A Midlands medical start-up could be set to transform how doctors treat gut problems after securing a £1.6 million award to trial technology that can listen to and interpret what is going on inside people’s digestive systems.
Ademen Ltd, co-founded by Alistair Foster, has received a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) award to test the safety and effectiveness of its acoustic gut monitoring device, which captures and analyses bowel activity patterns to provide objective data on gut health.
If successful, the technology could improve monitoring after surgery, and in the future has potential to be adapted to support earlier detection of abdominal conditions, reducing the uncertainty that can lead to delayed treatment.
The company received the award after ongoing support from the Ignite incubation programme and its associated alumni network, run by the University of Warwick Science Park, was instrumental in helping to secure early projects and guide the early formation of the company.
The technology could create a significant shift away from clinicians relying heavily on patients describing how they feel. Symptoms such as pain, bloating or discomfort can be interpreted differently depending on the individual and the practitioner – and getting it wrong could mean staying in hospital for longer, or even being misdiagnosed.
The NIHR-funded studies will run until November 2028, and will focus on validating the device in real-world healthcare environments, assessing both patient safety and the reliability of the acoustic insights it provides.
Ademen’s device monitors acoustic signals produced by the gut and converts them into measurable activity data, offering clinicians a clearer and more consistent picture of what is happening internally.
It originally developed its core acoustic analysis methods as a digital stethoscope technology for the veterinary sector, but found the market was more difficult to break into than first anticipated.
With continued backing from peers at Ignite’s Alumni Network and experts at the Science Park, Ademen was able to explore how its core technology could address challenges in human healthcare.
Advice and mentoring played a key role in helping the company reposition its innovation from animal health to a potentially far-reaching medical application.
Alistair Foster, co-founder of Ademen, said: “This award is a huge moment for us. For too long clinicians have had to rely on subjective descriptions and overcoming language barriers to assess gut health. Our device could change all that.
“To see our technology move from helping vets to potentially supporting doctors and patients in hospitals is incredibly exciting. The support from the Science Park and advice from members of the Ignite Alumni Network gave us the confidence to think bigger and find the right home for what we had developed.”
Dirk Schaefer, Incubator Manager at the University of Warwick Science Park, added: “Ademen is a brilliant example of what can happen when start-ups adapt and listen to the market.
“The team came to us with really exciting technology and a lot of ambition. But it is listening to advice from our business support team and fellow members of the Ignite Alumni Network that has helped them reach this position. We’re so pleased Ademen’s hard work has been rewarded with this award.”
