UK-based Joyvié Health has closed its pre-Seed funding spherical, elevating a complete of €897k ($1.04 million) for its continence underwear – designed from first rules to considerably cut back stool-to-skin contact, keep pores and skin integrity, and cut back caregiver burden.
The funding is made up of an Innovate UK grant, as nicely investments from HERmesa Angels, SyndicateRoom, Lavender Ventures, and particular person angel buyers.
“Merchandise designed for care ought to by no means trigger hurt. That’s not a imaginative and prescient assertion. It’s the rationale this firm exists,” says Zoe Robson, Founder & CEO of Joyvié Well being.
And Ruth, his spouse and first caregiver, carried a burden that was invisible to the world exterior and impossibly exhausting to bear.
“My dad and mom didn’t deserve that,” says Zoe. “They had been each at their most susceptible – and the product meant to assist them was making it worse. The pores and skin breakdown, the disgrace, the lack of dignity, the burden on my mum. It wasn’t from lack of care. It’s a design failure.”
The corporate is on a mission to finish the silent humiliation of faecal incontinence (FI) – a situation affecting an estimated 656 million people globally, but the commonest non-invasive resolution stays unchanged for many years: nappies and pads.
The place present non-invasive product traps faeces towards the pores and skin, Joyvié incorporates stool in a disposable pouch instantly after excretion, considerably lowering pores and skin contact, preserving dignity, and lowering the time and burden of care. Early testing reveals roughly 90% discount in stool-to-skin contact and roughly 70% quicker adjustments.
Faecal incontinence is commonly attributable to situations corresponding to most cancers, dementia, MS, Parkinson’s, spinal damage, or ageing, but stays closely under-discussed. It disproportionately impacts ladies as each sufferers and caregivers, with an estimated 70% of unpaid caregivers being women.
The corporate outlines that the women’s health sector attracts just 2% of healthcare VC funding regardless of serving half the inhabitants – mirroring statistics that present that women-founded startups receive only 1–2% of venture capital funding globally.
“Three issues satisfied us: an enormous market that VC has sometimes ignored, an revolutionary product that demonstrably improves person expertise and outcomes, and a robust founder in Zoe who’s pushed and received’t take no for a solution. These don’t typically come collectively.” says Tom Shepherd, Senior Affiliate, SyndicateRoom.
Pilot programmes will begin quickly to assemble knowledge on efficiency, well being economics and value throughout care dwelling, hospital, and domiciliary settings. Revealed white papers will observe.
“Faecal incontinence is subjective and chronically underreported – we’ve by no means actually understood the dimensions of the issue as a result of individuals are too ashamed to inform us. The scientific hole is actual, and it has penalties. What Joyvié is constructing helps tackle the unmet scientific want and gives a helpful adjunct in managing this,” says Dr. Ashish Sinha BMBS BMedSci(Hons) MD FRCS, Colorectal Surgeon, St Mark’s Nationwide Bowel Hospital.
Right this moment’s announcement is anticipated to fund a direct-to-consumer product launch later this yr, scientific pilots throughout care dwelling, hospital, and domiciliary settings, strategic partnerships, and their first hires.
