Octopus Ventures

Manual is a men's health and well-being startup based in London, UK, founded in 2018. The company specializes in providing a suite of diagnostic tools and blood tests that facilitate data-driven health solutions tailored for men. Manual aims to destigmatize discussions surrounding men's health by offering easy access to advice, free medical support, and treatment options. Its platform addresses various health concerns, including weight management, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, and general wellness. By empowering men with the necessary information and resources, Manual encourages proactive decision-making regarding their health and well-being.

Pelago, formerly known as Quit Genius, is a leading virtual clinic focused on substance use management, particularly for tobacco, alcohol, and opioids. The company aims to transform support for substance use by offering education, management skills, and opportunities for positive change to individuals struggling with addiction. Pelago provides employers with a means to offer on-demand, personalized support for employees seeking healthier lifestyles. Its platform utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to address the psychological aspects of addiction, helping users identify triggers and access support through animated videos, interactive exercises, and audio sessions. This approach allows individuals to work at their own pace with the assistance of a personalized coach. Pelago's services seamlessly integrate with health plans, pharmacy benefit managers, and wellness platforms, and the company has successfully supported over 750,000 members in managing their substance use and improving their overall well-being.

Harbiz is a developer of an all-in-one productivity software tailored for wellness and fitness professionals. The platform aims to digitize and streamline business operations within the fitness sector by providing a comprehensive suite of tools. These tools include training resources, customer management features, automated notifications, customized nutrition plans, and payment automation. Additionally, Harbiz focuses on facilitating the connection between wellness professionals and their clients, while offering capabilities for tracking progress and personalizing user experiences. Through its platform, Harbiz seeks to enhance the efficiency and professionalism of businesses in the fitness industry.

Alba Health specializes in digital gut health support for children, utilizing artificial intelligence and gut microbiome testing. The company offers a microbiome testing service that provides comprehensive insights into a child's gut health through an easy-to-use stool test kit. This kit is analyzed in a certified laboratory, and the detailed results are returned to parents, who can then collaborate with dieticians to develop personalized action plans to enhance their child's health. Additionally, Alba Health anonymizes the test results, potentially contributing to broader discoveries that could improve children's overall health and well-being.

Pear Bio is a biotechnology company based in Boston and London that focuses on developing precision medicine therapeutics for challenging cancer cases. By analyzing tumor biopsies and blood samples from patients, the company utilizes multi-omics approaches to identify new therapeutic targets. Their proprietary immune-microtumor system allows them to test the effectiveness of drug candidates directly on patient tumor samples. Pear Bio's innovative technology includes a specialized hydrogel that cultivates tumors outside the human body, effectively simulating drug resistance and streamlining the treatment selection process. This enables the identification of the most effective therapies for individual patients, thereby reducing the reliance on trial-and-error methods in cancer treatment.

Skin + Me Ltd is a digital health company based in London, United Kingdom, that specializes in online dermatology consultation services. Founded in January 2018, the company offers personalized skincare solutions aimed at treating various skin concerns, including acne, signs of aging, uneven texture, dark spots, and enlarged pores. Through its direct-to-consumer model, Skin + Me provides patients with access to online consultations with dermatologists and pharmacists, along with prescription-based therapy creams. This approach ensures that clients receive tailored guidance, treatment, and ongoing support for their skin health needs.

Elo Health is a provider of personalized nutrition services that focus on promoting health and wellness through tailored supplements. The company utilizes biomarkers, artificial intelligence, and expert guidance to create nutrition solutions that cater to individual needs. By analyzing blood tests, activity data, and offering one-on-one support from dietitians, Elo Health identifies and addresses nutrient gaps specific to each customer. Its Smart Nutrition products are designed based on scientifically proven ingredients, enabling users to adopt and maintain healthier lifestyles effectively.

Wearable technology to measure and manage complex chronic illlness

Vira Health is a digital health company dedicated to enhancing long-term health outcomes for women by focusing on female-specific conditions. The company develops digital therapeutics that provide evidence-based interventions for managing menopause symptoms, including insomnia, anxiety, depression, hot flushes, weight gain, and incontinence. Vira's approach also aims to delay the onset of chronic health issues such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and dementia through personalized care and tailored treatment plans. By improving the collection and use of female health data, Vira Health seeks to address the unique challenges women face throughout their lives, particularly during menopause.

Big Health is a digital therapeutics company based in London, United Kingdom, specializing in sleep improvement solutions. It offers a digital healthcare portal that provides fully automated and personalized behavioral programs aimed at addressing mental health issues, particularly sleep disorders. The flagship application, Sleepio, utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques to tailor interventions to individual users' needs, helping them effectively manage and overcome their sleep-related challenges. By consulting with medical professionals, Big Health ensures that its programs are both evidence-based and user-friendly, promoting better sleep and overall mental well-being.

