SignaCor Therapeutics has been named the winner of Discovery Park’s startup growth programme for innovations in cardiovascular health, securing £250k in funding from venture capital firm Zinc. This investment forms part of a £1M seed round expected to close in April.
Northern Ireland-based SignaCor is developing medicines for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, where thickening of the heart muscle makes it harder for blood to be pumped around the body. This genetically inherited cardiac disorder affects around 1 in 500 people in the UK.
Led by CEO Darach Neeson and CSO Dr Chris Watson, SignaCor is working on a new first-in-class treatment to reverse heart damage and prevent further deterioration of heart muscles. SignaCor aims to address the underlying disease pathology for the first time, leading to better quality of life and longer life expectancies for patients.
Discovery Spark is a business growth programme for founders working in life sciences, with specialist-led sessions and mentoring spread over seven weeks. A cohort of eight promising cardiovascular and cardiometabolic companies took part, culminating in a pitch day with investors at Zinc’s London offices at the end of 2025. SignaCor was recognised as the overall winner for their standout pitch presentation, experienced team and clear market need.
Programme Lead Renos Savva, Head of Innovation and Venture Development at Discovery Park, commented:
“SignaCor’s success is a testament to what’s possible when you combine scientific rigour with the right support network. Discovery Spark is designed to bridge the gap between a great idea and a credible business, and seeing that translate into real investment is enormously rewarding. The cardiovascular space is ripe for innovation, and we’re proud that Discovery Spark is helping to drive it forward.”
Natalie Pankova, Partner, Health and Life Science at Zinc, said:
“Zinc’s partnership with Discovery Spark helped surface some really exciting companies capable of delivering meaningful advances for patient impact, and we’re thrilled to have been able to make this investment in SignaCor. Cardiovascular disease continues to represent one of the greatest unmet challenges in global health. What stood out about SignaCor was the strength of the science combined with a clear, executable path to clinical impact. SignaCor’s progress and success through the programme demonstrates the power of combining science with the right venture and ecosystem support. ”
Darach Neeson, CEO at SignaCor, said:
“The Spark programme’s content was exceptional – value-filled insights from UK life science industry experts and meaningful investor engagement. The lessons learned have influenced our strategy, and we would absolutely recommend it to other founders. We are excited to now join Zinc’s portfolio of innovative life science companies. This funding will allow us to execute our Phase 2a trial plans and advance our regulatory strategy, bringing us closer to delivering a new treatment for patients with limited treatment options.”
As the fifth iteration of the Spark programme, the cohort’s focus on heart health was selected for its high burden on lives, with cardiovascular diseases accounting for 1 in 4 of all deaths in the UK.
Hosted by Kent’s innovation ecosystem Discovery Park, Cohort 5.0 was partnered with Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex, providing participants with valuable contacts across NHS and academia, plus Zinc VC, delivering direct connections to potential investors. The programme is also designed to provide opportunities for founders to grow a network of peers, mentors and expert advisors, as part of a friendly and collaborative cohort.
A sixth cohort of Discovery Spark is starting in mid-March, with an open tech focus. Founders interested in taking part in a future Discovery Spark cohort should register their interest: https://discovery-park.co.uk/discovery-spark/
Discovery Spark: Cohort 5.0 Participants (listed alphabetically)
Coblum – Awarded third place
Coblum empowers bystanders to save lives when cardiac arrest strikes. By automating CPR and defibrillation, their device removes panic and skill barriers to deliver complete first aid within seconds. No skills. No strength. Just set it up — Coblum takes over.
Dimension Biotechnologies – Awarded second place
Dimension aims to make microvascular disease (damage to the microscopic blood vessels that feed organs with a constant supply of blood) routinely detectable by doctors. They are developing the first liquid biopsies for microvascular health and disease, providing insight into currently inaccessible parts of the circulatory system for earlier diagnosis and treatment.
HeartGuard aims to make heart health simple, convenient and accessible. A smartphone application and newsletter helps to alleviate some of the mental health burdens of living with heart disease, coupled with a supplement to support physical heart health.
MediPacks
MediPacks is developing next-generation pharmaceutical solutions for use in medical emergencies outside of the hospital, with an initial focus on cardiovascular events such as heart attacks. Their mission is to empower faster intervention, reduce avoidable deaths, and transform emergency care at the community level.
Oxy Genomics
Focusing on women’s cardiovascular health, Oxy Genomics is aiming to transform cardiovascular disease detection through advanced multiomics and AI technologies, which can identify novel, early-stage biomarkers that traditional diagnostics often miss.
Persis Health Innovation (PHI)
PHI is developing a non-invasive, AI-powered biosensor that detects key cardiovascular biomarkers. They are aiming to transform the future of women’s health through earlier detection and preventive care for cardiovascular disease.
QDR Health is building a clinical and financial operating system for heart failure, anchored by a predictive algorithm, a clinician tool, and a patient-facing AI agent. They aim to support timely and appropriate follow-up care, improving health outcomes.
SignaCor – Awarded first place
SignaCor is a clinical stage drug development company developing a first-in-class treatment for symptomatic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (thickening of the heart muscle), going beyond symptom management to target the underlying disease pathology.