Like normal healthtech news but, you know, not boring. The team at SomX bring you the audio version of the weekly Healthtech Pigeon newsletter - a panel show with journalists, VCs, podcasters, entrepreneurs, execs and those with a strong opinion to make things interesting. Regular hosts and guests are Dr James Somauroo, Jessica Smith, Belle Taylor, Huw Penson, Jess Farmery from the SomX team. 🦠Grab the newsletter at www.healthtechpigeon.com 🚀 Learn how SomX can help your healthtech company at www.somx.health
Belle and Amy from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter with help from Faces of Digital Health podcast host, Tjasa Zajc.02:55 - Europe's healthtech and AI startups raise $13.9B in Q1 as global investors return16:00 - Driving Fertility And Perimenopause Innovations For Women's Health30:24 - Single-dose psychedelic boosts ‘brain flexibility' for weeks, study finds
Amy and Taffy from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter. - Fierce Healthcare Fundraising Tracker—Hellocare.ai banks $47M; SignalFire raises $1B to invest in AI startups. - Lab-grown chicken ‘nuggets' hailed as ‘transformative step' for cultured meat. - Innovative Blood Testing Tech Could Spell the End of Needle Phobia - Digital Health Technology News
Huw, Adama and Taffy from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter. 01:34 - A startup space where women's representation is growing: digital healthCavenagh Health's survey: https://xrgpfimzcdu.typeform.com/to/lplPfikk?typeform-source=www.linkedin.com19:51 - Wes Streeting pledges to retain digital workforce amid NHS reforms
Huw and Daisy from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter with help from Definition Health's Dr Rosie Scott09:28 - HealthTech is the UK's hidden gem – the government can't ignore it22:51 - Covera Health launches AI platform for women's imaging30:34 - Trust in AI-assisted health systems and AI's trust in humans
Huw and Jessica from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter11:00 23andMe customers struggle to delete their data - BBC News23:14 A California health tech company is letting AI run medical visits, fromintake to diagnosis38:31 - Experts enter fourth dimension to create better medical devices -University of Birmingham
Belle and Hollie from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter with help from Sword Health's Robbie Huddleston[01:56] - NHS innovation centre floated as UKRI backs Labour's missions[12:43] - As AI nurses reshape hospital care, human nurses are pushing back[38:54] - Can AI help detect cognitive impairment?
James from SomX breaks down the best stories from this week's newsletter with help from LongVC's Artem Trotsyuk and Sergey Jakimov. [28:50] - 'Shark Tank' investor Kevin O'Leary likely made over 20 times his money on a startup selling genetic-testing kits for cats[37:32] - Antiaging pill for dogs clears key FDA hurdle[44:47] - History beckons as Healx doses first rare cancer patient with AI-created drug
Amy and Huw from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter, with the help of Firstword Healthtech's Tina Tan.[04:30] - Rune Labs' AI coaching tool aims to offer care continuity to people with Parkinson's[19:05] - Unicorn Flo Health eyeing startup acquisitions following $200m fundraise[29:30] - Sofinnova has €1.2B to invest in up to 60 new life sciences firms
Huw from SomX breaks down the best stories from this week's newsletter with help from The Health Foundation's Ben Shemesh. [01:25] - Tech to save time: how the NHS can realise the benefits [24:10] - France Bets on Medical AI, to Train 100,000 Doctors Yearly
Huw and Amy from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter with help from CTel's Christa Natoli. [02:55] - Most patients do not trust health systems to use AI responsibly[25:00] - Congress Extends Certain Telehealth Flexibilities Through March 31, 2025
Huw, James and Taffy from SomX breaks down the best stories from this week's newsletter.[02:30] - Nina Capital's new €50M fund sets sights on early-stage healthtechs[15:05] - NICE consults on changes to its HealthTech programme[25:30] - Should AI be used in end-of-life medical decisions?
Amy and Daisy from SomX breaks down the best stories from this week's newsletter.[01:10] - L&G Group Protection reports 79% year on year increase in digital health service usage - IFA Magazine[13:30] - The role of AI in the future of women's health[22:00] - Guidance launched to ensure safety of digital mental health tech
Huw, James and Daisy from SomX breaks down the best stories from this week's newsletter.[01:25] - UK healthcare sector falling behind on AI adoption, study shows[17:15] - Project launched to improve regulation of AI healthcare devices[26:05] - UK health AI firm criticises NHSE procurement as it goes bust
James from SomX breaks down the best stories from this week's newsletter with Whereby's Howard Wu and Accurx's Jacob Haddad.[40:15] - Patient portals top digital health tech use in older adults, survey finds[49:00] - AI Threatens To Further Erode Physician Autonomy
Huw, James and Amy from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter.[02:10] - Startups Welcome UK AI Action Plan, But With Caveats[26:10] - ‘The returns are awful': why taxpayers are racking up losses on British start-ups
Huw, Belle and Amy from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter.[02:00] - Healthtech startups making healthcare delivery better for doctors and patients[25:40] -Withings unveils body-scanning mirror at CES 2025
James and Jessica from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter.
