Lifeyear, a UK-Estonian healthtech start-up, has raised €2.8 million to launch its remote patient management platform to deliver at-home digital cardiovascular care.
With cardiovascular disease (CVD) projected to surge in prevalence and with UK cardiac waiting lists exceeding 418,000 people, the funding marks Lifeyear’s timely entry into the UK market, positioning it to lead the charge in digital cardiovascular care (DCC).
The funding will be used to accelerate the rollout of Lifeyear’s digital cardiac care platform across selected UK hospitals, GP practices and virtual wards, enabling the team to refine the technology and validate its clinical potential. The key priorities include generating robust real-world evidence, and ensuring compliance with NHS standards, including Digital Technology Assessment Criteria. This will prepare the platform for widespread adoption within the UK healthcare system.
A unique blend of clinical and tech expertise
Founded by a team that merges UK clinical excellence with Estonian tech expertise, Lifeyear is uniquely equipped to tackle the forecast CVD surge. Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Eleanor Wicks, an NHS-trained cardiologist with over 20 years’ experience at Barts Health NHS Trust and Oxford University Hospitals, brings deep frontline clinical experience. Co-Founders Siim Saare (CEO) and Timo Mitt (CTO), contribute a proven track record in building cutting-edge tech solutions, rooted in Estonia’s globally renowned digital health ecosystem.
Together, they intend to deliver a next-generation approach to cardiovascular care, with tangible benefits for both patients, clinicians and the wider healthcare system. For patients, Lifeyear delivers easily accessible and more personalised smartphone-enabled heart care, cutting down on face-to-face clinical visits and long waiting times. For clinicians, it simplifies remote patient monitoring and medication management, allowing them to focus on delivering high-quality care to patients who need it the most.
Strategic backing and NHS validation
The €2.8 million funding round reflects strong confidence in Lifeyear’s potential to drive real-world impact and transform NHS cardiac care. In 2023 Lifeyear joined TheHill’s (Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Innovation service) NHS Market Access Accelerator (MAA), which supports innovative healthtech companies in navigating and scaling within the NHS. As part of the programme, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) also became a shareholder in Lifeyear.
Discussing the partnership, Fred Kemp, Head of Commercial Data and Innovation at OUH, said: “Lifeyear’s platform aligns with our mission to deliver innovative, patient-centred care. Their focus on digital cardiovascular care addresses a critical need in the NHS, and we are proud to support their journey as both a partner and shareholder.”
Megan Morys-Carter, Director of Digital Innovation at OUH commented: “We’re incredibly proud of the success Lifeyear has achieved since graduating from our Market Access Accelerator, their journey is a testament to the power of collaboration between innovators and the NHS.”
The round includes €1.5 million in deep tech grant funding from the Estonian government as well as €1.3 million from venture capital funds Verge HealthTech Fund, Tilia Impact Ventures, PurposeTech, and Estonian angel investors.
Carl Nicholas Ng, General Partner at Verge HealthTech Fund, and lead investor for the project, added: “Lifeyear’s combination of clinical rigour and scalable technology makes it stand out. As a fund investing in impactful healthtech start-ups globally, we’re excited to back a team poised to shape digital cardiovascular care.”
Silke Horakova, General Partner & Co-Founder at Tilia Impact Ventures said: “The urgency for solutions like Lifeyear’s cannot be overstated. Their platform has the potential to ease the burden on healthcare systems while empowering patients to live healthier and potentially longer lives.”
Unlike competitors with pathway-agnostic approaches, Lifeyear is focused on digital cardiovascular care. As the UK government prepares its 10-Year Health Plan, Lifeyear is well positioned to align with the call to move from analogue to digital in order to create a more efficient, patient-centered, and proactive healthcare system.
Siim Saare, Founder and CEO of Lifeyear explained the importance of the funding: “This funding is a pivotal step in our mission to reduce the global cardiovascular disease burden. With a stellar team and strategic backing from leading investors and clinical excellence centres, we’re focused on redefining how cardiovascular care is delivered, starting with patients who need it the most.”
“Given the size of the Estonian population and market, our companies are inherently global by design. Despite having the highest number of startups per capita in Europe, Estonian healthtech sector has yet to produce a global success story, like Bolt in mobility or Wise in fintech. Lifeyear aims to close this gap, and expanding to the UK market is a logical step forward for us.”
Looking ahead, the Lifeyear team is planning clinical pilots this year at Oxford University Hospitals and with the Cardiomyopathy UK charity. They are also actively pursuing UK grant funding and commencing a seed round to support accelerated growth.
