Impact
From the point of view of impact our investments can be categorised into the following four areas.
The main focus in heath has been on the life science, MedTech and diagnostics businesses spinning out from the research department of UK Universities, as well as digital health providers in Africa.
Baobab Circle – a start-up established by a team of clinicians, doctors and software designers based in East Africa and Europe, has created a mobile App to provide health education and personalised chronic disease management to individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Cliniva – is establishing a network of digitally connected health clinics in Kenya staffed only by nurses.
Cotton Mouton Diagnostics – a spin-out from the University of Cardiff, is developing a low cost diagnostic device for laboratory and doctor’s surgery applications, based upon magneto-optical technology, for use in the early detection of endotoxins and septicemia, the latter currently one of the world’s biggest killers on account of late detection.
Cytox – is a spin-out from the Universities of Oxford and Birmingham which has developed a cost-effective genotyping test to detect the early onset of Alzheimer’s Disease for use, initially, in research into the illness and by pharma companies looking to secure patients for clinical trials the high cost of which hitherto has been a barrier in finding a cure for the illness.
Fertility Focus – a spinout from the University of Bristol School of Veterinary Science, has developed a fertility monitor called OvuSense which, using a vaginal sensor, is able to predict the onset of ovulation in humans up to 24 hours in advance in each cycle and is then able to confirm the date of ovulation. The product is able to transmit the data using NFC technology to a user’s handheld device using a specially designed App.
Ilara Health – provides inexpensive diagnostic equipment to health clinics in Africa
Micrima – a spin-out from the University of Bristol engineering department, has developed a breast scanning device using microwave imaging technology which is much safer, more accurate and cheaper than current X-ray technologies and which will be able to distinguish between cysts and tumours and malignant and benign tumours.
Momentum Bioscience – has invented a blood test that can show within eighteen hours whether a patient who appears to be very poorly is suffering from septicaemia or not, which compares to the five days that it takes currently to rule out such a finding which will have the benefit of significantly reducing the unnecessary prescription of antibiotics.
Oxford Biotrans – is a spin-out from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oxford which has developed a way of using enzymes to produce natural flavours and fragrances in bulk for use in the cosmetics and food industries to replace more expensive natural ingredients and synthetic alternatives.
OrganOx – a spin-out from Oxford University, has developed a portable medical device for keeping livers “alive” for up to twenty four hours ahead of organ transplant at normal body temperature whilst generating real time data on its status. Superior to the current cold state static approach, the device will increase the quality and supply of organs available for transplantation of which there is a severe shortage.
Orthoson – a sister company to Oxsonics, seeks to use ultrasound and polymer bubbles to repair damaged spinal cartilage.
Orthox – is a spin-out from the Biomedical Department at the University of Oxford that has developed regenerative implants made from spider-spun silk fibre to replace the cartilage and meniscus of those with damaged knees which will allow a speedy and full return to active life without the need for complex and expensive knee replacement surgery.
Oxford Brain Diagnostics – has developed a way to interpret MRI scans for early signs of Alzheimer’s Disease.
OxSonics – a spin-out from the University of Oxford’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering, is commercialising a technique which uses ultrasound to cause polymer bubbles to expand and collapse for the more effective delivery of chemotherapy drugs into solid tumours making it possible to reach cancer cells that lie farthest from blood vessels; and through a sister company is using the same technology to provide a minimally-invasive alternative to spinal fusion for those with severe back problems.
Social Bites – is a new Nairobi based food business with Danish backers that sells inexpensive flavoured frozen milk in small sachets through a network of street vendors in East African cities.
Climate Change is of great concern to the Trustees. Their main focus has been on renewable energy and businesses which encourage behaviour change.
We track as best we can innovation and the new technologies being developed around the world to address the implications of Climate Change.
In the belief that social inclusion plays a big part in addressing poverty and dysfunction the Trustees have focused on businesses that help to unify.
Copia Global – is a Nairobi-based, Silicon Valley-backed, business that is developing an e.commerce retail model in East Africa aimed at rural communities.
Electric Noir Studios – is pioneering a new on-line gaming format with a focus on inclusivity.
Money Africa – is an Africa focussed financial products comparison platform starting in Kenya.
Oxford Space Systems – uses “origami engineering” techniques and novel materials to design and manufacture ultra-lightweight products, including unfurlable booms and dishes, for small satellites.
Poverty amelioration and productivity growth go hand in hand and so the Trustees have sought out businesses that use digital technologies that have the potential to significantly improve the productivity and connectivity of human beings.
Apolitical – is a global peer-to-peer platform aimed at governments that consolidates and adds value to the vast acreage of information and research already available the world over on topics of interest to civil servants so as to prevent the reinvention of the proverbial wheel and resulting waste of government resources.
Arbolus – has developed a professional networking platform aimed initially at the consulting industry wishing to access industry experts.
Classlist – is an App developed by a group of former parents of children from a preparatory school in Oxford to assist school parents to communicate more easily with each other.
Cloudline – is a South African creator of autonomous, solar powered, airships for use in distribution of medium sized payloads to remote places in the developing world.
ContentCal – is a software as a service (SaaS) business that shows mainly small and medium sized businesses how to manage their digital marketing activities more productively.
Diffblue – is led by a team based at Oxford University, has developed software that automatically tests the code written by computer programmers as they write it with wide implications across many industries.
Inductonsense – is a spin-out from the University of Bristol’s Ultrasonic and Non Destructive Testing group which has developed a system of monitoring corrosion or other defects in structures, such as pipes, though use of permanently attached, battery-free, wireless ultrasonic sensors, an approach that reduces inspection time and costs and industrial plant downtime.
Legislate – is a SaaS business that uses artificial intelligence to facilitate small businesses to create legal contracts saving time and lawyers’ fees.
Lifted – has developed a software platform for use by care workers who attend at the homes of the aged and the families of the people they visit.
Moringa Schools – delivers software development courses to students, both from campus and on-line, in Africa.
Navenio – is a spin-out from the Computer Science Department at the University of Oxford which has developed a way of interpreting geo-location features of a mobile phone to track the movements of the phone to an accuracy of one meter which has applications for the retail, transport, health, venue and other industries.
Outfund – is a UK based digital on-line lending platform focussing on the e-commerce industry.
Salience Labs – is a spin-out from the Universities of Oxford and Munster that has developed a novel semiconductor chip.
Sendy – is a Nairobi based start up that aims to formalise the so-called “boda boda” motorcycle and trucking delivery sector in East Africa.
What3Words – has developed a global address platform by randomly allocating three words to each three meter square grid on the planet which is of interest, amongst others, to the automotive, logistics, infrastructure and mapping industries.
