Category: News

Discovery Park, Kent’s science and innovation hub, has launched the eighth edition of its Discovery Spark accelerator programme, welcoming 10 startups to its campus in Sandwich.

The eighth cohort brings together 13 founders working across drug discovery, diagnostics, wound care, crop science and biotechnology. Startups were selected based on the need for their innovation, the uniqueness of their solution and the strength of their team. Throughout November, founders will attend specialist-led sessions in Kent and London focused on investor readiness. Topics range from tax and finance, legal and governance, and risk mitigation to performance and communications. The programme ends with an interactive pitch day on 3 December in the company of relevant active investors.

First launched in 2023, the business growth programme has already supported 77 companies and 115 founders across seven previous cohorts, with alumni securing over £6.5m in UKRI funding to date. Spark gives startups a network of peers, mentors and expert advisers as part of a collaborative cohort.

Programme Lead Renos Savva, Head of Innovation and Venture Development at Discovery Park, said: “Cohort 8.0 is our broadest cohort yet, running from the lab bench to the farm field, with founders working on molecular glues, cell engineering, wound care and high-iron crops. Several of these companies have already raised investment or come out of leading research institutions. Over the coming weeks we’ll work closely with every team to sharpen their investor narrative and test their commercial strategy, so they leave ready to raise their next round and get their technology into use.”

Companies in the latest cohort include Ternary Therapeutics, focused on the discovery of new molecular glues, a class of drug that can target disease-causing proteins long considered “undruggable”. Its discovery platform combines AI, physics-based modelling and laboratory testing to design molecular glues deliberately, where most have previously been found by chance. Founded in 2024, the London-based company raised £3.6m in seed funding in March 2026 and is developing programmes in inflammatory and neuroinflammatory diseases.

HiFe Plants, a spinout from the John Innes Centre, is developing high-iron crop traits for use in biofortified foods and ingredients. In trials, 25g of HiFe pea shoots contained enough iron to provide 100% of a woman’s recommended daily iron intake. The company is now working with a commercial pea breeder to produce a plant-based iron ingredient as an alternative to traditional iron supplements. 

Others in the cohort include companies developing a breath test to identify prediabetes risk earlier, a colour-changing microneedle patch that confirms a vaccine dose has been delivered, a non-hormonal treatment for endometriosis, and technologies to improve wound care. 

The Discovery Spark accelerator is open to UK-based science and technology startups and SMEs from all disciplines, with different themed cohorts throughout the year. Learn more about Discovery Spark and register interest for the next cohort: https://discovery-park.co.uk/lp/discovery-spark/

Details of the 10 companies taking part in Discovery Spark Cohort 8.0 (listed alphabetically), with an open innovation theme: 

BIO Technologies 

BIO Technologies is a healthcare technology company building PURA, a novel molecular diagnostic platform designed for rapid, amplification-free detection of DNA and RNA targets, delivering results in 10 minutes. Designed for true point-of-care testing, PURA aims to enable accessible testing at the point of need, without conventional amplification methods or specialised laboratory equipment. They are also developing DermaMaxx, an advanced hydro-polymeric wound dressing incorporating plant-derived antibacterial nanoparticles for supportive healing and moisture management.

Carocell Bio 

Carocell Bio is a biotechnology company developing novel, patented, anti-inflammatory peptides to more safely treat serious inflammatory diseases. Their lead peptide, JEL0305, has shown early evidence in human skin-biopsy results for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, working faster and more effectively than a topical steroid. 

CleverSkin Technologies 

CleverSkin Technologies is a medical technology company developing CleverSkin®, a two-component polyurethane formulation that forms a flexible foam covering for wounds, delivering physical protection, cushioning and fluid absorption. The company’s initial commercial focus is CleverSkin24, intended for minor cuts, abrasions and lacerations. 

HiFe Plants 

HiFe Plants is an agri-tech spinout developing crop traits to breed high-iron plant varieties for use as biofortified foods and ingredients. HiFe Plants is working with a specialist pea breeder in New Zealand to integrate their HiFe1 trait into a commercial pea variety, aiming to produce a plant-based iron supplement. Iron is the world’s most prevalent micronutrient deficiency; in the UK, one in three women don’t get enough iron in their diet. 

