We’re delighted to present our finalists for the category of “SME/Start-up innovation”.
Eolas Medical: The AI answer engine for healthcare
Overview: Eolas Medical is an AI answer engine for healthcare, used at the point of care, to help clinicians access the information they need to make clinical decisions. We are trusted by over 500 healthcare teams and over 350,000 healthcare professionals.
What happened? Ask Eolas is a unique computer vision RAG-based search engine that visually grounds the responses to ensure a trusted response, where the clinician can see and easily access the reference source, even the context-specific source within the specific hospital you’re working in. Clinicians face a constant challenge in accessing the most current and relevant medical knowledge needed for informed decision-making. Eolas Medical directly addresses this challenge by centralising and streamlining access to vital information, including local guidelines, pathways, and educational resources, all within a single, easily accessible platform. By providing instant access to critical information, Eolas Medical empowers healthcare professionals to make faster, more informed decisions. Eolas Medical significantly reduces the time clinicians spend searching for information (80 percent reduction in time spent searching). This increased efficiency can allow them to focus more on direct patient care, improving productivity and resource allocation within healthcare organisations.
Medefer: Hybrid remote-first elective pathways that unlock diagnostics capacity and prioritise risk
Overview: Medefer delivers end-to-end elective pathways that maximise existing capacity without capital spend. We combine consultant-led triage, remote-first consultations, diagnostics coordination and a Clinical Holding Bay that reprioritises risk during backlogs. We monitor consultant variation with data-led QA.
What happened? Medefer’s capex-light elective care platform and operating model combines end-to-end, consultant-led hybrid remote-first pathways; rapid consultant triage; remote-first consultations where clinically appropriate; and extended hours. It offers system-level aggregation of diagnostic capacity, with single-point accountability. Capacity is flexible and capex-light, using sessional clinical space and pay-per-use diagnostics. A Clinical Holding Bay means patients can re-contact while waiting. Consultants re-assess symptoms and dynamically prioritise diagnostics. NHS Online referenced the BHRUT partnership as enabling 99 percent triage within 48 hours. In SSOT ICB, this model improved access for patients in IMD 1-2 groups by 44.6 percent. In peer-reviewed analysis of 91,926 remote reviews delivered in one year, remote delivery avoided 3,125,484 km of patient travel and 533,170 kg CO2e. That equates to about 34 km travel and 5.8 kg CO2e avoided per digital review. The same analysis estimates per-appointment productivity loss of attending in person at £84.44 Gross Value Added.
Pulsetto
Overview: Pulsetto leads the way in non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation, helping people reduce stress, sleep better, and boost mental well-being. Now with an improved fit and optimized stimulation, Pulsetto-FIT makes every session even more effective.
What happened? By activating the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) system, Pulsetto helps the body shift away from fight-or-flight mode, supporting calm, recovery, and resilience. Pulsetto-FIT has soft neck paddings, adjustable size, and longer battery life. This enables deeper and more effective stimulation. Pulsetto delivers a personalised experience (controlled via app) with goal-based programs for sleep, anxiety, stress, recovery, and pain. Each session takes just four to 20 minutes, making it highly adaptable to any routine. In a four-week clinical study of 40 participants, stress symptoms (PHQ-9) decreased by 56 percent, anxiety levels (GAD-7) dropped by 45 percent, and sleep disturbances (PSQI) improved by 41 percent. A six-week migraine study with 20 participants showed a 40 percent reduction in migraine frequency, 42 percent reduction in pain, and 14 percent improvement in mood. Pulsetto achieved 3x revenue growth in one year, from €2.8 million to €9.5 million. Second-quarter 2025 revenue reached €6.65 million, marking a 55.61 percent growth over the first quarter.
