SEVEN pioneering health-tech start-ups are developing new technologies at Daresbury Laboratory, near Warrington, with the potential to improve patient care, speed up diagnosis and transform healthcare services.
The businesses have joined the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) DeepTech Catalyst Health (DTC Health) programme, which supports early-stage companies in turning innovative ideas into practical healthcare solutions.
Based at the Sci-Tech Daresbury campus in the Liverpool City Region, the programme provides tailored support worth up to £70,000 to help businesses develop their technologies, access specialist facilities and accelerate their route to market.
The initiative was launched in 2024 with £1.8 million from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Innovation Zone Programme.
It forms part of the growing North West Health Cluster, helping to strengthen the region’s position in health innovation while supporting the development of new products, businesses and skilled jobs.
The seven companies are working on a diverse range of technologies aimed at addressing challenges across healthcare and patient support.
They include:
– UKind XR, which is developing trauma-informed virtual reality and artificial intelligence support to provide immediate, confidential emotional assistance for people waiting for therapy. The technology is designed for use by employers, healthcare providers and frontline services, including support for survivors of domestic abuse.
– Eyetech Innovations, which is developing a portable device to measure eye movement, potentially helping clinicians assess a range of neurological and eye conditions.
– HMA Technologies, which is developing a wearable robotic arm support to help stroke survivors undertake intensive rehabilitation exercises independently at home, extending recovery opportunities beyond traditional clinical settings.
– Beyond Blood, which is developing portable blood-testing technology combining artificial intelligence and advanced microfluidics to deliver laboratory-quality results closer to patients, including in clinics and community settings.
– Asika, which is developing AI agents to automate administrative processes in hospitals and clinics, reducing paperwork and improving operational efficiency.
– CCI Photonics, which is developing an artificial intelligence-enhanced diagnostic platform using infrared light to detect and assess infections rapidly at the point of care, potentially helping clinicians make treatment decisions sooner.
– InformiX Pharma, which uses advanced 3D X-ray imaging to help pharmaceutical companies better understand the structure of medicines and support the development of more effective treatments.
Supporting innovation from laboratory to patient
The programme gives businesses access to resources that can be difficult for early-stage companies to obtain independently, including artificial intelligence and prototyping facilities, business expertise and intellectual property support.
Paul Vernon, STFC Executive Director of Business and Innovation and Head of Daresbury Laboratory, said the companies were developing technologies with the potential to transform healthcare.
He 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.”
He added that backing emerging health technologies could improve patient outcomes, create high-value jobs and strengthen the UK’s position in deep-tech innovation.
DTC Health is part of STFC’s wider DeepTech Catalyst network, which supports technology businesses across the UK through programmes developed with specialist industry partners.
The network was recently ranked among the Financial Times’ Europe’s Top SME Hubs 2026.
Since 2011, the DeepTech Catalyst has supported more than 230 start-ups, which have collectively raised more than £720 million in private investment and created over 1,100 highly skilled jobs.
The programme reports a five-year business survival rate of 95% and estimates that it generates £32 in direct economic return for every £1 invested.
It also contributes an estimated £125 million in gross value added to the UK economy each year.
The initiative supports the Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy, including its focus on sectors identified as having significant growth potential over the next decade.
Through its work at Daresbury Laboratory and across its wider network, STFC aims to help innovative businesses turn scientific advances into commercial products, strengthen regional economies and develop technologies that could make a difference to patients’ lives.
