Five startups from Imperial’s innovation ecosystem showcased their ideas along with peers at London’s leading universities. Around 20 entrepreneurs from Imperial College London, the London School of Economics (LSE), King’s College London, and UCL collaborated at LSE’s campus to pitch their startups to investors at this year’s London Demo Day.
This annual collaborative event brings together the best and brightest entrepreneurial talent from London’s top universities. Each university selects five startups currently in the early growth stage and looking to raise between £100,000 and £2 million.
Since 2019, this program has supported over 65 startups, which collectively raised more than £97 million, according to data from Beauhurst, a database of the UK’s fastest-growing companies.
The five startups representing Imperial this year were:
1.) UpLYFT – UpLYFT, founded by Bioengineering and Biomedical Sciences alumnus Aalok Rai, is a wearable robotics startup creating wearable technology to improve mobility, muscle and bone health. Their devices deliver targeted and non-invasive mechanical stimulation to users. UpLYFT aims to tackle issues with mobility, muscle, and bone function decline for older people, which leads to an increased risk of falls and reduced quality of life.
2.) Biofonic – Biofonic, founded by Innovation Design Engineering alumnus Alex Park, is developing new approaches to low-cost pest management and soil regeneration, using acoustic data to provide warnings of hidden soil pests. And the startup believes that its technology could help to reduce pesticides by more than 50% and prevent crop loss.
3.) Carbon Cell – Carbon Cell, which was led by Innovation Design Engineering, Industrial and Product Design alumnus Elizabeth Lee, is developing a carbon-negative, compostable replacement for plastic-based foam materials. And the world produces millions of tons of expanded polystyrene foam which require petrochemicals to make and take hundreds of years to degrade, according to the startup. Carbon Cell’s carbon-negative, non-toxic, and fully compostable foam aims to reduce our reliance on these plastic-based materials.
4.) Matrix – Matrix, founded by Healthcare and Design alumnus Stiliyana Minkovska, has created a self-use cervical assessment tool that allows women to perform gynaecological exams privately. This tool aims to reduce the need for in-clinic visits, address barriers to screening, and provide immediate diagnostic feedback, supporting early detection, timely intervention, and improved accessibility in women’s healthcare.
5.) Phare Labs – Phare Labs, co-founded by Global Innovation Design alumnus Arnau Donate Duch, aims to provide two-sided security for rental properties. The startup says these properties are significantly more likely to have issues with water leaks, dampness, toxic mold, and burglaries than other homes. Phare Labs’ technology monitors the most common causes of property loss, aiming to keep tenants’ homes safe and protect landlords’ income streams.
London Demo Day will return in 2025 and it will be hosted by UCL.
