Seed9 July 2021

Vatic secures £4.6m in a Seed round led by LocalGlobe and Hoxton Ventures to advance at-home testing technology

The financing was backed by LocalGlobe and Hoxton Ventures to support product development and international growth.

£4.6MSeed

Vatic is a healthtech startup that develops at-home diagnostic technology designed to detect infectious viruses and acute diseases. Its patented testing methods mimic human cell surfaces to identify active infections using simple saliva samples.

Vatic has secured £4.6m in a seed funding round led by LocalGlobe and Hoxton Ventures, with participation from Entrepreneur First. The company will use the capital to advance its at-home testing technology, scale operations globally, and expand its diagnostic applications to a wider range of acute diseases.

Founded in 2019, Vatic developed the KnowNow COVID-19 test, which uses a saliva sample to identify infectious cases within 15 minutes. The firm has been piloting its technology with occupational health teams across various sectors while preparing for broader international deployment.

From the founder

"One reason for the recent decline in the uptake of rapid Covid-19 tests is the sampling technique – it’s currently very uncomfortable and difficult for people to use. We need to take the pain out of mass testing if we’re to return to normal to minimise the disruption caused by future COVID-19 outbreaks, whether in offices, schools or hospitality venues. That’s why we’ve built supportive bio security technology that sits alongside the test, allowing users to generate their own unique QR codes to facilitate safe venue entry."

Alex Sheppard

CEO at Vatic

Investor perspective

"Vatic’s technology is the future of testing. It’s fantastic to hear how many top UK organisations are taking the initiative and putting employee testing at the forefront of their business recovery plan. This new round of investment will be key in ensuring the successful roll-out of KnowNow tests across the UK and internationally and getting economies moving again with minimal interruptions."

Julia Hawkins

General Partner, LocalGlobe