Biggest investment in inspirational innovators by LYVA LABS

LYVA Labs has made its biggest investments in a month, supporting eight inspirational innovators with a total £305,000 initial funding. 

The businesses receiving investment include health tech businesses, Vizbox, BBL Protect and Good Vibrations, and deep tech businesses Barro, Birl, Cubode, gigmate and Universal Atmosphere Engineering (UAP),

LYVA Labs was set up with £11m from Liverpool City Region’s Combined Authority as an innovation commercialisation company to turn great ideas into high growth businesses and quality jobs.

It can invest up to £250,000 into businesses that are using innovation to answer real world challenges.

Akshay Bhatnagar, LYVA Labs’ Head of Investment, said: “LYVA Labs’ investment team has been busy this month.

“Congratulations to all the entrepreneurial businesses we have invested in, all of whom create products and services that harness innovation to solve important challenges.”

Vizbox is a Birkenhead-based business that co-produces immersive health technologies and developed SKYLA VR, a virtual reality tool that gamifies rehabilitation for stroke patients, making the process more engaging.  

The technology incorporates both artificial and virtual reality technologies, co-produced by stroke survivors and stroke rehabilitation experts.

The tool supports the rehabilitation of gross and fine motor skills, while improving balance, cognitive, and general wellbeing, following a stroke. SKYLA VR was tested in a participation trial at the University of Liverpool, which found the technology provided a more flexible, intense, personalised stroke rehabilitation experience. 

Carl, from Viz Box, said: “We are really pleased with this investment from LYVA Labs as it helps us to commercialise our SKYLA VR product. The funding supports our plans to create an automated content management system for collecting VR headset data, an AI algorithm for safer storage and use of patient and professional data, and a clinical trial to help us gain medical device accreditation.”

BBL Protect created the AeroPod, an innovation-driven Personal Isolation Device (PID) for the transportation and transfer of patients who may be contaminated or infectious.

It is designed to fit with the UK’s planning and preparedness response, to ensure the safer transfer of patients and the safety of healthcare staff and others. It also offers a solution for transporting immunocompromised patients into hospitals for treatment.

Russell Clifton, BBL Protect’s founder and CEO, and the creator of AeroPod, said: “There is a heightened awareness and need, following the pandemic, to offer greater protection to healthcare workers, particularly in pre-hospital care, when transporting infectious or contaminated patients.

“This investment will support AeroPod to set up manufacturing facilities to fulfil orders in the medevac and healthcare sectors; we also aim to create jobs in the region.”

Good Vibrations Only, is a Liverpool City Region business that has developed a vibrating insole with sensory feedback to support children with autism that tiptoe walk.

Nicki Allen, a paediatric physiotherapist, evaluated the prototype with children and parents at the school where she works, which specialises in teaching children with autism.

Nicki is also Good Vibrations’ founder, and said: “Our initial testing of the product with children with autism who tiptoe walk showed reliably good results.

“We are really excited by this investment, which allows us to collect the data we need to support adoption of our product, promote Good Vibrations at conferences, and develop a full ‘go to market’ plan for the year ahead.” 

This product will support children with autism, who often need treatment to avoid future physiological issues.