TestCard scoops win at first ever Digital Health Rewired Pitchfest
- 26 March 2019

A device that embeds a urine diagnostic device into a postcard has been named the winner of the inaugural Digital Health Rewired Pitchfest.
TestCard ā which enables individuals to conduct urine tests at home ā beat off stiff competition during a fiercely fought final round during the Digital Health Rewired Conference and Expo at Londonās Olympia.
Announcing the winner, Tara Donnelly āĀ interim chief digital officer at NHS England ā said the judges considered the device a ātransformative innovation that could make a huge difference not just in this country but overseas as wellā.
They also praised the āconsumer-empowering focusā of the TestCard, something Andrew Botham āĀ co founder and chief scientific officer āĀ said was central to the concept.
āPoint of care tests havenāt improved outcomes from what weāve seen,ā he said during his pitch. āWe think this is because they happen in clinical settings. If we want to improve peopleās outcomes, we need to push back into peopleās home.”
Highly commended in the competition, meanwhile, was SurgEase Innovations, founded by bowel surgeon Fareed Iqbal. He said the companyās aim was to ābecome world leaders in making diagnosis of anorectal disease more efficient, more dignified and saferā.
The firm has developed an alternative to the traditional device used to diagnose rectal cancer āĀ the second leading cause of cancer deaths, with almost 50% of UK cases diagnosed at late stage when chances of recovery are much smaller.
There were four finalists in all, whittled down from 70 entrants at the outset. Alongside TestCare and SurgEase were Mendelian, which aims to use data analysis to improve diagnosis of rare disease, and Cievert, with a chatbox designed to better manage follow up appointments.
The Pitchfest, which was sponsored by Silver Buck, was designed to give innovators from across health and social care the chance to pitch their idea to sector leaders.
The judging panel was made up of Manoj Badale, co-founder, Blenheim Chalcot; Will Gibbs, Octopus Ventures; Dr Jonathan Bloor, clinical director System C and co-founder of Careflow; Dr Mohammad Al-Ubaydli, CEO and founder of Patients Know Best; Julie Bretland, CEO, OurMobileHealth; Charles Lowe, CEO, Digital Health and Care Alliance.