Biosciences firm in £1.2 million hormone work lift

A biosciences firm has secured £1.2 million support to boost hormone test work.

Kāhu SiliconBio is developing a prototype to improve diagnosis and treatment of female hormone-related conditions.

The Edinburgh-based spin-out has been backed by the German Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation to develop technology that could support research into conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome.

It is commercialising research from the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Engineering Biology, building on earlier work backed by the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC).   

Founded by Dr James Flewellen and Professor Teuta Pilizota, and incorporated in 2025, Kāhu SiliconBio is known for technology designed to track hormone levels throughout the day.

Officials say it creates a more detailed picture of how hormones change in response to factors such as sleep, stress, nutrition and the menstrual cycle.

Dr Flewellen, Kāhu SiliconBio co-founder and chief executive, said: “Hormones play a fundamental role in health, but we still have limited visibility into how they change throughout our lives and how those fluctuations relate to disease.

“This funding will help us take an important step towards creating a new type of biological sensor that could give both researchers and patients a much deeper understanding of hormone patterns and their impact on women’s health.”

Dr Liz Fletcher, IBioIC impact director and deputy chief executive, added: “Kahu SiliconBio is a strong example of how research-driven innovation can evolve into technology with the potential to address real-world challenges.”

Kāhu SiliconBio previously secured support from programmes including Scottish Enterprise, Innovate UK, Silicon Catalyst UK and the Roslin Institute Campus Innovation Account.

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