The finalists of the most exciting UK digital health start-up competition have been revealed ahead of the live final at Digital Health Rewired 2023 in London next week.
The final ten who will be competing to be named winners of Pitchfest 2023 have been narrowed down from over 80 innovative companies from across Europe, the US and Canada who entered.
Now in its fifth year, Digital Health Pitchfest has been split into two categories for 2023, start-up and scale-up, with a winner to be named in each category. The start-up of the year will win a trial at an NHS test bed site.
Competing in front of the Pitchfest judges and live audience at the Business Design Centre in London on 14-15 March, the scale-ups and start-ups will compete to be crowned Pitchfest champions.
The scale-up final, for start-ups taking the next steps, takes place on day one at 15.00. The start-up final, for earlier stage start-ups, is held on day two at the same time.
The scale-up of the year will win a trial at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust through the CW Innovation programme – a collaboration between the trust and its charity CW+.
Following a series of virtual heats, which can be viewed on demand on the Rewired website, the expert panel of Pitchfest judges narrowed down a shortlist of twenty-three innovators to just ten finalists:
Scale-up category:
Abtrace – GP software for scanning clinical records to monitor existing long-term conditions, detecting new disease, and optimising preventative treatment
Dr Julian – tele and virtual health solutions for mental health providers
Limbic – the world’s first and only AI mental health chatbot with Medical Class IIa UKCA status
Panakeia Technologies – AI software platform offering biomarker results in minutes instead of days or weeks
Start-up category:
Frendo – smartphone app for endometriosis patients and those with suspected symptoms
Healthtech-1 – software automating patient registrations for primary care
Hera – digital-first maternity and child health platform, launching in postnatal care
LVNDR Health – app for sexual healthcare and well-being services designed by LGBTQ+ clinicians
Ufonia – replaces routine patient healthcare interactions with next generation automated phone
calls
XWave Technologies – a clinical decision support system that aims to tackle the radiology backlog
Jon Hoeksma, CEO of Digital Health and chair of the Pitchfest Panel of Judges, said: “Pitchfest and the participation of so many brilliant digital health start-ups, is one of the key ingredients that makes Rewired such an exciting show, bringing together current and future NHS digital leaders with the very best start-ups and innovators in the sector.”
He added: “We’ve seen the past winners of Pitchfest: Testcard, Peppy Health and CareMedic all go on to enjoy huge success and I’m sure the same will be true for whoever wins Pitchfest this year. I wish all our finalists every success.”
Stephen Bryant, director and co-founder of Silver Buck, said: “We’re really excited to be sponsoring this year’s Pitchfest. This is a fantastic opportunity for start-ups and scale ups to make a real and lasting impact on the digital health ecosystem. We can’t wait to see the cutting-edge ideas, concepts and solutions these finalists will bring to the market.”
Pitchfest is part of a dynamic CPD-accredited Rewired 2023 conference programme bringing together all parts of the digital health community to celebrate the best of digital, data and innovation in health and care.
Rewired 2023 is free to attend for NHS and public sector workers, private healthcare providers. Private sector passes start from £475+ VAT. You can register online until Monday 13 March at 12pm. You can register on-site at Business Design Centre on 14-15 March.