Zedsen closes $12m Series B and appoints Dr Caroline Hargrove as CTO to develop non-invasive biosensor

Zedsen, a UK company developing breakthrough non-invasive technology that helps consumers understand their health based on data coming from their bloodstream, announces that Dr. Caroline Hargrove, former CTO of Babylon Health, has joined its leadership team.

Dr. Hargrove is joining Zedsen as the company also announces a $12 million Series B investment at a $110 million valuation. The investors include Joseph R Grano, former Chairman and CEO of UBS bank, Nasser Kazeminy, Investor, Founder of NJK Holding and Chairman of the Ellis Island Honor Society (EIHS), Tony Rice, Former CEO of Cable and Wireless, Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Chairperson of the Red Cross, and Jim Harpel, Investor at Palm Beach Capital.

The addition of Dr. Hargrove and the new investors bring Zedsen closer to its mission to bring true, continuous, proactive health to everyone. Every health app created so far relies on data gleaned from outside the body, such as heart rate, temperature and movement. Some, such as apps for monitoring diabetes, get data from the blood, but only invasively, requiring needles or patches that puncture the skin.

What’s missing is a way to add important biophysical data from the bloodstream – continuously, comfortably, without requiring needles or any action from the user. Zedsen’s world-first technology provides that crucial window into the body through a sensor that sits on the skin’s surface. By analysing the combination of internal and external data, Zedsen can more precisely and richly give users an understanding of their health so they can make small lifestyle changes that have significant long-term benefits.

The potential use cases are wide-ranging. Trends towards prediabetes can be spotted and reversed; fertility can be tracked; diets can be understood and tailored to each unique biological response.  

Dr. Hargrove is renowned for her visionary leadership and ambition for future healthcare, and brings an impressive portfolio of experience to the team. Dr. Hargrove received a CBE for services to Engineering; won CBI’s First Women of Engineering and Manufacturing award; was named one of the 50 most influential Women Engineers in the UK by The Telegraph; was a Founder and CTO of McLaren Applied Technologies; and since 2018 was CTO of $2 billion telehealth pioneer Babylon Health. 

On her ambition for proactive health and new position, Dr Hargrove said: “Low-cost, non-invasive technology for monitoring blood to a high standard is a holy grail that has profound, life-enhancing impact – whether you are monitoring metabolic health to improve athletic performance, or working to reverse the trend towards diabetes. I’m delighted to be working on developing such transformative products based on Zedsen’s novel non-invasive technology and being part of Zedsen’s amazing team.”

Under the leadership of CEO Daniel Honeywell, Zedsen has evolved from a laboratory breakthrough in sensing technology to become one of the UKs fastest-growing health tech companies with a global portfolio of 46 patents. Honeywell said: “Caroline’s technical expertise will be intrinsic to the next stage of our journey, but most importantly, we are inspired and excited by her vision for hyper-personalised healthcare. Neither of us can accept the status quo. Chronic disease accounts for 41 million avoidable deaths each year. Knowing this can be prevented through meaningful biological insights and manageable lifestyle changes will allow us to actually deliver on the promise of proactive, personalised and preventative care.”

***ENDS***

Notes to Editors

About Zedsen

Zedsen is on a mission to make true, continuous proactive health a reality for everyone by helping people understand the inner workings of their bodies so they can stay their healthiest longer.

Our world-first technology unobtrusively gathers key biological signals from the bloodstream using non-invasive sensors. 

Data gathered leads to hyper-personalised insights about health, fitness and diet, with support and suggestions as unique as each individual user. Small lifestyle changes have significant impact by helping to prevent and reverse trends towards harmful conditions, and keep us healthier for longer. 

Just as personalised data has the power to change the individual, collective data changes the world. Anonymised population data provides trend insights at scale, to enable scientists and clinicians to better understand the complexities of the human body. In the process of making us healthier individuals, together we will make the world a healthier place, too. 

About Dr Caroline Hargove, CBE FREng and CTO, Zedsen: 

Caroline’s Key Accolades:

• Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (2017)
• Previously a Visiting Professor at Oxford
• Won the CBI’s First Women of Engineering and Manufacturing Award (2017) 
• Was named one of the 50 most influential Women Engineers in the UK (Daily Telegraph, June 2016). 
• Received CBE for services to Engineering (2020)

Caroline’s Experience and Education:

• Dr Caroline Hargrove (CBE FREng)
• CTO, VP AI, Babylon Health – Nov 2018-Present 
• Non-exec Director at Ceres Power, a world leading developer of low cost, next generation fuel cell and electrolysis technology – Sept 2018-Present
• Trustee of the Sorrell Foundation’s National Saturday Club, a charity that encourages teenagers from underprivileged backgrounds to consider careers in the creative industries.
• CTO and Founding Member of McLaren Applied Technologies, Jan 2013-18 (Technical Director), Jan 2018-Oct 2018 (CTO)
• Visiting Professor, Oxford University – Oct 2015-Oct 2018
• PhD, Engineering, University of Cambridge
• BSc, Applied Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering, 1986-1989

About Daniel Honeywell, CEO, Zedsen: 

• Under his leadership, Zedsen has grown from a garden-laboratory technology to one of the fastest growing companies in the UK, with a global portfolio of 46 patents, won Med Tech Award for most innovative sensor. 
• Dan is a member of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council
• Dan has recently been interviewed by CEO Magazine alongside John Sculley, and recently in an interview with Forbes Magazine, John said: 
• “I love to get involved when [companies are] doing something that is truly innovative. For instance, Zedsen […] has really invented technology that is as significant as I believe MRI was or ultrasound was, and they’re now going through the development of productizing that in several different areas. So, working with talented CEOs like Daniel Honeywell at Zedsen has been a lot of fun for me and just exciting to still be part of the game, even if I’m not the CEO.” 

For more information please visit: www.zedsen.com

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