The Ultimate Guide to the Uk Age Tech Startup Scene

UK age tech startups are a pillar of innovation in Europe. They sits at a multi-trillion dollar intersection between the European economy and the “Anglo-Sphere”.

Population size in the UK is at it’s largest ever, and like it’s neighbors in Europe, it is aging fast. In 2016, 18% of people were aged 65 and over. By 2046, it is expected that 25% of the UK’s population will be 65 and over.

It is no wonder, that more and more UK startups are targeting the older population, with solutions ranging from tech-enabled home care to smart home hubs.

Several UK-based companies were included in this year’s Gerontech Market Map, let’s take a closer look at the UK gerontech ecosystem.

Tech-Enabled Home Care & Marketplaces 

Leading the pack with $21.1M of funding is Cera. Backed by leading investors such as Kima Ventures, their AI-enabled home care marketplace is able to arrange home care for users within 24 hours, while fully taking into consideration a patient’s needs and preferences.

Vida & SuperCarers help families find the best care professionals in their area. SuperCarers also and provides them with tools to manage the care. HomeWatch, which was founded by an NHS dementia specialist, helps families find live-in carers.

Care Management Platforms

OnCare, a start-up born out of the Founders Factory incubator programme is helping home-care agencies save time and money by replacing paper with digital records. CareZapp utilizes in-home sensors to help care teams connect and collaborate, thus providing better home-care for older adults. Vidatec has acquired the majority stake stake in CareZapp. Newcomer Birdie raised €7M to their platform, which supports care professionals and families in delivering better and safer elderly care at home.

Smart Home for Seniors

British Gas subsidiary Hive is staking it’s claim in the aging market. Their array of smart-home products includes the Hive Link, which allows families to monitor their aging loved ones at home, and be notified if something’s wrong. They’ve also launched an accelerator program for gerontech startups in conjunction with Hax.

Abingdon-based Canary Care develops a wireless sensor-based smart home monitoring system. They’ve been acquired by Lifecycle Software Ltd for an undisclosed amount.

Howz’s smart home system analyses electricity usage to understand an elderly person’s use of everyday objects. It is currently being trialed within the NHS.

Alcove’s IoT care technology ecosystem is pioneering independent living for older adults. The system uses integrated sensors, wearables, Amazon Echo and an in-home communication aid. They also have the best looking Instagram account out of all gerontech startups. 

Cognitive Care

In 2017, there were about 50 million people worldwide living with dementia. This number is expected to reach 75 million in 2030 and 131.5 million in 2050.

Unforgettable has a marketplace offering products to help people who have Dementia or Alzheimer’s. The company is not just a marketplace, they’ve also developed several products based on customers’ needs and feedback.

Virtue Health develops innovative approaches to treat age-related conditions. Their platform, LookBack, is a digital therapy platform for dementia that uses VR to deliver proven clinical outcomes.

Memrica’s software helps senior living communities keep residents socially and physically active and reduce cognitive decline. Their app provides contextual reminders, makes community connections for active enjoyment and learns from life patterns to send alerts if things change.

Social & Communication

Ireland-based startup Kraydel has developed a TV set-top box, linking older adults to their carers, family members or friends through their TV screen.

UK age tech startups are diverse and have the potential to reach both the European market and the English- speaking market. With plenty of capital to back up entrepreneurs, I expect we’ll see many more UK based startups in the near future.