INSIGHTS / News

EarSwitch™, a member of The FWD Project, has secured a £1.2m investment led by the GMC Life Sciences Fund by Praetura, with additional support from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Cheshire & Warrington LEP and Bruntwood SciTech.

The Bristol-based company is developing world-leading technology that aims to transform how we monitor and diagnose health through in-ear innovation. Founded in 2019 with funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), EarSwitch™’s non-invasive biometric sensor, EarMetrics®️, expects to capture medically precise and inclusive health data from real-life scenarios, from within the inner ear canal.

Metrics currently in development include oxygen saturation, heart rate, heart rate variability, and respiratory rate and patterns. It is planned that future iterations of the device will also incorporate temperature monitoring, blood pressure indicators, and in-ear functionality control.

This recent round of investment from Praetura Ventures will support the advancement of EarSwitch™’s in-ear technology portfolio, with additional support also available as part of the deal, including access to a proprietary portfolio toolkit, mentorship opportunities from industry heavyweights, as well as access to the GMC health ecosystem.

The news of this funding comes just two months after the med-tech company were selected for a £10m NHS-funded support pilot to transform patient care.

Dr. Nick Gompertz, Founder and CEO, EarSwitch™, said, “We are thrilled to have Praetura Ventures as partners in our mission to transform how we monitor and diagnose health,”

“The team’s focus on delivering ‘More than Money’ will help us to bring EarSwitch’s life-changing technology to a wider audience as we explore global medical and technology applications for our sensors, IP and data.”

Speaking on the announcement, Sim Singh-Landa, Head of the GMC Life Sciences Fund By Praetura, added: “We come across many exciting early-stage businesses in life sciences and healthcare but EarSwitch really impressed us with its fascinating innovation in the promotion of racially inclusive healthcare. EarSwitch’s technology has the power to be truly transformative in many verticals.”

 “Our plan now is to support the EarSwitch team with their scale-up plans here in Manchester, providing More Than Money, as they develop and scale EarMetrics. I look forward to using our extensive resources, including our team of Operational Partners, to help the team deliver their plan to transform the role of the ear, targeting the new gold standard for biometric monitoring.”

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