Nano-Nose 

Nano-Nose is a healthtech company developing an AI-powered, non-invasive breath analysis platform to enable earlier identification of cardiometabolic risk. Starting with prediabetes, its technology is designed to make risk screening simpler, more accessible, and scalable, connecting individuals and healthcare professionals with timely confirmatory testing and preventative interventions. The platform combines breath-based molecular analysis with AI-driven health intelligence, with the potential to expand into additional cardiometabolic conditions as clinical evidence develops. 

Ovitrix

Ovitrix is a therapeutics company developing a non-hormonal repurposed small molecule for the treatment of endometriosis. The condition affects around 1.5 million women in the UK, and no approved non-hormonal drug acts on its lesions. Ovitrix’s therapy is designed to target lesion growth and formation, addressing the underlying disease rather than only its symptoms.

Semper-B Therapeutics 

Semper-B Therapeutics is developing a cell-engineering platform designed to turn a patient’s own cells into living antibody factories. By enabling precise, durable immune modulation, the platform has the potential to address significant unmet needs across multiple therapeutic areas.

Seven Nodes 

Seven Nodes is a human biology causal simulation platform, providing an auditable reasoning layer for drug discovery through in-silico and experimental validation. This is done by combining multimodal omics data, biological knowledge, statistical and mechanistic modelling with evidence provenance, Seven Nodes helps experimental scientists and translational experts identify and assess therapeutic targets. Seven Nodes is initially focused on supporting oncology and immunology R&D teams in biotech and pharmaceutical companies. 

Ternary Therapeutics 

Ternary Therapeutics (TernaryTx) is a biotech company developing molecular glues that can target classically “undruggable” disease-driving proteins. Their platform engineers the process of discovering molecular glues using a blend of frontier AI, proprietary data, deep-physics simulations and wet lab experiments. The company is delivering a pipeline of assets targeting proteins for neurology and inflammatory diseases. 

VisiPatch 

VisiPatch is a biotech company developing a colour-changing microneedle patch designed to make vaccine and biologic drug delivery safer and more reliable. The patch visually confirms successful dose delivery in real time, helping eliminate user error and improving patient confidence. By combining materials science with patient-centred design, their tech aims to address cold-chain issues, sharp clinical waste and needle phobia.

Industry leaders gathered at Discovery Park on 14 October for The Lab of the Future & Green Chemistry Innovation, an event exploring pharmaceutical AI, automation and green chemistry, with speakers urging the industry to unite to share learnings and knowledge. 

The half-day event drew 140 delegates from pharma, biotech, research and manufacturing for keynotes, panel discussions and a fireside chat.

Abbie Kempe, Director of Research, Enterprise & Innovation Services at Canterbury Christ Church University, chaired the event. Discovery Park’s CEO, Mayer Schreiber, opened the day by tracing AI’s disruptive journey from his first ChatGPT encounter in 2022 to the powerful agentic lab ecosystems transforming automation today.

In his keynote, Steve Fussell, Senior Manager – High-Throughput Experimentation Lead in Chemical Research & Development at Asymchem, explained how high-throughput experimentation and automation can reshape pharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing. He noted: “By unlocking efficiency with robotic systems, we are making transformation improvements in speed, precision and time utilisation. This is freeing up our brilliant scientists to focus on transforming data into knowledge.” 

Left: Mark Fish. Right: Steve Fussell.

Mark Fish, Vice President and General Manager – Digital Science and Automation Solutions at Thermo Fisher Scientific, discussed the acceleration of autonomous labs. He said: “All the tech in the world won’t make your lab faster unless you take your scientists on the journey with you. We need to equip scientists with training, allow for experimentation, and encourage them to get practical, using tools to solve hands-on problems. We need a hybrid workforce with skills in both science and AI technology, and importantly we need to give this workforce time to learn.”

