Cera Care rolls out new analytics platform after securing £54m funding

Home care start-up Cera Care has rolled out an analytics platform after securing £54 million in new funding.

The SmartCare platform helps predict and prevent health deteriorations in the elderly before they occur.

It could save the NHS millions, according to the London-based company.

The national roll-out comes after the digital social care start-up acquired Mears Care, one of the UKs leading care companies, in a £30 million deal.

The deal would accelerate Cera’s ambition to roll-out its technology across the UK, the company said.

Through the launch of Cera’s new SmartCare technology and analytics platform, the company’s algorithms can predict health deteriorations before they occur, while guiding carers and families on how to deliver safer care and improve user health outcomes.

In early roll-outs of the technology, Cera’s SmartCare has identified over 715 cases of previously undetected health risks and has shown to be 93% accurate at correctly identifying the next best action for a patient’s health needs, the company said in a statement.

Dr Ben Maruthappu, co-founder and chief executive of Cera Care, said: “This marks an exciting milestone for us, demonstrating faith in our company’s ability to revolutionise the social care sector as we bring modern, digital-first services to families across the UK, empowering our carers with technology, and expanding our services throughout Europe.

“Our SmartCare platform will mean the difference between an older person spending a week or a month in a hospital ward or getting the right care earlier, so they don’t need to visit a hospital in the first place.

“At Cera, our ambition is not just to care more – it’s to care better – allowing our parents and grandparents to live in their own homes healthier and for longer.”

Cera Care currently holds 50 public sector contracts, including with the NHS, and has partnered with IBM to test the use of sensors in the home to detect changes in care needs when carers aren’t there.

The equity and debt financing round, led by KairosHQ alongside investors including Yabeo and Guinness Asset Management, will also enable Cera Care to acquire a number of businesses in home healthcare.

Dr Maruthappu will be speaking at Rewired 2020 on 3 March. He will be discussing “leading digital transformation as a clinician and entrepreneur” at our Leadership Summit. There’s still time to register for Rewired on 4 March if you haven’t, you can register online up until midday on 3 March at the door on 4 March.