From Connections to creations

Japeto AI Driving MedTech Innovation and Community Impact at Arise Harlow

From Connections to Creations
 

 

A standout story from 2025 is that of pioneering AI company Japeto AI. Under the leadership of CEO Ingrid Folland and CTO Jamie Tidman, Japeto’s evolution at Arise Harlow showcases how innovation thrives in the right environment, one where proximity, collaboration, and shared purpose converge.

At Arise Innovation Hubs, Japeto has forged partnerships with fellow members to engage with ARU’s academics and our local NHS, their growth has been shaped by the dynamic, interconnected ecosystem that Arise brings to Harlow. What follows is a look at how Japeto has harnessed this environment to drive technological, commercial, and social innovation.

Our look back begins with Japeto’s success in the Arise ABOVE programme.  Delivered by Arise Innovation Hubs, providing innovation grants, expert support and events in partnership with Essex County Council and Medilink Midlands, the ABOVE programme had a transformative impact on the business. Through ABOVE, Japeto developed ‘Blue Fairy’, an in-house AI server enabling the business to effectively test Open-Source models in a safe and replicable way. Blue Fairy has now evolved into Blue Fairy 2, which means it can run larger AI models more reliably.

Japeto are working with a telecommunications company to provide a secure RFP generator that streamlines proposals by analysing securely held and commercially sensitive company information ‘off-line’. Japeto is now targeting SMEs such as software businesses for wider adoption. They are also looking at adapting the system for grant writing for SMEs and not-for-profits.

Ingrid also joined the Ambitious Essex pre-accelerator Programme, delivered by Medilink Midlands and hosted at Arise. Their presentation caught the attention of Arise Member Michael Owens from Jam Up!,leading to collaboration building an app that supports autistic children with daily routines.

Japeto’s impact extends into sustainability and social innovation. They developed the ‘Bin to Win’ app for OneStep Financial, encouraging festival-goers to recycle plastic cups via barcode scanning. Meanwhile, Japeto’s CTO Jamie, a patient entrepreneur in the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (CEP), co-founded ND Lens with Dr. Michael Smith, fellow clinical entrepreneur. They are building a diagnostic support platform for ASD and ADHD, integrating AI-driven dashboards and automated patient surveys to accelerate assessments in health trusts.

Japeto’s growth is not just technological, it’s commercial. While maintaining the same team size, they’ve transitioned from innovation grants to revenue generation, increasing their annual sales by 66%.

Looking ahead to 2025/2026, Japeto is seeking support in commercialisation and marketing through ARU partnerships. They’re exploring new frontiers, including a chatbot for emergency services, and are eager to collaborate with researchers to build the necessary capacity.

Japeto’s story is a testament to the Arise model and ‘The Power of Proximity’ findings. Arise are creating a vibrant ecosystem where academia, industry, the NHS, and community organisations collide to spark innovation. Through initiatives like ABOVE and CEP, Arise has enabled Japeto to thrive, not just as a business, but as a force for social good.