Damibu, a leading innovator in digital health solutions, is thrilled to announce the award of £500,000 in funding from SBRI (Small Business Research Initiative) Healthcare for Phase 2 of its groundbreaking project. This significant investment underscores Damibu’s commitment to transforming maternity care through advanced digital technologies, focusing on improving outcomes for ethnic minorities and those in less affluent areas.
The funded project centres on the enhancement of Damibu’s proprietary “Feeds” digital platform, designed to facilitate the management and distribution of tailored health information. By integrating AI and complex workflows into Feeds and utilising their CATCH maternity mobile app, the initiative aims to empower NHS staff to deliver personalised, comprehensive maternity care guidance directly to patients’ fingertips.
“This funding marks a pivotal moment for Damibu and our mission to address health inequalities through innovation,” said Dave Burrows, CEO of Damibu. “With the SBRI Healthcare’s support, we’re set to expand the capabilities of the Feeds platform, making a tangible difference in the lives of expectant mothers and their families across the Liverpool City Region and beyond.”
Supporting the project are Health Innovation Northwest Coast (formerly The Innovation Agency) and Health Innovation East Midlands, both part of the Health Innovation Network established by NHS England in 2013 to accelerate the adoption of advanced solutions.
Additionally, Damibu is partnering with the Patient Information Forum, an authority on patient information quality, and Rachael Dix, a health inequalities and transformation consultant, to ensure the project’s success and impact.
The project’s objectives include developing example content that spans the full spectrum of maternity care, from pregnancy through the critical early months of a child’s life. This effort will not only enhance the user experience of the CATCH app but also pave the way for the platform’s application across a broader range of healthcare sectors.
Damibu’s collaboration with Cheshire and St. Helens NHS Places, exemplifies a shared vision for a future where digital innovation leads the way in public health. The project leads, already commissioning Damibu for the CATCH service, will continue to oversee content customisation, ensuring that the information provided is both accurate and relevant.
With this funding, Damibu is poised to set new standards in healthcare delivery, demonstrating the power of digital solutions in addressing critical health challenges. The project not only highlights the company’s leadership in the health tech sector but also reinforces the Liverpool City Region’s status as a hub for innovation and excellence in healthcare.
About SBRI Healthcare
SBRI (Small Business Research Initiative) Healthcare provides funding and support to innovators to develop solutions that tackle existing unmet needs faced by the NHS. The programme aims to improve patient care, increase efficiency in the NHS, and support the UK economy. The programme provides funding and support to early-stage projects enabling testing for business feasibility and technology development, as well as to more mature products to support real world implementation studies. SBRI Healthcare is funded by the Accelerated Access Collaborative and delivered in partnership with the Health Innovation Network.
About the Accelerated Access Collaborative
The Accelerated Access Collaborative is a unique partnership between patient groups, government bodies, industry and the NHS. It delivers ambitious programmes to ensure the NHS is in the best place to improve patient outcomes and reduce health inequalities through research and innovation. It does this by identifying the best new medicines, medical devices, diagnostics and digital products. It supports providers and integrated care systems to make them available to patients as quickly as possible. In addition, the AAC supports increasing participation in research and access to research trials. Over 1.6 million patients have benefited from its programmes to date, helping patients spend over 278,000 fewer days in hospital and saving the NHS over £185 million.
About the Health Innovation Network
There are 15 health innovation networks across England, established by NHS England in 2013 to spread innovation at pace and scale – improving health and generating economic growth. Each health innovation network works across a distinct geography serving a different population in each region. As the only bodies that connect NHS and academic organisations, local authorities, the third sector and industry, health innovation networks are catalysts that create the right conditions to facilitate change across whole health and social care economies, with a clear focus on improving outcomes for patients.