FutureNova
FutureNova takes advantage of Arise opportunities to grow company.
FutureNova, a MedTech company specialising in the development of medical grade iPad cases known as ‘The FlipPad’, was founded by Mike Casey in early 2014.
The company was one of the early occupants of Arise as when looking for a MedTech focused incubator space, Arise proved an ideal location so they moved in to a small unit in November 2014. In their first year, the start-up was awarded grant funding through the Arise’s Proof of Concept scheme which was used in their early business development activities and prototyping support. In 2015 FutureNova Ltd was successfully awarded two grants from Innovate UK which allowed further development of their FlipPad product.
"Being based at Arise means that FutureNova Ltd have the added benefit of being co-located alongside specialist technicians from the Faculty of Science and Engineering. These technicians have provided advice and support on all elements of prototyping, production, innovation and design, which has been of great value to the young and growing company."
The various networking events held at Arise have also allowed staff to meet with other enthusiastic business owners and managers. One such company is a web development company, Vercossa, who provided FutureNova with crucial advice on their early stage digital marketing efforts, which has contributed greatly to the growth of the company. FutureNova have also collaborated with another Arise occupant on marketing to the medical sector, producing white papers on how to appeal to those in the medical industry.
FutureNova have also made use of the Employment Bureau service at the university and they have recruited two successful interns, one of which has since become a full time Product Designer at the company. FutureNova Ltd have also heavily recruited other high-tech roles from the local area, thus helping to boost the local economy. They have also partnered with local several businesses who are now permanent members of their supplier network, such as Smurfit Kappa who design and manufacture packaging in Chelmsford.
They have also been introduced to, and benefited from, many funding opportunities such as Knowledge Exchange Partnerships operated by the university’s Business Services team, and the ERDF-funded KEEP+ scheme. They have also been a regular attender and participant at the MedTech Campus Meet Up Network events hosted by Professor Tony Young – Director of Medical Innovation at Anglia Ruskin University and National Clinical Lead for Innovation at NHS England. This network afforded them the opportunity to network with a range of academics, influencers, innovators, funders and SMEs in the MedTech sector.
Since taking up occupancy in the centre, the company has seen significant growth which has demanded a further office, alongside an office in Canterbury, Kent. The ‘FlipPad’ has been promoted on a worldwide scale and has received a very warm welcome in the USA, with hospitals in Texas and Atlanta adopting the device for iPads across a range of uses including facilitating communication between colleagues, cognitive stimulation through games for patients that are at risk for delirium, and finally for facilitate virtual visits via Skype or Facetime so patients can keep in touch with family or friends who are unable to visit the hospital. The company is now exploring further markets in Europe and Asia, and looking to build on their early success.
“The opportunities are here and ready for the taking, and this is proven by the success of many firms at Arise. It has created a vibrant community of like minded driven businesses that are stimulating to work amongst.”
FutureNova Ltd is one of many examples of how Arise can provide a cost-effective way of helping start-up and early-stage businesses grow and become more competitive and profitable by accessing academic knowledge and expertise from ARU.
To find out more about FutureNova please visit their website:
www.futurenova.com