The UK’s Booming Healthtech Scene
The UK's startup scene thrives with innovation and dynamism, particularly within the healthcare technology sector. This country’s blend of historical richness and cutting-edge advancements, has emerged as a pivotal hub for health tech startups. These enterprises are at the forefront of revolutionising healthcare delivery, enhancing patient management, and pioneering medical research. Their growth is not just rapid but deeply rooted in the unique ecosystem that the UK offers, fostering creativity and technological breakthroughs.
Healthcare technology in the UK benefits from a symbiotic relationship between academia, industry, and government support, creating an environment ripe for innovation. Startups here are not only leveraging this fertile ground to develop groundbreaking solutions but are also contributing to shaping a future where technology and healthcare converge more seamlessly.
The significance of these startups extends beyond their immediate technological offerings. They signify a broader shift towards a more integrated, efficient, and patient-centric healthcare system. The UK’s role as a cradle for such transformative endeavours underscores its global importance in the tech and healthcare sectors.
Top Companies to Watch in 2024
Fiit
Fiit gives you on demand access to hundreds of killer workouts and structured training plans – all led by world-class trainers. There are heavy HIIT-ers, muscle builders, sweat sessions, zen benders, core crushers, flow finders, leg burners, arm burners, fat burners – to be honest, there are a lot of burners.
What we like: Fitt are really leaning on accountability and positive peer pressure to keep people motivated to progress their fitness journey. It’s a clever use of behavioural nudges and will only serve to help combat the growing obesity crisis in the UK. Their app is sleek, sophisticated and easy to use and offers a wide range of services.
Hibi
We built Hibi having ourselves seen how fragmented and complex care systems can be for families. Managing, coordinating & navigating care is overwhelming.
Today, we're left with towers of paper folders, long waits on telephone helplines, and a whole lot of Google-ing. We founded Hibi with the mission to make sure that all children and their families have the tools, resources and support they need to receive the best care possible.
What we like: This is a great use of technology in the healthcare space, which really focuses on a niche that needs it - many families feel lost at sea when they have children with developmental and health conditions, so to create an app focused on making this easy seems like a no-brainer.
Lottie
MILLIONS OF DATA POINTS & MARKET LEADING CARE EXPERTS IN AN EASY-TO-USE TECH PLATFORM: Lottie mixes three essential ingredients to conjure care seekers their perfect care home match. What's our magic formula I hear you ask?
What we like: There have been various ‘cottage industry’ attempts to make finding care for the elderly easier, but Lottie has done it in a completely new way. They’ve got the resources, people, and strategy to dive much deeper into this world than others before them and are working hard to demystify and simplify the process of finding care for the elderly.
Babylon (now eMed)
Our mission is to democratise healthcare through our market-leading digital-first primary care service and chronic healthcare management solutions. Whether through our private 24/7 primary care service, or GP at Hand, the largest UK GP practice as part of the NHS family, or our partnerships with companies like Bupa, we give our members a better way to access the care they need, from wherever they are.
What we like: To us this feels like an extension of the ‘gig’ economy, but in this case with highly educated doctors. To use people’s time more efficiently is something that we always strive for with our own projects so to see this working in real-time makes us very happy indeed! Doctors on demand are only a good thing for patients, especially when the UK is suffering from many doctors retiring early or ‘brain drain’ as they move to other countries or professions.
PsychiatryUK
The model for Psychiatry-UK is a chamber – like a chamber of lawyers or accountants. It allows qualified psychiatrists who work to our standards and on our system to build their own online practices. The chamber is owned and run by the members as a GMC-designated medical body. Our primary business is the provision of online medical treatment and risk management services with named doctors taking responsibility for all patients on our system, including those receiving treatment from multidisciplinary services working under our supervision.
What we like: Their model of using technology to bring together experts in this field, and then to deliver a complex service online is only a positive thing for the sector and the patients. It allows more complex handling of services and managing everything under one roof, while ensuring excellent supervision and compliance.
Huma
Huma is a global digital health technology company that uses AI to advance digital-first care delivery and research to help people live longer, fuller lives.
Huma’s regulated Software as a Medical Device is the only disease agnostic platform to hold both EU MDR Class IIb and US FDA Class II regulatory status.
What we like: That they focus on digital-first care for health systems by using advances in AI. The utilise companion apps to provide guides for patients through complex treatment regimens and drug therapies. This use of technology is really a way that ensures people feel empowered and informed every step of the way. Their virtual clinical trials could revolutionise medical research, accelerating the pace of discovery and bringing breakthrough treatments to patients faster than ever before.
Conclusion
The potential of these UK-based companies to influence the future of healthcare is immense. As we move into 2024 and beyond, their trajectory offers promising insights into how technology will continue to shape healthcare delivery, patient interaction, and medical research. These companies are not just businesses; they are beacons of change in the pursuit of better healthcare for all. Keeping an eye on their progress is not just advisable for those interested in health tech but essential for anyone invested in the future of healthcare.
At Adapt, we specialise in working with healthcare providers, implementing technical solutions to solve challenges like those faced in transitioning to digital healthcare services. Our team focuses on creating bespoke software solutions that align with the unique demands of the modern healthcare sector. From streamlining patient management systems to integrating advanced telemedicine platforms, our aim is to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of healthcare services. By leveraging our expertise in technology, we strive to bridge the gap between traditional healthcare methods and the evolving digital landscape, ensuring a smoother, more effective healthcare experience for both providers and patients.
