Eight cardio startups kick off business growth programme at Discovery Park
Sandwich, UK – 10 September 2025: Discovery Park, Kent’s thriving life science and innovation community, today welcomed eight promising cardiovascular and cardiometabolic health startups to its campus. The cohort are embarking on the ‘Discovery Spark’ business growth programme, championing and supporting early stage business working on innovations in heart health.
The early stage companies were selected from a wide pool based on the need for their innovation, the uniqueness of their solution, and the strength of their team. Over the next six weeks, the companies will attend expert-led sessions focused on investor readiness, covering essential business topics from intellectual property to branding. The programme culminates with a pitch day on the 16th October, offering the chance to receive up to £250K investment from venture capital firm Zinc and the opportunity for free lab or office space at Discovery Park.
As the fifth iteration of the Spark programme, the cohort’s focus on heart health was selected for its high burden on lives, with cardiovascular diseases accounting for 1 in 4 of all deaths in the UK. There is also a significant gender health gap for heart diseases, with women less likely to receive the appropriate diagnostic tests and treatments. Despite often being seen as a “man’s disease”, heart disease kill more than twice as many women as breast cancer in the UK every year.
Discovery Spark Cohort 5.0 includes Coblum, a tech company developing the world’s first fully-automated resuscitation device, delivering chest compressions and defibrillation in instances of sudden cardiac arrest. Another participant, drug development company SignaCor, is developing medicines for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (thickening of the heart muscle), aiming to address the underlying disease pathology for the first time. Digital health tech startup Persis Health Innovation is developing an AI-powered biosensor that detects key cardiovascular biomarkers, aiming to reduce the gender health gap for earlier detection of cardiovascular disease in women.
Programme Lead Renos Savva, Head of Innovation and Venture Development, Discovery Park, commented:
“These eight startups have huge potential to deliver life-saving solutions for heart health, and it’s incredibly inspiring to consider what they could achieve with the right support, network and infrastructure. The Spark programme is a key part of Discovery Park’s commitment to early stage businesses, sharing business skills to enable founders to secure investment and grow in a challenging business landscape.”
Emilie Syed, Principal, Healthcare, Zinc:
“Cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases remain the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, yet innovation in these areas continues to lag behind their global burden. Zinc is excited to partner with Discovery Park on the 5th cohort of the Discovery Spark programme, leveraging science-based innovation to make an impact in this area of unmet clinical need.”
Hosted by Kent’s innovation ecosystem Discovery Park, Cohort 5.0 is partnered with Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex, providing participants with valuable contacts across NHS and academia, plus Zinc VC, delivering direct connections to potential investors. The programme is also designed to provide opportunities for early stage companies to grow a network of peers, mentors and expert advisors, as part of a friendly and collaborative cohort.
Learn more about Discovery Spark and register interest for the next cohort, open to early stage companies working in life science: https://discovery-park.co.uk/lp/discovery-spark/
Discovery Park: Cohort 5.0 Participants (listed alphabetically)
Coblum empowers bystanders to save lives when cardiac arrest strikes. By automating CPR and defibrillation, their device removes panic and skill barriers to deliver complete first aid within seconds. No skills. No strength. Just set it up — Coblum takes over.
Dimension Biotechnologies
Dimension aims to make microvascular disease (damage to the microscopic blood vessels that feed organs with a constant supply of blood) routinely detectable by doctors. They are developing the first liquid biopsies for microvascular health and disease, providing insight into currently inaccessible parts of the circulatory system for earlier diagnosis and treatment.
HeartGuard aims to make heart health simple, convenient and accessible. A smartphone application and newsletter helps to alleviate some of the mental health burdens of living with heart disease, coupled with a supplement to support physical heart health.
MediPacks
MediPacks is developing next-generation pharmaceutical solutions for use in medical emergencies outside of the hospital, with an initial focus on cardiovascular events such as heart attacks. Their mission is to empower faster intervention, reduce avoidable deaths, and transform emergency care at the community level.
Oxy Genomics
Focusing on women’s cardiovascular health, Oxy Genomics is aiming to transform cardiovascular disease detection through advanced multiomics and AI technologies, which can identify novel, early-stage biomarkers that traditional diagnostics often miss.
Persis Health Innovation (PHI)
PHI is developing a non-invasive, AI-powered biosensor that detects key cardiovascular biomarkers. They are aiming to transform the future of women’s health through earlier detection and preventive care for cardiovascular disease.
QDR Health is building a clinical and financial operating system for heart failure, anchored by a predictive algorithm, a clinician tool, and a patient-facing AI agent. They aim to support timely and appropriate follow-up care, improving health outcomes.
SignaCor is a clinical stage drug development company developing a first-in-class treatment for symptomatic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (thickening of the heart muscle), going beyond symptom management to target the underlying disease pathology.
ENDS
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About Discovery Park
Discovery Park is one of the UK’s leading science and innovation campuses, providing a dynamic base for life science companies ranging from early-stage start-ups to global corporations. Located in Kent, with excellent connectivity to London and Europe, Discovery Park offers an ideal environment for businesses to start, scale and succeed.
With more than 180 companies on site including Pfizer, Asymchem, Viatris, Concept Life Sciences, Resolian, Psyros Diagnostics, York Bio, and VisusNano, Discovery Park is home to a thriving ecosystem of innovators. The 220-acre site offers cutting-edge laboratories, flexible office and manufacturing space, and a highly supportive infrastructure tailored to the needs of science and technology businesses.
As part of its commitment to nurturing innovation, Discovery Park is home to CoLab, a shared laboratory facility developed in partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University, offering flexible bench space and technical support to early-stage companies. In addition, the Discovery Spark programme equips science and tech founders with the commercial skills, strategic insights, and investor-readiness needed to grow sustainably.
Recognised as a Life Science Opportunity Zone, Discovery Park benefits from a robust utilities infrastructure, 100% renewable electricity, and a strong pipeline of local STEM talent, underpinned by partnerships with leading academic institutions. With its strategic location, vibrant community, and access to finance through its own fund, Discovery Park Ventures, the campus plays a central role in Kent’s flourishing science and technology cluster and is an extension of the UK’s prestigious Golden Triangle.
Discover more: www.discovery-park.co.uk
E: info@discovery-park.co.uk, T: 01304 614060.
For further information, please contact:
Kirsty Budden, Head of Marketing, Discovery Park
E: kirsty.budden@discovery-park.co.uk, T: +44 (0) 7730 618514
About Zinc VC
Zinc is an inception-stage investor backing founders harnessing science and deep technology to tackle the most urgent challenges in health and the environment. We invest in ventures with the potential for global transformative impact and significant commercial value.
Our specialist health team focuses on emerging and converging technologies that can dramatically improve patient outcomes, system efficiency, and healthcare access. We partner with founders through the first two years of a new venture with pre-seed funding and hands-on venture building support to accelerate deep tech, IP-rich innovation.
Learn more: zinc.vc
For further information, please contact:
Kate Hyslop, Head of Marketing, Zinc: kate@zinc.vc
