Key Takeaways
- Sector: Healthcare Healthtech & Medtech, Technology Software & Gaming.
- Geography: United Kingdom.
Analysis
London-based health tech startup Sava has raised $19 million in Series A funding to scale its real-time biosensor platform, following breakthrough clinical results showing up to 10 days of accurate glucose monitoring from a pain-free wearable device — a world-first in the microsensing space.
The round was led by Balderton Capital and Pentland Ventures, with participation from Norrsken VC, JamJar Investments, True, Italian Founders Fund, Athletico Ventures, SOLO Investments, and Exceptional Ventures. This brings Sava’s total funding to $32 million, including previous support from the EU and UK Government.
Founded in 2019 by Imperial College bioengineers Renato Circi and Rafaël Michali, Sava has built the first multi-molecule microsensor capable of detecting biomarkers just beneath the skin in real time. The company’s first product, a pain-free, low-cost continuous glucose monitor (CGM), targets the $11B+ diabetes monitoring market and the broader $100B+ wearables sector.
Early data from Sava’s ongoing trial with 50 diabetic patients in Oxford and Cambridge revealed that the sensor provided accurate glucose readings for 10+ continuous days. Most current CGMs struggle to exceed 5 days, and many last under 24 hours.
“This clinical trial marks a pivotal moment not just for Sava, but for biosensing as a whole,” said Rafaël Michali, co-founder and co-CEO. “We’ve created a platform that eliminates the pain, invasiveness, and high costs of current CGMs — without sacrificing performance.”
Sava’s platform goes beyond glucose. With its modular, multi-analyte sensing capabilities, the company aims to eventually offer real-time monitoring of multiple biomarkers — supporting a future of preventive, personalized healthcare. Applications range from chronic disease management to wellness tracking for athletes and health-conscious consumers.
“Glucose is just the beginning,” added co-founder Renato Circi. “Our sensor can be adapted to track additional molecules, unlocking new use cases and markets. We’re building the technological foundation for real-time molecular health.”
According to James Wise of Balderton Capital, “Sava’s solution could democratize access to critical health insights by offering a highly scalable, affordable and painless monitoring device. It has potential well beyond diabetes care.”
The new funds will be used to grow Sava’s 60-person team, expand automated manufacturing, and support upcoming regulatory approvals. The company is preparing for a pivotal study and commercial rollout, aiming to launch its device globally once approved.
Charlie Rubin of Pentland Ventures added: “Sava is uniquely positioned to define the next era of biosensors — one that moves from reactive diagnostics to proactive health monitoring for all.”
As CGM adoption continues to grow and biosensing expands into broader health categories, Sava’s next-gen platform may soon become a foundational layer in how we monitor and manage human health in real time.