Novai Secures £500k to Accelerate AI‑Powered Medical Imaging Innovation

Novai Secures £500,000 Seed Funding to Lead the Charge in Early Eye Disease Detection

Think of your eye’s health like a secret garden—most people only notice weeds once they’ve taken root. Novai, a bold start‑up from University College London, is about to change that narrative, thanks to a fresh £500,000 round led by SFC Capital.

What’s the Hype?

AI + Imaging, the dream team: Novai’s machine‑learning algorithm can spot eye damage up to 18 months before the gold‑standard OCT screens do.
From a University Lab to the Market: It harnesses images from the DARC technique—think “Detecting Apoptosing Retinal Cells” flickering in your retina like tiny fireflies.
Beyond Vision: The technology is also eyeing neurodegenerative giants—Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis—so it could help a whole host of folks keep their minds as sharp as their sight.
Already Out There: Novai has teamed up with Santen USA for a research collaboration and is sparking a wave of global commercial interest.

New Leadership, Fresh Vision

Gordon Bethwaite steps in as Acting CEO—20+ years of eye‑care leadership under his belt and a track record of steering tech through the blur of market entry. He says:

“I’ve worked with top‑tier eye‑care companies and seen first‑hand how breakthrough tech can transform lives. DARC has the potential to be that game‑changer. Being part of this journey, taking a technology that can prevent sight loss from the lab to the patient’s eye, is what keeps us moving forward.”  — Gordon Bethwaite

What’s Next?

With the fresh capital, Novai will:

Refine its AI models to achieve higher accuracy.
Expand clinical trials across more eye hospitals.
Forge new commercial partnerships to make early detection a standard of care.

“We’re on the brink of turning early eye disease detection from a concept into a reality that patients and doctors can rely on,” says Rohallah Ghasemi of SFC Capital. “This is the future of preventative care—though it’s hard to put a price on the peace of mind it can offer.”

Why It Matters

Glaucoma, the leading culprit of irreversible blindness, and AMD (age‑related macular degeneration) affect millions worldwide. Novai’s pioneering tech could catch them before they spiral into blindness—potentially saving patients their vision, and by extension, their quality of life.

In short, Novai marries cutting‑edge AI with proven imaging tech to give clinicians a crystal‑ball that tells them when a disease will start to break through, allowing interventions to happen before damage becomes visible.