Newcastle-based Circadacare has gained £250,000 investment from a fund managed by Northstar Ventures, the North East Innovation Fund, supported by the European Regional Development Fund. £255,000 also comes via new and existing angels alongside a grant from Innovate UK’s North East digital launchpad scheme.
In the UK alone, the number of people aged over 80 is expected to reach 4m by 2035. An ageing population is pushing our health and social sectors to a crisis point. Circadacare is rising to the challenge of alleviating the pressure on these struggling systems whilst enabling the elderly and those with dementia to receive increased support via a pioneering product called Heleos.
The standard type of lighting typically used in homes, hospitals and supported living facilities can negatively impact on the body’s natural rhythm, affecting patients’ awareness, sleep patterns and mood, whilst increasing the risk of falls – a major issue. Equipped with circadian rhythm technology, Heleos uses light to support the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.
Heleos appears like a simple light bulb and fits seamlessly into a user’s environment. It also discreetly gathers movement and sound data, flagging when intervention may be required and provides real-time feedback to clinicians, carers and families. It is integrated with other care technology providers to enable an accessible platform for users.
Circadacare is working with partners at local authorities, domiciliary care providers and care homes to deploy the product. The business is certainly garnering attention in the industry, having been awarded a grant from the Longitude Prize in Dementia in 2023 and several healthy ageing grants from Innovate UK. They also work closely with key regional partners such as National Innovation Centre Ageing (NICA).
Tom O’Neill, investment manager, Northstar Ventures, says: “We’re delighted to support Circadacare with further investment which will be used to deepen commercial partnerships with key customers and improve the quality of care received by users. Congratulations to Tallie and the wider Circadacare team.”
Tallie Bush, COO, Circadacare, says: “This funding comes at the perfect time for Circadacare. It enables us to accelerate our development roadmap and expand Heleos’ capabilities based on the valuable feedback we’ve received from our early adopters. We’re passionate about refining the technology that’s already making a difference in elderly care settings. With Northstar Ventures’ support, we can enhance our offering, building on our strong foundation to create even more powerful tools for older adults and their carers.”
Notes To Editors
Press contacts – Northstar Ventures Limited
Deborah Nixon Carr
Marketing / Investment Support
M: 07754 800 749
[email protected]
Emma O’Rourke
Finance Director
M: 07715 366 434
[email protected]
About Northstar Ventures
Northstar Ventures is a long-established venture capital company based in the North East of England.
As the region’s leading early-stage investor, we have provided over £100m of funding into start-ups, early-stage businesses and high impact social enterprises.
Supporting entrepreneurs since 2004, we know how to identify strong, effective teams with innovative ideas that will drive high growth, scalable businesses. Our particular focus is on those organisations who provide solutions to societal and industry-wide issues on a regional, national and even global scale.
Our investment managers have a wealth of expertise supporting new and growing businesses. They bring commercial and operational knowledge to the table combining everything from PhDs, MBAs, international careers and finance to micro-business experience.
Northstar Ventures Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. For more information see www.northstarventures.co.uk.
About Circadacare
Circadacare is a Newcastle-based healthtech company founded in 2020, specializing in circadian lighting and AI-driven monitoring solutions for elderly care. Their flagship product, Heleos, combines advanced circadian lighting technology with discreet monitoring capabilities to improve health outcomes, support independent living, and reduce care costs. The company’s innovative approach has been recognized through multiple awards, including the Longitude Prize in Dementia (2023) and several Innovate UK grants. Led by a multidisciplinary team of experts in healthcare technology, data analytics, and dementia research, Circadacare is committed to empowering independence naturally through technology that enhances wellbeing while providing crucial support for carers and healthcare providers.
Editor’s notes:
Media contacts:
Kristen Watson
PR Account Executive
T: 0191 261 4250
M: 07718 065696
Sarah Banks [email protected]
Jez Davison [email protected]
About The North East Fund
The North East Fund is a suite of five venture capital and loan funds which was established in April 2018, to invest £130m in around 600 North East businesses in the period to December 2023. The fund managers provide business development advice and investment finance to small and medium-sized enterprises based in the seven Local Authority areas of North East England: Northumberland, North Tyneside, Newcastle, South Tyneside, Gateshead Sunderland and County Durham. The programme encourages investment in and the commercialisation of new technologies, including low carbon technologies, as well as stimulating new business creation, private investment and entrepreneurialism in the North East, with a view to creating over 2,500 new jobs. The North East Fund has overall responsibility for the programme, which is delivered through five separate funds, each managed by independent, FCA-regulated fund managers. Details of these, and up to date information on the progress of the programme is available on The North East Fund’s website: www.northeastfund.org.
The North East Fund has been established with funding from the North East of England European Regional Development Fund programme, the European Investment Bank and from returns on previous North East based, publicly supported investment funds. It is jointly owned by the seven North East local authorities.
About the European Regional Development Fund
The North East Fund will receive up to £66,500,000 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is the Managing Authority for the European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regeneration.
For more information visit: https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding
About the European Investment Bank
The European Investment Bank (EIB) will lend up to £60,000,000 to the North East Fund programme. The European Investment Bank is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals.
For more information, visit: http://www.eib.org/about/index.htm
