HBUK is looking to find the most successful startups in the capital by specialism. This week, we’re turning our attention to Health and Wellness startups – those innovators who use technology to help us live better, longer lives.

There are myriad ways technology can support us in our attempts to live more healthily, achieve physical fitness, or focus on our mental health.

That’s what makes the industry such a valuable and exciting one.

Metholodogy

We used Tech Nation’s Data Commons to identify the most valuable technological solutions that focus on biotechnology, having recently ranked the Top 10 fintech and edtech startups.

Let’s take a look at the list, ranked by valuation.

BenevolentAI

Harnessing artificial intelligence to enhance and accelerate scientific discovery – that’s BenevolentAI’s specialism.
It’s accelerating the journey from data to medicine, changing how medicine is researched, tested, developed and brought to market.

Its four key research areas are knowledge and reasoning, target identification, molecular design and precision medicine – creating a platform based on extraordinary data mining and collection, coupled with computation that can draw practical conclusions.

Founded: 2013
Value: £1.6 billion ($2.1 billion)

Orchard Therapeutics

Innovative gene therapies mean Orchard Therapeutics can tackle some of the most difficult-to-treat genetic disorders. Orchard uses ex vivo autologous gene therapy to draw patients’ own stem cells, which are then modified and returned to the body.

Some of the conditions they are in the process of treating include immune deficiencies, inherited metabolic disorders and blood disorders.

Founded: 2015
Value: £1 billion ($1.3 billion)

Autolus

A spin-out of UCL, Autolus is a pioneer in cancer treatment. The biopharmaceutical company produces T-cell programming and manufacturing technology, which extracts patients’ immune cells and adds a receptor that targets cancerous cells.

It has been a recipient of investment from firms including Woodford Investment Management and Syncona Partners, as well as conducting an IPO that raised €130 million.

Founded: 2014
Value: £726 million (€810 million)

MeiraGTx

Gene therapy company MeiraGTx works on developing potentially curative treatments for patients living with serious diseases. It has seven separate programmes focusing on different areas, with an initial focus on diseases of the eye, salivary gland and central nervous system.

They believe that the gene therapy they’re developing could one day treat a much wider range of conditions.

Founded: 2015
Value: £341 million ($430 million)

ReViral

In December 2018, ReViral was named Britain’s third-fastest growing company in a list by SyndicateRoom, having grown in valuation 59 times over since 2015.

ReViral was founded by members of Arrow Therapeutics and works to discover and develop antiviral technologies.

Founded: 2011
Value: At least £174 million ($220 million)

Mereo Biopharma

Focused on individuals with life-limiting diseases and few other treatment options, Mereo Biopharma creates new musculoskeletal, respiratory and endocrine therapies for patients. It raised €14.9 million in an IPO in June 2016, and more recently took £20 million in post-IPO equity.

Founded: 2015
Value: £167 million (€187 million)

Babylon Health
Utilising artificial intelligence, Babylon can interpret and analyse symptoms input into the app by patients, and recognise illnesses and problems. Using the app, a user can share what they’re experiencing, and the app will compare it to the criteria of known illnesses to provide recommendations around health information.

Founded: 2013
Value: £159 million ($200 million)

Eve Sleep

Eve’s “luxury sleep solutions” help people sleep better. The company produces high-quality, good-value mattresses, created after 70,000 prototype versions.

All mattresses from Eve – recognisable for their bright yellow trim – are delivered directly to consumers’ doorsteps.

Founded: 2015
Value: £140 million

Juvenescence

Biopharmaceutical company Juvenescence works towards increasing longevity and treating illnesses related to ageing. Using a very wide range of differentiated strategies, Juvenescence wants to extend both total lifespans, as well as the period of healthy living.

Their research works towards slowing cellular aging, slowing and reversing neurodegeneration, replacing aging organs and more.

Founded: 2017
Value: At least £146 million ($184 million)

Zava

With a name derived from the French, “Ça va?”, Zava is a healthcare company providing convenient and discreet diagnoses. They encourage openness, in order that they might one day “stop fear of judgement damaging the world’s health.”

The platform provides support and treatment to people who utilise it – covering issues including erectile dysfunction, STIs, hair loss and more – even acne, asthma and psoriasis.

Founded: 2011
Value: At least £100 million (€112 million)