James Brown

It’s nearly June and we’ve just reached an important milestone: our first customers are now using the service. It feels like the right moment to pause and share where we are, what we’ve learned and what comes next.

How we got here

From the start, we’ve built this alongside the people it’s meant to support. Not in a lab. In the homes of families living with dementia.

Dementia affects people in different ways. It can impact memory, movement, speech and everyday routines. We’ve learned that most off-the-shelf tech isn’t designed with that in mind. What’s helped is listening. Talking with people who live with dementia, and those who support them. Understanding what gets in the way, and what might help.

Over the past year, we’ve been testing and improving our approach through live pilots and open conversations. People with dementia and their support networks have been at the heart of that work.

That early momentum is now turning into something more. We’re welcoming our first customers and building real traction. All with one goal in mind: getting this into the hands of the people who need it.

What began as a conversation about staying independent at home has become a full-time mission. We’re building technology that gives family carers clarity, confidence and a bit more breathing room, so they can help their loved ones stay independent for as long as possible.

The questions families are really asking

We’ve been building in the open. BBC coverage earlier this year followed a push to raise awareness and connect with families. The response was immediate: a waiting list of hundreds from across the UK. That gave us more than validation. It gave us a community.

Alongside recognition from the Longitude Prize on Dementia, that community has shaped everything. Through home visits, open conversations and everyday feedback, they’ve helped us understand the real experience of dementia care and where we can make a difference.

Caring for someone with dementia rarely begins with a diagnosis. It starts with a slow shift. A family member steps in, quietly doing more and more. That’s who we’ve been working with. And we’ve learned a lot.

Most care happens at home. It’s delivered by people who often didn’t plan on being carers. They’re unpaid, usually untrained, and doing their best with what they’ve got. Their questions are practical. Did Mum sleep OK? Is the house warm enough? Is Dad keeping his routine? The need is real, and often invisible until something goes wrong.

Families often tell us, “if I’d known earlier, I could have done something”. That’s the gap we’re focused on. By listening carefully and sensing continuously, we can help families spot the small changes that might otherwise be missed. The ones that signal something bigger.

Seeing what matters, before it becomes a problem

We’ve seen the reality of using data to support people with dementia. It can be very difficult for people living with the symptoms of dementia to engage with new technologies. So, collecting useful data that supports genuine impact is a real challenge. 

But when you can collect the right data for long enough without getting in the way, patterns start to emerge. You see what changes, what stays steady, and what really matters. And when you can surface that in plain language, families can act on it. We’ve already seen it help people step in earlier, before small changes become bigger problems.

That’s the power of unobtrusive sensing, interpreted by systems designed to support real decisions at home.

And it’s opening up possibilities beyond the home. This same approach could help inform research, treatment and care at scale. That’s what we’re building towards.

Getting ready to grow

We’re building for launch. The service is in use and performing well, and we’re working closely with a small group of families to make it better every week. This phase is about making sure it works brilliantly for the people who need it most and getting everything in place to grow.

You’ll see more of us this summer. We’ll be showcasing our work at London Tech Week with the Alzheimer’s Society and connecting with others at HLTH Europe in Amsterdam. On 11 June, we’re opening our doors as part of Cambridge Wide Open Week. If you’re near St John’s Innovation Centre, do come and see us.

We’re also growing the team. If this work matters to you, now is a good time to get in touch.