viO HealthTech Company Profile
Background
viO HealthTech, formerly known as Fertility Focus, is a UK-based company specializing in digital health solutions for women's reproductive health. Founded in 2005, the company is dedicated to providing personalized, clinically-proven digital tools that support women throughout their health journey—from puberty to menopause. viO HealthTech's mission is to empower women with accurate, actionable information to make informed decisions about their health, particularly in areas such as conception, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), miscarriage risk, pregnancy complications, and menopause management.
Key Strategic Focus
viO HealthTech's strategic focus centers on developing and delivering innovative digital health solutions that address critical aspects of women's reproductive health. The company's core objectives include:
- Personalized Health Monitoring: Offering tools that provide real-time insights into individual health patterns.
- Clinical Integration: Ensuring products are clinically validated and can be integrated into healthcare providers' workflows.
- Technological Innovation: Utilizing advanced sensor technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to enhance product accuracy and user experience.
- Market Expansion: Broadening product offerings to cover a comprehensive range of women's health issues beyond fertility, including PCOS, endometriosis, and menopause.
Financials and Funding
viO HealthTech has secured multiple funding rounds to support its growth and product development initiatives. Notable funding events include:
- January 2019: Received growth capital investment from Foresight Private Equity, marking Foresight's fourth transaction in the medical products sector and its 98th in the United Kingdom.
- January 2021: Raised £250,000 (approximately $340,000) in debt funding from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF) to expand its workforce, invest in research and development, and mitigate potential impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pipeline Development
viO HealthTech's product portfolio includes:
- OvuFirst™: A patented sensor technology designed to measure continuous skin temperature during sleep, providing a minimally invasive method for understanding progesterone fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle. Worn on the underside of the arm or wrist, OvuFirst offers real-time fertility status updates via the OvuSense® App.
- OvuCore™: A unique sensor technology that measures continuous Core Body Temperature (cCBT) in the vagina during sleep, offering detailed insights into progesterone fluctuations. OvuCore enables the OvuSense App to predict ovulation onset up to 24 hours in advance with a positive predictive value of 96% and confirms the exact date of ovulation with 99% accuracy.
- OvuSense® Pro: A platform that allows users and their healthcare providers to remotely access detailed cycle information through an online portal. It provides key analyses of cycle patterns, aiding in the identification of potential fertility issues and monitoring treatment effectiveness.
Technological Platform and Innovation
viO HealthTech distinguishes itself through its proprietary technologies and innovative methodologies:
- Proprietary Sensor Technologies: The company's OvuFirst and OvuCore sensors utilize patented technologies to measure continuous skin and core body temperatures, respectively, providing high-resolution data on menstrual cycle patterns.
- AI-Driven Algorithms: viO HealthTech employs advanced AI algorithms to analyze temperature data, enabling accurate predictions of ovulation and identification of atypical cycle patterns that may indicate underlying health issues.
- Clinical Validation: The company's products are supported by extensive clinical research, with over 11 clinical papers and posters published on the use of continuous Core Body Temperature as a menstrual cycle biomarker and its applications in screening and monitoring various women's health conditions.
Leadership Team
viO HealthTech's leadership team comprises experienced professionals with diverse backgrounds:
- Robert Milnes: Chief Executive Officer & Board Member. Robert has been instrumental in guiding the company's strategic direction and expansion into digital health solutions.
- Craig Citron: Chief Operating Officer - USA. Craig oversees operations in the United States, focusing on market growth and operational efficiency.
- Al Pirrie, Ph.D.: Chief Technology Officer. Al leads the technological development and innovation strategies, ensuring the company's products remain at the forefront of digital health technology.
- Libby Semple: Financial Controller. Libby manages the company's financial operations, ensuring fiscal responsibility and strategic financial planning.
- Kate Davies: Chief Medical Officer. Kate provides medical oversight and ensures that the company's products meet clinical standards and effectively address women's health needs.
Leadership Changes
As of the latest available information, there have been no recent significant changes or appointments within viO HealthTech's leadership team.
Competitor Profile
Market Insights and Dynamics
The women's health technology market is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing awareness and demand for personalized health solutions. Key trends include the integration of AI and machine learning in health monitoring devices, the rise of telemedicine, and a focus on holistic health management approaches.
Competitor Analysis
viO HealthTech operates in a competitive landscape with several notable companies:
- Prima-Temp: Based in Boulder, Colorado, Prima-Temp develops continuous, non-invasive digital blood and urine biomarkers for health monitoring.
- Ava: Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, Ava offers wearable devices that track various physiological parameters to predict ovulation and monitor women's health.
- Mira: Located in San Ramon, California, Mira provides at-home fertility and hormone measuring kits, offering users insights into their reproductive health.
Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships
viO HealthTech has engaged in strategic collaborations to enhance its market position and innovation capacity:
- PharmStars Accelerator Program: In June 2023, viO HealthTech graduated from the PharmStars accelerator program, which focuses on bridging the gap between pharmaceutical companies and digital health startups. This collaboration aims to leverage viO HealthTech's technology for clinical trials monitoring and real-world evidence gathering related to drug efficacy throughout the women's reproductive cycle.
Operational Insights
viO HealthTech's strategic considerations include:
- Clinical Integration: Ensuring that products are designed for seamless integration into healthcare providers' workflows, enhancing their utility in clinical settings.
- Regulatory Compliance: Maintaining compliance with medical device regulations, including FDA clearance and CE marking, to ensure product safety and efficacy.
- User Engagement: Focusing on user-friendly designs and providing exceptional customer support to enhance user satisfaction and product adoption.
Strategic Opportunities and Future Directions
viO HealthTech's strategic roadmap includes:
- Product Expansion: Developing new digital health solutions to address a broader range of women's health issues, including endometriosis and menopause management.
- Market Penetration: Expanding into new geographic markets to increase product accessibility and brand recognition.
- Technological Advancements: Investing in research and development to enhance existing products and develop new technologies that further personalize women's health monitoring.
Contact Information
For more information about viO HealthTech and its products, visit the official website:
Social Media Profiles:
- LinkedIn: viO HealthTech