Insights were also shared from Thomas Balkizas, Senior Director, R&D Industry Advisory for Healthcare and Life Sciences at Microsoft, on agentic laboratories, with AI able to reason with scientific data, not just retrieve it. He advised SMEs to start with a single use case built around a real research bottleneck – such as literature review or candidate screening – and pilot an agentic workflow with proper governance, then apply what they learn across the organisation.

A panel on the digital lab in action brought together speakers from AstraZeneca, Thermo Fisher Scientific, the Pistoia Alliance and Canterbury Christ Church University. A second panel, with experts from Asymchem, CatSci, Growing Kent and Medway and Canterbury Christ Church University, made the case for continuous improvement and collaboration in sustainable innovation. 

Above, left to right: Shashi Pandya, Caterina Minelli, John Murphy.

John Murphy of Particology chaired a fireside chat on sustainability and commercialisation with Caterina Minelli of NPL and Shashi Pandya of Pale Blue Dot and Spinnovate UK. He shared lessons from Particology’s Innovate UK-funded “Grand Challenge” research project, developing and demonstrating new technologies for greener, more efficient medicines manufacturing.

The day closed with an IP Clinic hosted by Venner Shipley, helping attendees protect and commercialise their innovations. The event was organised by Discovery Park and sponsored by Asymchem, the IChemE Pharma Group, Particology and Venner Shipley. 

Exhibitors included Canterbury Christ Church University, Emerson Process Management, Haier Biomedical, Jaytee Biosciences, LAUDA Technology, Novogene, Omicron Research, R&L Slaughter, Sartorius UK, Thermo Electron Manufacturing and Venner Shipley.

Above: Cecilia Macleod, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Anthera Remediation Technologies

Discovery Park, Kent’s business park for science and technology companies, today welcomed two climate-tech companies to its innovation campus. Anthera Remediation Technologies, tackling ‘forever chemicals’ in water and soil, and Colliding Materials, building plastic compounding technology for sustainable energy systems, have now moved into new laboratory spaces in Sandwich, Kent.

Anthera Remediation Technologies (A.R.T) is focused on the removal and breakdown of PFAS from the environment. These ‘forever chemicals’ are used in many household products, from non-stick cookware to waterproof clothing. A.R.T’s remediation platform uses a modular process of contaminant recovery, photocatalytic destruction, and bioremediation to remove PFAS from soil and water. A.R.T’s technology does not require high heat or pressure, making it practical and sustainable, with lower operating costs compared to conventional approaches. 

Founded in 2025, A.R.T has grown to a team of four, splitting time between Discovery Park’s Barclays Eagle Lab for collaborative office space and a shared lab for prototype testing. They are working with a client to run a PFAS removal pilot at a landfill site, with early results demonstrating the effectiveness of their approach. A.R.T is raising £300k for optimisation of their system, as part of a £1.55m funding round to reach commercialisation. The team has future ambitions to scale up their remediation system and add analytical wastewater capabilities on site at Discovery Park. 

Above: Shiyao Li, Chief Technology Officer, and Edwin Harvey, Founder and CEO of Colliding Materials 

Colliding Materials has developed engineered composite materials for use in electronics, sustainable energy and aerospace. Their technology blends graphite and functional fillers with polymer binders, achieving over seven times higher electrical conductivity compared to other materials. These specialist performance materials can be manufactured and moulded to meet clients’ requirements, providing better performance for customers building next-generation batteries and energy systems. 

Colliding Materials is already working with a London-based startup, providing bespoke materials for a specialised system that transforms brewing byproducts into useful green hydrogen and CO₂. They recently received a £50k grant from Innovate UK and have just opened their pre-seed fundraising round, aiming to secure £750k for scale-up and commercialisation. Originally based in London since founding in 2025, Colliding Materials relocated to Discovery Park seeking cost-effective lab space, with their CEO now living in Ramsgate. The team of five has a private lab space at Discovery Park, along with benefiting from business support at the onsite Barclays Eagle Lab. 

A.R.T and Colliding Materials are alumni of Discovery Park’s business growth programme for startups and SMEs, Discovery Spark. Both cite the programme as valuable to their company growth, with A.R.T finding the programme’s training in legal, contracts and insurance valuable to their scientific team, and Colliding Materials citing the programme’s intellectual property guidance as key to their recent patent filing. The Spark programme is currently accepting applications for its next cohort.