James, Amy and Belle from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter. [02:05] - Why are doctors wary of wearables? [18:30] - How does the public feel about health technologies and data?
James, Jessica and Belle from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter. [14:20] - AI tool could predict type 2 diabetes 10 years in advance[40:50] - Many digital health startups are quietly raising down rounds and closing up shop. Here's why
Amy and Huw from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter with help from Doccla's Sukrti Nagpal[02:35] - Smart ring maker Oura hits a $5bn valuation after raising $75m[23:15] - Industry view: what is holding the NHS back from innovation, and what is needed to break these barriers?[34:20] - Alan unveils AI health assistant for its 680K health insurance members
Jessica, James and Huw from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter.[01:17] - Forward, Startup Behind ‘Doctor in Box' Healthcare Modules, to Shut Down[23:55] - Ali Parsa launches Quadrivia: I have stepped back from LinkedIn for almost a year, but we have not been idle
Amy and James from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter with help from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust's Dr Gareth Thompson, with segments from Jason C. Foster and Vijay Luthra exploring the future of US healthcare.[19:45] - 3 Types of Startups that Healthcare Leaders Want to See More Of[37:35] - Swedish startup Yazen Health raises €19.5M to combat obesity across Europe
Jessica and James from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter.[01:10] - A kick in the teeth' or 'necessary'? UK tech reacts to tax hikes and exit relief scheme changes in the Budget
Jessica, Huw and Amy from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter.01:20 - Government launches online platform to shape 10 year health plan23:50 - DrDoctor study reveals why patients miss hospital appointments37:40 - Amazon Says AI Tools Reduce Healthcare Administrative Tasks 40%51:25 - Fundraising for women's health start-up ‘painful as giving birth'
Jessica and Hollie from SomX break down the best stories from this week's newsletter with help from Dr Junaid Hassan Founder of Man Confidence[01:35] - Headspace Introduces AI Companion To Support Patients Through ‘Ebbs and Flows' of Life[34:50] -What is wearable neurotech and why might we need it?
Daisy and Belle from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter.[02:35] - Wearable sensors moving into critical care roles[10:45] - How AI "twins" could help fill women's health gap[18:45] - Women's health tech ‘less likely' to get funding if woman is on founding team
James and Jessica from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter.
Huw and Belle from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter.[02:00] - Digital mental health therapies could save thousands of NHS therapist hours [16:05] - Graphene spike mat and magnet technology to fight antibiotic resistance[23:50] - Brain activity patterns could help identify mental health markers
James and Jess from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter, with help from digital health investors David Buller and Laurent Van Lerberghe[03:55] - Analysis finds Thermology Health imaging tech capable of saving NHS £1 billion[13:20] - Finger wrap uses sweat to provide health monitoring at your fingertips[28:35] - Scientists develop stunning AI to predict blood pressure from voice
Huw and James from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter with help from Together Digital's Liam Cahil.[02:05] - Independent investigation of the NHS in England[29:40] - NHS warned on rollout of AI-powered genomic health prediction[45:15] - Scientists develop stunning AI to predict blood pressure from voice
Huw and James from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter with help from DocAbode's Taz Aldawoud.[04:55] - Monitoring technology in social care could save over £1.2bn for NHS[29:45] - Innovate UK reverses female founder funding decision following uproar from UK startup community[43:40] - What do 'digital transformation' and 'digital health' really mean?
James and Jessica from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter.[01:00] - Survey: AI most exciting emerging technology in healthcare[26:00] - How to make sure AI helps rather than hinders healthcare[33:15] - Decentralised trial reveals home-testing behaviours for respiratory infections
Huw, James and Daisy from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter.[03:45] - The testing of AI in medicine is a mess. Here's how it should be done[34:00] - Preparing the NHS for the AI Era: A Digital Health Record for Every Citizen
Belle and Jessica from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter.[02:40] - Hims & Hers CEO: Women's health business "will likely" eclipse men's[18:20] - Innovative AI system uses tongue color to identify multiple health conditions[26:30] - 23andMe to launch GLP-1 telehealth offering, trims internal drug development team
Jessica and James from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter with help from Flo Health Inc's Anna Klepchukova.[15:40] -Femtech startups appear on track for record VC funding[25:05] - Mental health benefits company Spring Health hits $3.3B valuation, boosted by $100M series E round[35:05] - AI assistant eases NHS pressure in cataract care
Belle and James from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter with help from Pogo Digital Healthcare's Jack Francis.[02:10] - Digital pathway launched to improve care for stroke survivors [30:35] - Flo Health raises record $200m for period tracking app and becomes Europe's first femtech unicorn[31:50] - The NHS at 100 - time to reimagine the future?
