pioneering better health outcomes

STFC’s Paul Vernon, Executive Director of Business and Innovation, and Head of Daresbury Laboratory, yesterday said:

From helping stroke survivors recover mobility to developing new medicines, these pioneering companies are turning ambitious ideas into technologies that could transform healthcare and improve lives.

Through DTC Health, STFC is giving early-stage businesses access to the expertise, facilities and support they need to take their ideas from the lab into the real world.

By backing the next generation of health technologies, we are improving patient outcomes, creating high-value jobs and strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in deep tech innovation.

In doing so, we are supporting the Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy and helping build a more resilient, prosperous and innovation-led economy.

The DTC Health incubation programme is part of STFC’s nationwide network of technology commercialisation programmes, collectively known as the STFC DeepTech Catalyst, collaborating with industry-leading partners in specialised fields.

Recently ranked among the Financial Times’ Europe’s Top SME Hubs 2026, the DTC helps start-ups access the facilities, expertise and investment needed to grow into globally competitive businesses.

Since 2011, the DeepTech Catalyst has supported more than 230 start-ups, which have collectively:

The programme also contributes around £125 million in gross value added to the UK economy each year.

Supporting UK Modern Industrial Strategy

As part of UK Research and Innovation, STFC uses the DeepTech Catalyst to support the UK government’s Modern Industrial Strategy.

This includes the eight sectors it identifies as having the greatest growth potential over the next decade.

It also has a critical role in driving economic security and resilience, delivering net zero, and promoting regional growth.

Businesses interested in joining the DTC Health programme should:

See further information about DTC Health.