Cecilia Macleod, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Anthera Remediation Technologies, commented: “Joining Discovery Park has accelerated our growth opportunities. Surrounded by businesses from different industries, we’ve built an unexpected peer network – it genuinely feels like we have a large group of colleagues here. The specialist lab facilities and links with local academia have been invaluable, and the Discovery Spark programme has opened doors to investment and accelerator opportunities we wouldn’t have found otherwise. We’re encouraged by the results from our pilot work, and we’re excited to scale to the next stage.” 

Edwin Harvey, Founder and CEO of Colliding Materials, said: “The space and facilities at Discovery Park led to our relocation from the capital, providing cost-effective private labs suited to a scaling startup. The community impressed us immediately, including an onsite network of green innovation businesses. We’ve already recruited from the talent pool based at Discovery Park, and are focused on securing investment to support the next stage of our journey.” 

Chris Broom, Head of Business Development at Discovery Park, added: “Anthera Remediation Technologies and Colliding Materials represent innovative and scaling SMEs that can succeed within Discovery Park’s community. A.R.T’s practical and sustainable approach to tackling ‘forever chemicals’ has real potential to support environmental remediation, and the materials developed by Colliding Materials can unlock advances across many industries, from fuel cell technology to high-value electronics. Their presence strengthens a rapidly growing green innovation cluster at Discovery Park.” 

Discovery Park’s growing climate-tech cluster already includes ZeroAvia, building an aerospace-grade hydrogen-electric propulsion system, and Clean Planet Technologies, who recently opened the world’s first waste plastics to sustainable aviation fuel pilot facility. There are also agri-tech companies supporting more sustainable farming, including Verdant Carbon, offering high-quality soil carbon measurements, and Elaniti, who use generative genomic AI to decode soil function. 

These two latest additions bring Discovery Park’s tenant community to over 180 companies, spanning biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and advanced manufacturing. The park provides state-of-the-art laboratory and office facilities, along with amenities focused on work/life balance, including gyms, restaurants and a tenant-led community garden.

An event at Discovery Park explores the intersection of pharmaceutical AI, automation and green chemistry on 14 October. 

Discovery Park is announcing two keynote speakers for the event: 

Thomas Balkizas, Senior Director R&D Industry Advisory, Healthcare and Life Sciences Industry, Microsoft

Through his experience leading Microsoft Discovery, an agentic AI platform for scientific research, Thomas works with pharma and biotech leaders across Europe on the shift from digital labs to agentic laboratories. Thomas will highlight how AI is transforming scientific discovery and R&D, with direct implications for clinical outcomes.

Steve Fussell, Senior Manager – High-Throughput Experimentation Lead in Chemical Research & Development, Asymchem 

With over 20 years’ experience in pharmaceutical R&D, Steve has played a key role in bringing 11 commercial medicines to market. He will share valuable insights into how high-throughput experimentation and automation can reshape pharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing. Attendees will also gain behind-the-scenes access to Asymchem’s laboratories and pilot plant during afternoon tours.

The day will be chaired by Abbie Kempe, Director of Research, Enterprise & Innovation Services at Canterbury Christ Church University. Speakers include leaders at Particology, Thermo Fisher Scientific, GSK, University of York, CatSci, Pistoia Alliance, Venner Shipley and AstraZeneca. View the full speaker line up here. 

The event is organised by Discovery Park and sponsored by Asymchem, Particology, Venner Shipley and the IChemE Pharma Group. 

Event details: 

The Lab of the Future & Green Chemistry Innovation

Wednesday 14 October 2026, 10am–3pm

Lawrence Suite, Building 500, Discovery Park, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, CT13 9FF

Free to attend: View the full agenda and register your place here

Discovery Spark Cohort 8 Is Now Open for Applications: Hear from the previous cohort on what to expect

Discovery Spark is a free business growth programme designed to connect visionary founders with a dynamic network of peers and mentors. Over six in-person session content days throughout November, you’ll sharpen your ability to communicate with diverse stakeholders, refine your commercial strategy and build strong foundations to attract investment.

