LYVA Labs has made its greatest ever number of investments in a month, supporting seven inspirational innovators with a total 拢305,000 initial funding.
The businesses invested in, include HealthTech businesses Vizbox and Good Vibrations, and DeepTech businesses Barro, Birl, Cubode, gigmate and Universal Atmosphere Engineering.
LYVA Labs can invest up to 拢250k into businesses that are using innovation to answer real world challenges.
Akshay Bhatnagar, LYVA Labs鈥� Head of Investment, said: 鈥淟YVA Labs鈥� investment team has been busy this month. Congratulations to all the entrepreneurial businesses we have invested in, all of whom create products and services that harness innovation to solve important challenges.鈥�
LYVA Labs was established with 拢11m聽from Liverpool City Region鈥檚 Combined Authority, to drive innovation and economic growth by聽turning great ideas into high-growth businesses and聽creating partnerships to attract investment.
Vizbox聽is a Birkenhead-based business that co-produces immersive health technologies and developed SKYLA VR, a virtual reality tool that gamifies rehabilitation for stroke patients, making the process more engaging.
The technology incorporates both artificial and virtual reality technologies, co-produced by stroke survivors and stroke rehabilitation experts.
The tool supports the rehabilitation of gross and fine motor skills, whilst improving balance, cognitive, and general wellbeing, following a stroke. SKYLA VR was tested in a participation trial at the University of Liverpool, which found the technology provided a more flexible, intense, personalised stroke rehabilitation experience.
Carl Grainger, from Viz Box, said: 鈥淲e are really pleased with this investment from LYVA Labs as it helps us to commercialise our SKYLA VR product. The funding supports our plans to create an automated content management system for collecting VR headset data, an AI algorithm for safer storage and use of patient and professional data, and a clinical trial to help us gain medical device accreditation.鈥�
Good Vibrations Only is a Liverpool City Region business that has developed a vibrating insole with sensory feedback to support children with autism that tiptoe walk.
Nicki Allen, a paediatric physiotherapist, evaluated the prototype with children and parents at the school at which she works, which specialises in teaching children with autism.
Allen is also Good Vibrations鈥� founder and said: 鈥淥ur initial testing of the product with children with autism who tiptoe walk showed reliably good results. We are really excited by this investment, which allows us to collect the data we need to support adoption of our product, promote Good Vibrations at conferences, and develop a full 鈥榞o to market鈥� plan for the year ahead.鈥�
LYVA Labs聽delivers economic growth in Liverpool City Region through commercialisation of innovation: inspiring ideas, creating partnerships, and attracting investment.
Birl secures 拢500k to transform resale in fashion and sports