Newcastle Uni spinout gets £3m funding for ‘innovative’ lifestyle coach platform

The Newcastle company behind a digital platform designed to help people live longer, healthier lives has secured multi-million pound funding.

Changing Health will use £3m from investors Northstar Ventures, Shift Invest, and Tate & Lyle Ventures to develop new programmes and expand its operation in the UK and overseas.

Spun out of Newcastle University and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust by Prof. Mike Trenell in August 2016, the company’s founders originally received investment from Northstar and Tate & Lyle to develop their digital tools for the NHS.

Changing Health provides personalised support to patients who want to make changes to their lifestyle.

Its digital education platform gives users a lifestyle coach, helping them lose weight, feel better about themselves and have more energy.

Changing Health chief executive John Grumitt said: “Changing Health is quickly building momentum as health experts recognise that promoting lifestyle medicine – in a format anybody can access – is the best way to help people live longer, healthier, happier lives.

“This investment will allow us to reach more people and support them in new and exciting ways.”

In the funding package announced today (January 8), Northstar backed Changing Health with cash from the North East Innovation Fund, supported by the European Regional Development Fund.

Northstar Ventures investment director Alex Buchan commented: “We’re delighted to see Changing Health expanding so successfully. When we initially invested we were impressed with the founders’ expertise and evidence and felt that they were developing an innovative solution to an increasingly widespread health problem.

“The digital tools are being well used and received here in the UK and we are pleased to be able to now also support Changing Health in their expansion both here and internationally.”

David Huntley, head of company creation at Newcastle University, said: “Newcastle University is committed to improving the local, regional and national economy though a number of commercialisation routes including the creation of spin-out companies.

“We enthusiastically support the commercialisation of Prof. Mike Trenell’s research through the creation of Changing Health and the progress that the company is making.”