We’re now taking interest in applications for our 8th cohort, seeking UK startups and SMEs with innovative ideas. Whether you’re developing breakthrough biotech, next-generation materials, climate technology, or anything in between, we want to hear from you. 

What Discovery Spark has enabled for Founders in Cohort 7

Don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what the previous cohort learned—and what you can expect from the programme:

Anna Davies, Co-Founder and CEO at OvaJoy 

“Before I started Spark, I thought I was ready to approach investors and had a relatively strong deck. After finishing Spark, I realise how far off I was and the skills and knowledge I’ve learnt over the last few weeks has been invaluable. The main improvement has come from my story telling element to my pitch. I now feel confident approaching investors and having different versions of my pitch tailored to the requirements of each investor.”

Declan Pang, Founder and CEO at Dermalere 

“The structure of Discovery Spark was really well thought out, with fantastic breadth and depth to give me the skills I needed. What I found particularly helpful was that each session was led by a field expert, allowing us to ask questions related to our own backgrounds and receive tailored, expert advice. Several sessions had tasks built in which really got me thinking, reflecting and critiquing my own business proposition to develop it in a constructive manner.”

Gemma Poole, Co-Founder at Avline Health

“The cohort experience was another significant benefit. Connecting with other founders created opportunities for peer learning, shared problem solving and mutual encouragement. It was useful to hear how other businesses were approaching similar challenges and to build relationships with founders at different stages of their journeys. The programme therefore

helped us expand our network while also reducing some of the isolation that

can come with building an early-stage company.” 

Ben Marshall, Co-Founder and CEO at Inherit Health 

“The beauty of the programme has been that it has shone a light on the ‘unknown unknowns’ and then built layers of knowledge and insight, with the added bonus of a professional connection or two in every area we covered. That means that, whilst we might not have the cash or the need to get into that area in depth right now, when we do we will be able to move quickly and with experts with whom we have already broken bread.”

Kristina Katsemonova, Founder at IGEDAPT

“One of the main highlights was receiving honest, practical feedback that genuinely changed how I think about my work. I already had a strong understanding of the patient pain point and unmet need in food allergy, but the programme helped me realise that I had become too absorbed in experimental logistics and technical details. It encouraged me to reconnect the science more clearly with the wider patient need, the strategic direction of the project and the value the solution could provide.”

Santosh Kumar, Founder and CTO at In2cell biosciences

“The biggest shift for me was learning to think like a company-builder rather than only as a scientist. At the bench, the questions are about whether something is true. In building a company, the questions are about whether something is needed, whether people will pay for it, and whether it can reach them within real regulatory and financial limits. The sessions on customer discovery and market validation pushed me to test our assumptions rather than assume the science would speak for itself.”

Sarah Chitongo, Founder at Vina Health App

“Beyond the tangible skills and connections, the programme gave me something harder to measure: confidence and momentum. I entered conversations with investors, with the NHS, with potential partners better prepared, better positioned, and better connected because of Discovery Spark.”

Thushara Sabreen, Founder and CEO at Soule 

“The sessions, one-to-ones and investor feedback were practical and directly relevant to the stage we are at, particularly as we move from beta development towards pilots, evidence generation and pre-seed investment. The cohort experience was equally valuable. Being surrounded by founders at similar stages created a supportive environment for honest discussion, peer learning and useful networking.” 

Beckie Ingram, CEO at VacTimmune

“Discovery Spark has been one of the most motivating and valuable accelerator programmes I’ve taken part in. One of the things that really stood out was the stage of the companies involved. Many accelerator programmes understandably focus on the very early stages of spinning out and building a business. Because the Discovery Spark cohort was made up of companies that were already further along their journey, the discussions, challenges and feedback operated at a much higher level. Rather than covering the basics, the programme continually pushed me to think more strategically about VacTimmune, how we communicate our value, and how we build a company that investors want to back.” 