Tuune is a femtech startup focused on transforming women's health through personalized hormonal analysis and tailored birth control solutions. The company has developed a platform that creates contraceptive plans based on individual biological profiles, medical histories, mental health considerations, genetic information, and hormone levels. By offering this customized approach, Tuune aims to help users minimize the side effects often associated with oral contraceptives, thereby enhancing overall well-being and health outcomes for women.

Pelago, formerly known as Quit Genius, is a leading virtual clinic focused on substance use management, particularly for tobacco, alcohol, and opioids. The company aims to transform support for substance use by offering education, management skills, and opportunities for positive change to individuals struggling with addiction. Pelago provides employers with a means to offer on-demand, personalized support for employees seeking healthier lifestyles. Its platform utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to address the psychological aspects of addiction, helping users identify triggers and access support through animated videos, interactive exercises, and audio sessions. This approach allows individuals to work at their own pace with the assistance of a personalized coach. Pelago's services seamlessly integrate with health plans, pharmacy benefit managers, and wellness platforms, and the company has successfully supported over 750,000 members in managing their substance use and improving their overall well-being.

Medisafe is a digital patient engagement platform focused on improving medication adherence and management. By utilizing a data-driven approach, the platform personalizes patient engagement, helping users navigate the complexities of their medication schedules. Medisafe addresses common challenges associated with non-adherence by providing features that send alerts to users and their caretakers, ensuring timely medication intake. With nearly 5 million registered users and over 2 billion recorded medication doses, the app has demonstrated its effectiveness in improving adherence by up to 20%, as evidenced by various studies. The platform engages both patients and healthcare partners, offering insights into behavior patterns that enhance the patient experience. Medisafe has received multiple accolades for its innovation in healthcare, including recognition from Gartner and Fast Company, and boasts high user satisfaction ratings, making it a leading solution in medication management.

Big Health is a digital therapeutics company based in London, United Kingdom, specializing in sleep improvement solutions. It offers a digital healthcare portal that provides fully automated and personalized behavioral programs aimed at addressing mental health issues, particularly sleep disorders. The flagship application, Sleepio, utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques to tailor interventions to individual users' needs, helping them effectively manage and overcome their sleep-related challenges. By consulting with medical professionals, Big Health ensures that its programs are both evidence-based and user-friendly, promoting better sleep and overall mental well-being.

Pelago, formerly known as Quit Genius, is a leading virtual clinic focused on substance use management, particularly for tobacco, alcohol, and opioids. The company aims to transform support for substance use by offering education, management skills, and opportunities for positive change to individuals struggling with addiction. Pelago provides employers with a means to offer on-demand, personalized support for employees seeking healthier lifestyles. Its platform utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to address the psychological aspects of addiction, helping users identify triggers and access support through animated videos, interactive exercises, and audio sessions. This approach allows individuals to work at their own pace with the assistance of a personalized coach. Pelago's services seamlessly integrate with health plans, pharmacy benefit managers, and wellness platforms, and the company has successfully supported over 750,000 members in managing their substance use and improving their overall well-being.

Katalyst is a company focused on making fitness accessible to all individuals, aiming to help them achieve their full potential. It has developed an electro muscle stimulation system that promotes health and fitness through innovative technology. This system provides a comprehensive full-body workout that activates a significant portion of muscle fibers without the need for external weights or causing joint strain. By using this approach, Katalyst enables users to enhance their overall strength and endurance, improve body composition, and achieve better muscle tone and definition while addressing muscular imbalances.

Katalyst is a company focused on making fitness accessible to all individuals, aiming to help them achieve their full potential. It has developed an electro muscle stimulation system that promotes health and fitness through innovative technology. This system provides a comprehensive full-body workout that activates a significant portion of muscle fibers without the need for external weights or causing joint strain. By using this approach, Katalyst enables users to enhance their overall strength and endurance, improve body composition, and achieve better muscle tone and definition while addressing muscular imbalances.

Medisafe is a digital patient engagement platform focused on improving medication adherence and management. By utilizing a data-driven approach, the platform personalizes patient engagement, helping users navigate the complexities of their medication schedules. Medisafe addresses common challenges associated with non-adherence by providing features that send alerts to users and their caretakers, ensuring timely medication intake. With nearly 5 million registered users and over 2 billion recorded medication doses, the app has demonstrated its effectiveness in improving adherence by up to 20%, as evidenced by various studies. The platform engages both patients and healthcare partners, offering insights into behavior patterns that enhance the patient experience. Medisafe has received multiple accolades for its innovation in healthcare, including recognition from Gartner and Fast Company, and boasts high user satisfaction ratings, making it a leading solution in medication management.