UK Digital Health Firm Changing Health Secures £3M Series A to Expand Lifestyle Intervention Programs and Enter Global Markets

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned that UK-based digital health company Changing Health recently secured £3 million in Series A financing. The round was led by Netherlands-based Shift Invest, with participation from existing investors Tate & Lyle Ventures and North East Innovation Fund.

Changing Health was founded in August 2016 by Professor Mike Trenell of Newcastle University and the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Founder John Grumitt (left) and Professor Mike Trenell (right) (Image source: Changing Health official website)

In June 2017, Changing Health secured a £1 million seed funding round, led by Northstar Ventures.

Changing Health is committed to integrating psychological tools with technology to deliver behavior change programs for patients with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and weight management issues, thereby helping individuals improve their lifestyle habits.

Changing Health combines health coaches with professional backgrounds in behavioral psychology with digital education to deliver programs that withstand rigorous evaluation. Clinically proven, the company’s behavior change programs can improve patient health outcomes.

It is reported that Changing Health will use the newly raised funds to launch and expand two new programs: one targeting individuals at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and the other catering to those with weight management needs. This initiative aims to address more unmet health needs while driving growth in both the UK and overseas markets.

Currently, 30 NHS organizations in the UK have adopted the company’s solution to help patients with type 2 diabetes modify their lifestyles and better manage their condition.

Users learn through the app’s courses to gain a better understanding of their health status, and are then assigned a lifestyle coach professionally trained in health psychology, who guides them in changing their behaviors through regular phone and digital interactions over a period of up to 12 months.

In 2019, Changing Health will launch an industry-leading artificial intelligence platform for its UK and international partners, delivering personalized experiences for each user. Leveraging big data, the platform will proactively identify social, environmental, or demographic factors most likely to influence users’ lifestyles and behaviors—for example, individuals who feel too busy to exercise, those who consume alcohol three to four times a week, or those living within 500 meters of a takeaway outlet (implying frequent use of food delivery services). For such populations, the platform will provide tailored intervention strategies to maximize positive impact.

Florentine Fockema Andreae, Partner at Shift Invest, stated that digital innovation can reach a large population in urgent need of lifestyle changes, citing Changing Health as a prime example. Led by a lean and capable team that combines academic expertise with business acumen—a valuable synergy—the company has translated nine years of scientific research into products that truly transform people’s lives.

John Grumitt, CEO of Changing Health, stated: “Changing Health is rapidly gaining momentum as health professionals recognize that promoting lifestyle medicine in an accessible manner is the most effective way to help people live longer, healthier, and happier lives. This investment will enable us to reach more individuals and support them in new and exciting ways.”

Shift Invest, established in 2014 and headquartered in the Netherlands, is an open innovation investment platform.

Shift Invest provides venture capital, industry expertise, and extensive network resources to companies committed to creating sustainable development and health impact, through its partners and portfolio companies, helping startup entrepreneurs achieve success.

Tate & Lyle Ventures, established in 2006 and headquartered in London, UK, is a venture capital fund focused on food technology. It is financially backed by the global food ingredients company Tate & Lyle, although the two entities operate independently.

The fund focuses on investing in high-growth companies in the field of food science and technology to help consumers maintain their health.

The North East Innovation Fund, established in April 2018 and managed by Northstar Ventures, is primarily responsible for allocating £120 million in investment and financing to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in North East England.

The North East Innovation Fund partners with five fund management companies to ensure that capital is deployed to support economic growth, enabling startups and scaling enterprises to secure the funding they need, thereby creating jobs and helping to attract investment to North East England.

Northstar Ventures, established in 2004 and headquartered in London, UK, is a venture capital firm.

The company has been supporting entrepreneurs in Northeast England, managing over £100 million in capital and focusing its investments on high-growth industries.