How to apply for Discovery Spark 

The programme is open to UK startups and SMEs with a compelling USP or IP position, requiring foundational business insights, connections, and approaching investor readiness or commercial traction. 

The sessions will run throughout November, at locations in London and opening at Discovery Park, with a final London pitch day on 3rd December 2026. 

Register your interest online, with applications closing on 9th October 2026.

Questions? 

If you have specific questions about Discovery Spark, please get in touch with programme lead Renos Savva. Fill out the short form on the Contact Us page.

More than 1,600 local students from 49 schools across east Kent have taken part in the region’s largest ever science jamboree.

The annual two-day event, held at Discovery Park in Sandwich, transformed the science and business park into a hub of exploration and hands-on learning, bringing together young people, businesses and universities to learn about the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Organised by STEM Hub at Canterbury Christ Church University, the jamboree delivers a range of exciting practical scientific experiments and activities for the students to experience how STEM plays a part in everyday life; aiming to inspire them to consider further study and careers in STEM.  

Students stepped into the role of scientists, detectives and engineers as they explored the packed programme bringing STEM subjects to life.

They investigated data science, analysed fingerprints and used forensics to catch a culprit, and discovered the inner workings of the human body and the building blocks of anatomy with academics from Canterbury Christ Church University and Kent and Medway Medical School. 

Industry experts from Discovery Park based Resolian demonstrated the science behind surface tension, using the principles of physics and chemistry to help students create giant bubbles. Meanwhile, Asymchem helped them separate colours in ink and use chromatography techniques to solve the mystery of a stolen sandwich, and Pfizer ran three workshops, including looking at the science behind optical illusions making the students question if what they were seeing was real or if their eyes were playing tricks on them. 

Elsewhere, students took part in moth masterclasses with the Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory Trust, tested their engineering skills building bridges with the Royal Engineers Museum, and learned how to build and create a filter system to provide clean water with Southern Water. 

Each day also featured a spectacular nitrogen science show, where everyday objects were frozen, clouds were created and everyday materials shattered to explain the dramatic effects temperature can have on matter.

Teachers from across Kent remarked at how engaging all the activities were, with their students enjoying the practical elements and were interested in ‘seeing school science come to life’. One primary teacher from Deal commented it was a “great opportunity for pupils to use thinking skills, ask questions of ‘real people’ working in STEM. It was good to be able to watch our future scientists!”.

Pam Lithgow, Director of Specialist Resources and Technical Services at Canterbury Christ Church U

niversity, said: “Once again we are delighted to work in partnership with Discovery Park and see so many young people attend, and enjoy the east Kent Science Jamboree. 

“The event aims to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators by giving them first-hand experience of the creativity, problem-solving and the real-world impact of STEM subjects. The jamboree continues to play a vital role in nurturing our future talent across the region, encouraging them to dream big, think freely and see how they can turn their ideas into reality.”

Chris Broom, Head of Business Development, Discovery Park, added: “Discovery Park exists to push the boundaries of science and innovation, and the Science Jamboree is a powerful reminder of why that mission matters. Now in our eleventh year hosting, it brings together an exceptional scientific community to show their work and open young people’s eyes to a career in scienc

e. It comes at a moment when our ambitions for STEM education in the region have never been greater. These are the future researchers, founders and problem-solvers who will shape this industry, and we’re proud to play a role in sparking that ambition early.”

Workshops were delivered by a mix of Discovery Park tenants and organisations from across Kent and beyond, including: Pfizer, Asymchem, Cummins, Resolian, Viatris, Unilabs York Bioanalytical Solutions, Canterbury Christ Church University, Kent and Medway Medical School, CodeKids Canterbury, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, The Royal Engineers Museum, Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory Trust, Southern Water and the National Physical Laboratory.

Discovery Park, Kent’s science and innovation hub, has launched the seventh edition of its Discovery Spark accelerator programme, welcoming 12 startups to its campus in Sandwich.

