Meet the Start-Up: 52North Health

Umaima Ahmed, co-founder and CEO of 52North Health, talks about the company’s journey, its innovation, and her experience attending last year’s Med-Tech Innovation Expo.

Give us a brief description about 52North?

52North was founded in 2018 by four post-grads studying a wide range of subjects at Cambridge. Our vision is to improve health outcomes and health equity by reinventing the way we care for all people around the world. NutroChek is being developed by 52North that could significantly improve the safety and quality of life of cancer patients at risk for sepsis.

We have received £1.3 million in pre-seed equity funding from investors including Cambridge Enterprise, KHP Ventures and Christa Galley Ventures, and £2.3 million in grant funding from Innovate UK, SBRI Healthcare and NIHR i4i.

Last year, Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz (Chairman of Cancer Research UK) joined our board, and earlier this year, we became Macmillan Cancer Support’s first ever venture investment.

We’ve been on programs like Novartis Biome, US Med-Tech Innovator, an innovation exchange program at Cedars Sinai Hospital in LA, and have been accepted into an upcoming program at the University of Texas Medical Center, which we’re very excited about.

We’re all about creating impact through innovation, and doing it while building the kind of organization we’d be proud to see our children work for.

You were part of the start-up zone and pitch at Med-Tech Innovation Expo last year, how was that experience?

it was very nice. The event provided a great platform to exchange ideas, build relationships and expand our networks and we were impressed by the range of topics covered in the sessions. Everyone there was passionate about their work, and there was a real sense of community and collaboration throughout.

The pitch was a great opportunity to showcase what we’re doing in front of a knowledgeable audience, as well as hear about the exciting things happening at other start-ups.

We are grateful for inviting SBRI Healthcare to be a part of the Start-up Zone. It was completely a well organized and attractive event. Plus, we hired someone we’ve been talking to but only had the opportunity to meet face-to-face at the event, and she’s become a key member of our team ever since!

Tell us about the journey of the company since inception in 2018?

It’s been very exciting and fast-paced. We are constantly learning and growing, whether it is about corporate governance, fundraising, recruitment or regulation. Watching our company mature and grow has been an incredibly rewarding experience.

A major achievement is building our team from 1 to 13 people in just two years. This has enabled us to enter into two academic collaborations, one with Imperial College London and the other with the University of Cambridge.

We are also very proud of the development of NutroCheck, which has gone from an idea to a sketch, an early prototype, and finally a full-fledged device and digital platform. We’ve co-created everything with patients and healthcare professionals along the way, which has helped us learn and refine our product to meet user needs.

We are excited to build a portfolio that will have a positive impact on patient care. We believe our company has a bright future, and we are committed to continuing our journey of growth and learning.

Tell us about NutroChek and where did the idea come from?

My co-founder is an oncologist who sees patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments. They looked at the huge impact the current course of neutropenic sepsis has on the quality of life of people with cancer. We knew right away that this was something we wanted to address.

What effect could this have on stretched health resources?

Introducing NutroChek could have a significant impact on health care systems around the world. In the UK, this could prevent around 50,000 unnecessary A&E visits each year, allowing clinicians to focus on those most at risk. By enabling earlier identification of patients at risk, it will also provide an opportunity to give early antibiotics, and thus save hundreds of lives every year across the UK.

What else is on the horizon for 52 North Health?

We are expanding our digital product offering and are excited to work with new trusts across the UK. I probably can’t say too much except that we’re always up for exciting stuff!

Anything else to add?

Many thanks to the Patient Partnership Group at Addenbrookes and the Macmillan Innovation Community, to name just a few of the fantastic patient groups who have given up their valuable time to support us. Many former and current patients have contributed to the development of the NutroChek solution, and we remain committed to delivering for them so that we can continue to provide safe care and peace of mind for those living with cancer.