Jessica and James from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter with help from ieso Digital Health's Director of Evidence Generation, Clare Palmer.[29:20] - Diagnosing STIs with a ‘selfie'? AI could make it possible [37:00] - Are AI-chatbots suitable for hospitals? Diagnostic capabilities of large language models tested
Huw and Belle from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter with help from The Health Foundation's Tim Horton.[02:15] - AI outperforms clinical tests at predicting Alzheimer's progress[42:30] - Digital health needs women at the heart of it
James, Jessica and Daisy from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter.This week: What should the next AI healthcare strategy cover?[03:15] -Function pockets $53M for personalized health testing backed by celeb investors Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal and Kevin Hart[18:25] -NHS urged to prioritise cancer care basics over tech and AI ‘magic bullets'[39:00] - Effectiveness of digital health interventions for telemedicine/telehealth for managing blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Huw and Jess from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter, with help from University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire Trusts, Dr Julia Dawson 08:35 - Priorities for an AI in health care strategy24:05 - Pain-free home test kit for cervical cancer is unveiled 33:15 - AI prosthetic limbs and advanced sensors: how one startup is building tech for next gen wearables
James and Jessica from SomX do a post-HLTH download of all of the most exciting announcements from last week's event in Amsterdam.
Join Jessica, Huw and Jess from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter, with help from Coulter Partners' Ian Coyne.This week: [03:00] - Be a part of a study: What kind of person builds a digital health startup?[09:30] - Freespira bets on slow and steady, amid spectacular digital health collapses[23:00] - What do health tech leaders want from the general election campaign?[37:50] - How virtual reality transforms women's labor experiences
Join Jessica, James and Huw from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter.[02:30] - Lying To Your Therapist Is Being Superseded By Telling The Truth To Generative AI[23:45] - Urinary incontinence neuromod newcomer Amber Therapeutics nets $100M[32:15] - AI in Healthcare Report: Healthcare AI investment growing faster than non-health AI
Join Aahuti and Huw from SomX breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter, with help from HealthKey's David JoerringThis week: 19:40 - ifeel cements $20M to address rising mental health costs for businesses and insurers31:30 - Ciba Health uses wearables and analytics to get to the root cause of type 2 diabetes41:15 - Black and ethnic minority people underrepresented in virtual wards54:45 - 5 steps towards health equity in low- and middle-income countries through tailored innovation
Join Huw and Aahuti in breaking down the best stories from this week's newsletter, with help from FemTech Lab's Karina Vazirova and Kate Nikityuk.This week: [17:00] - Seek Launches First At-Home Test for Alcohol's Effects on Women's Health[32:00] - How Women's Health Conversations With Investors Have Evolved'Decoding the Future of Women' - Femtech Lab's Flagship Women's Healthtech Conference takes place on 10-11 June. Use SOMX for 20% off your ticket
Join Huw and Belle in breaking down the best stories from this week's newsletter. This week:[01:35] - Five ways to unlock a digital health revolution in the NHS[21:55] - 4 Things Digital Health Investors Need To Get Off Their Chest
Join Aahuti and Jess breakdown the best stories from this week's newsletter, with the help of Toby Basey-Fisher, CEO of Entia. This week: [04:45] -Test-at-home kit for cancer patients approved for use[18:50] - UK partnership to address challenges regulating mental health tech[31:30] - How telemedicine can cut down NHS gynaecology waiting times
Join Jessica and James as they take a deep dive into the week's healthtech news and views joined by HLTH Europe's Lina Behrens and Henry Stoneley. This week: [02:45] - Apple pushes into clinical trials with new FDA nod for Apple Watch[22:45] - Virtual reality could revolutionize mental-health treatments, including ketamine therapy, for conditions like depression and anxiety[36:45] - Okko Health to test eye health app in space
Join Jessica and Huw as they take a deep dive into the week's healthtech news and views.This week: [01:25] - ‘Daniel Ek's body scanning healthtech Neko Health is expanding to the UK[20:10] - Walmart Health Is Closing[29:10] - Hertility's ReProductive Report aims to close the gaps in women's health research
Join Jessica and James as they take a deep dive into the week's healthtech news and views joined by Dr Sioned Fôn Jones, co-founder of BoobyBiome. This week: [01:26] - How UK-based BoobyBiome Is Advancing Infant Feeding Harnessing the Power of the Breast Milk Microbiome[24:20] - Maven Clinic expands fertility support for males alongside health coaching program[46:10] - GE HealthCare launches voice-activated, AI-powered ultrasound machines for women's health[59:55] - UK healthtech Elvie raises £9.6m in fresh funding
Join Aahuti and Huw as they take a deep dive into the week's healthtech news and views.This week: [14:10] - ‘What we're seeing is not telehealth': alarm over doctors using AI and prescribing without seeing patients[34:55] - A Wearable Tech Gives Pharmas & Therapists Better Feel for Changes in Mental Health[46:20] - Healthtech Zoe announces 20% cost cutting, detailing redundancy packages