The seventh cohort is themed around innovations in health, with startups selected based on the need for their innovation, the uniqueness of their solution, and the strength of their team. Throughout June, the selected founders will be attending specialist-led sessions in both Kent and London, focused on investor readiness, covering essential business topics from tax and finance, legal and governance essentials, and risk mitigation to performance and communications insights. The programme culminates with a competitive pitch day on 8 July to a panel of active investors and health specialists. 

First launched in 2023, the business growth programme has already supported 62 companies and 96 founders across six previous cohorts, with alumni securing £5.5m in UKRI funding and counting. Spark is designed to provide opportunities for startups to grow a network of peers, mentors and expert advisors, as part of a friendly and collaborative cohort.

Programme Lead Renos Savva, Head of Innovation and Venture Development at Discovery Park, commented: 

“Cohort 7.0 brings together a strong and diverse group of founders — tackling challenges across human and animal health, from chronic conditions to antimicrobial resistance and food allergy. The breadth and quality of applications we’ve received this year has been remarkable, and that’s reflected in the twelve companies we’ve selected. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be working intensively with every team to sharpen their investor narrative, stress-test their commercial strategy, and make sure they leave as investor-ready SMEs, increasing the odds of these fantastic innovations making their way into the hands of patients.”

Cohort 7.0 includes four women’s health focused startups, aiming to close the gender health gap and reduce the persistent diagnosis delays that affect millions of women across the UK.

• Ainia Empower: A femtech app connecting women to clinicians trained in gender-informed care.
• Avline Health: An at-home vaginal microbiome testing providing insight into urogenital, fertility, pregnancy, and hormonal health.
• OvaJoy: A digital health platform supporting people living with Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS, formerly PCOS).
• Vina Health: A digital clinical intelligence platform, aiming to close the 9-year average diagnosis delay for women with chronic pelvic conditions, endometriosis, fibroids, PMOS, and adenomyosis.

The Discovery Spark accelerator is open to UK-based science and technology startups and SMEs from all disciplines, with different themed cohorts throughout the year. Learn more about Discovery Spark and register interest for the next cohort: https://discovery-park.co.uk/lp/discovery-spark/ 

Details of 12 companies taking part in Discovery Spark Cohort 7.0 (listed alphabetically) 

Ainia Empower 

Ainia is a femtech platform built to close the gender pain gap by connecting women to clinicians trained in gender-informed care. Through an app, patients can track symptoms, identify patterns, and arrive at appointments with clinically meaningful data.

For clinicians, Ainia provides CPD-accredited training, certification in women’s pain and chronic conditions, and access to patient-generated insights before every consultation. 

As the platform grows, so does a proprietary longitudinal dataset, creating the foundation for future diagnostic tools, clinical research, and population-level insights.

Avline Health Ltd 

Avline Health is a women’s health life sciences company developing PelviBiomeTM, an at-home vaginal microbiome test and support pathway providing personalised, science-backed insight into urogenital, fertility, pregnancy, and hormonal health.

PelviBiomeTM helps women move from recurring symptoms, unclear explanations, and repeated short-term fixes towards clearer, evidence-informed conversations with healthcare professionals. The pathway combines discreet at-home sample collection, accredited laboratory analysis, personalised reporting, and expert-led interpretation.

Dermalere

Dermalere provides personalised prebiotic skincare based on a consumer’s skin microbiome. This is achieved through best-in-class testing, sequencing the skin microbiome using deep shotgun metagenomics. Dermalere then delivers personalised skincare products as a subscription model, using a proprietary model to match microbiome data with active ingredients (prebiotics) and targeted microbial formulations. The valuable microbiome data generated can also be monetised, driving the identification of novel biomarkers and design of small molecules. 

EquiCheckAI 

EquiCheckAI is a B2B company for the equine industry, using intelligence to bring immediate benefits to horse care, performance and welfare. Using proprietary technology and AI systems, the company converts daily observations and real world evidence into defensible longitudinal data to improve horse welfare, performance and risk decision making.

IgEDAPT

IgEDAPT is a biotechnology company developing next-generation therapeutic approaches for food allergy, aiming to address the challenges associated with real-world accidental exposures. Food allergies affect millions of people worldwide and place a significant physical and emotional burden on individuals and families. IgEDAPT is focused on developing innovative approaches intended to support people living with food allergies in everyday life.

