Sci-Tech Daresbury announces latest trailblazers to join Future Club

Leading science and innovation campus Sci-Tech Daresbury has revealed the fifth cohort of the Future Club, its exclusive business growth scheme.

Providing a range of technical and business support to innovative science and technology start-ups, the programme will help each business in the intake to realise its growth potential.

Sci-Tech Daresbury has been handpicking five dynamic young businesses to participate in the programme each year since 2021, providing them with access to an invaluable offering of business support and networking opportunities.

This year, the leading Liverpool City Region campus has selected a group in recognition of their significant business potential in developing products and services to meet technological, environmental, health and social needs. Companies chosen are working in sectors including AI, materials, the circular economy and healthcare.

As members of the Future Club, the selected companies will benefit from early access to the business growth programmes, partnerships, and communities at the campus, along with its vibrant working environment with a range of hot desk, office, laboratory and workshop facilities across several buildings.

Through Sci-Tech Daresbury’s renowned networking events and collaboration opportunities, this year’s cohort will also gain greater visibility within the business and scientific communities in the North West and beyond.

Leading the way and lending their expertise will be Sci-Tech Daresbury’s Gold Partners; twelve handpicked organisations that offer first-class support for Sci-Tech Daresbury companies in a range of business and research areas. They include Marks and Clerk, Grant Thornton LLP, RTC North – who manage the Innovate UK Edge programme in the North West – and the University of Liverpool.

On top of this, the Future Club companies will have access to handpicked mentors from the Sci-Tech Daresbury network. These entrepreneurs with many years of experience and success will nurture these promising early-stage companies with their time, knowledge, and expertise, to help them develop and implement positive strategies for their businesses.

The 2025 intake is as follows:

illumeRx

illumeRx is transforming medication preparation and delivery, addressing the global challenge of time-intensive processes and errors—key drivers of patient harm and poor outcomes. By streamlining pharmaceutical preparation, including lyophilized pharmaceutical actives (LPA) reconstitution, it enhances patient safety and operational efficiency.

Powered by cutting-edge AI and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies, illumeRx redefines the “last mile” of precision medicine administration, ensuring intelligent, accurate, and timely delivery, empowering healthcare systems to provide safer, more effective care worldwide.

Jo Edwards, founder, illumeRx, said: “We’re thrilled to join the dynamic and innovative Sci-Tech Daresbury campus community. Being immersed in this multidisciplinary hub of expertise and business support will supercharge the delivery of our bold and transformative vision for 2025.”

Materials Information

Materials Information Ltd is developing a SaaS (software as a service) platform that streamlines materials data creation and management across engineering, manufacturing, and sourcing processes to remove the risk of poor material performance, sustainability and choices. Its team of materials and data scientists aim to structure and secure materials information to be inciteful and accurate to support digital engineering across creation, manufacturing, usage and recycling of today’s materials, coatings and multi-domain scenarios.

Andy Reilly, founder, Materials Information, said: “Membership of the Future Club aids our growth, collaboration and learning during our launch phases. The chance to quickly leverage the technical and informal benefits of the Sci-Tech Daresbury community aids our progress and motivation to deliver value into industry. The opportunity to work with high calibre mentors will only help us achieve our goals quickly – and probably help us enjoy the process!”

Obelisk AI  

Obelisk AI is a fully service-based company that helps firms and creators grow and scale efficiently through bespoke AI and automation solutions, comprehensively analysing operations to identify pinpoint areas for improvement and simulate massive ROI, enabling clients to achieve sustainable growth and maintain a competitive edge in their respective industries.

Louis Kent, founder and CEO of Obelisk AI, said: “We aim to tap into Sci-Tech Daresbury’s extensive networks to accelerate client acquisition, form strategic relationships, and benefit from networking opportunities.”

OCUWELL

OCUWELL is transforming ocular healthcare with its cutting-edge corneal topography device, which not only meets but exceeds industry expectations by incorporating innovative features derived from extensive research. Its integrated dry eye management capabilities further enhance its value and appeal in the market.

Rania Maklad, CEO and co-founder, OCUWELL, said: “Being part of the Future Club brings significant opportunities for OCUWELL. It supports the protection of our backbone software modules and clinical data, facilitates the transition from academia to competitive commercialisation, and aids in integrating its technologies with the NHS and beyond.

“Additionally, the Future Club will help us form connections with manufacturers and distributors, paving the way for OCUWELL to bring its transformative technology to a broader audience.”

Rentabout 

RentAbout is a groundbreaking force in the sharing and circular economy, offering an innovative platform for peer-to-peer rental transactions of equipment for use in home and garden as well as sports and leisure, electronics and photography and other categories. Its mission is to empower local communities to generate an income from items they hardly use and to help to save the planet, one rental at a time.

Selina Kirkham, director, Rentabout, said: “We are delighted to have the support of the Sci-Tech Daresbury team as we launch in the North West and beyond. Their expertise, along with the strength of their partner network, is invaluable as we embark on this exciting journey. We look forward to making the most of this incredible opportunity to grow and innovate with their guidance.”

2024’s Future Club intake included AI-Sight, a University of Liverpool AI diagnostic technology spin-out.

Following the successful conclusion of a seven-figure equity funding round from experienced healthcare industry figures and investors, CEO Dr Steve Powell said: “This latest funding milestone would not have been possible without the support of the team at Sci-Tech Daresbury. The Future Club programme has been instrumental in us making the connections that have enabled our growth to date.”

John Leake, business growth director at Sci-Tech Daresbury said: “The Future Club programme was an initiative conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic, to give early-stage companies a “turbocharge” of expertise, experience and networks to accelerate their growth journey. This is in keeping with Sci-Tech Daresbury’s “Home for Life” vision to see locally-based innovative tech companies grow and scale through the range of facilities and support on the campus.

“Over the past five years we have enjoyed working with spin-out businesses from the universities of Liverpool and Manchester, experienced serial entrepreneurs and first-time entrepreneurs. Many of these companies have stayed and grown on the campus and become a key part of our community here.”