Inherit Health 

Inherit Health is creating a secure-by-design, privacy-first digital ecosystem built to bridge the gaps between fragmented patient experiences, clinical decision-making, and research insight. The ecosystem comprises three integrated platforms: a patient-facing Personal Health Record with an app-based UI; a web-based information conduit for GPs; and a ‘smart’ research portal that enables frontline clinical research organisations.

In2cell Biosciences 

In2cell Biosciences is building a platform to detect DNA breaks at single-molecule

resolution. Named POLEX™, their advanced platform uses long-read sequencing to read single- and double-strand breaks directly on native DNA, with no PCR and no antibodies. The same read also carries epigenetic information, providing DNA break maps and methylation context from one sample. The company provides B2B services and support

for preclinical genotoxicity testing and CRISPR off-target characterisation in gene therapy. 

Modular Clinton Global (MCG) Limited 

MCG is a technology company specializing in supply chain traceability, carbon visibility, and the ‘Physical Internet.’ Through Innovate UK funded projects, they have demonstrated experience in maritime shipping digitization and decarbonization, leveraging AI and blockchain — and are keen to explore how these capabilities could apply within health and life sciences supply chains. They plan to commercialize “Jelly Ice Cube”, a novel cryo-packaging for sensitive biological supply chain resilience and sustainability.

OvaJoy 

OvaJoy is a digital health platform supporting people with Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS, formerly PCOS). OvaJoy provides a personalised platform that integrates lifestyle tracking, symptom monitoring, and optional at-home biomarker testing to help people better understand and manage their condition. Currently migrating to a mobile app, OvaJoy is developing a novel approach by combining multiple data sources to deliver structured, evidence-informed guidance for lifestyle interventions.

Soule 

Soule is a healthtech company developing an intelligent neurohaptic platform to help support nervous system regulation, stress recovery and sleep. Combining gentle touch-based stimulation through the feet with synchronised audio, Soule is creating a body-led multi-sensory experience designed to help people feel calmer and recover more effectively. 

VacTimmune 

VacTimmune is developing next-generation vaccines for antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infections. Antibiotics are becoming less effective, and for infections such

as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, patients are running out of reliable treatment options. VacTimmune identifies vaccine antigens that activate both antibody and cellular immune responses, driving the coordinated immunity actually needed for effective bacterial clearance. VacTimmune’s wider ambition is to build a scalable vaccine company capable of developing vaccines for infections that antibiotics can no longer reliably treat. 

Vina Health App Ltd 

Vina Health is a digital clinical intelligence platform closing the 9-year average diagnosis delay for women with chronic pelvic conditions, endometriosis, fibroids, PMOS, and adenomyosis. To support women with articulating months of complex, fluctuating symptoms, Vina’s app allows women to log their symptoms in under 60 seconds daily. The platform generates pattern intelligence across their cycle and produces a structured pre-appointment clinical summary with the longitudinal evidence a doctor needs to act at the first appointment, not the fifteenth.

Lean In Circles launch in June – connecting women to build skills, find support, and be boldly ambitious.

Lean In Circles are small peer groups (6-8 women) meeting monthly to support each other’s career development – sharing challenges, reframing problems, and building confidence through structured discussion.

Grounded in real world research and proven strategies the Lean In Circle concept was launched in March 2013 by Sheryl Sandberg, in conjunction with the publication of her bestselling book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead.

Who is it for?
• Early career – stand out and grow faster
• Mid-career – feeling stuck or seeking your next move
• Senior leaders – overcome blockers and mentor others

Why join?
Can you spare 1 hour a month for 6 months to invest in your career?
Looking to build confidence, expand your network, and unlock new opportunities?
Ready to connect meaningfully with a small, trusted group of women?

What you’ll gain
• Fresh perspectives and practical solutions
• Increased confidence and self-awareness
• A strong network (6-8 peers with extended reach)

Open to all women (Discovery Park tenants and local professionals), and free to join.

Find out more here and sign up here. Register by 29 May.