Creators of surgical safety device win Chamber pitch competition

A medtech firm which has developed a safety device to prevent medical complications during childbirth and surgery has been named the winner of a competition hosted by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.

Wolverhampton-based iCount came out on top in the Women Entrepreneurs Pitch Competition following a successful pitch from co-founder and CEO Dr Aditi Desai.

Women-led SMEs and start-ups from across the West Midlands entered the third annual competition – organised by the GBCC, in partnership with NatWest and British Business Bank – with three finalists securing the opportunity to pitch to an expert judging panel at the Birmingham offices of law firm Mills & Reeve.

The judges were Jordan Dargue of Dargue Associates and Lifted Ventures, Sandy Reid, from Mercia Ventures and Mabs Ali of RBC Brewin Dolphin.

After a round of pitches and questions, iCount emerged as the judges’ ‘one to watch’.

A low-cost, AI-enabled docking system has been developed by iCount to prevent surgical swabs and sponges being retained in the body, which can lead to pain, infections, re-operation and psychological trauma.

The technology does this by counting swabs before and after procedures – a process that is often carried out manually and is prone to human error in high-pressure situations.

Four NHS trusts across the UK are in advanced talks to adopt the system – and iCount has further plans to expand into the US, the world’s largest medtech market.

Judges said the company’s knowledge of its product market was “well defined” and praised the “scale and build-up” of iCount’s team at the current stage of its journey.

The other finalists were Dudley-based Iron & Velvet, who make plastic-free and sustainable cleaning products which currently retail in 450 UK zero-waste stores, and MIXD Reality, a Stourbridge firm which is converting traditional books and learning materials into augmented reality (AR)  experiences for children.

Pictured: Dr Aditi Desai

Henrietta Brealey, CEO of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “At the Chamber, we're here to unleash the potential of our region's businesses.

“We know that there's a great big gender gap when it comes to investment in women led enterprises.

“With the competition we're putting the spotlight on incredible, high potential women led businesses and connecting them with the investors and advisors that can open doors for them. 

“iCount is a business with truly global potential that's on a really exciting trajectory. Congratulations to Aditi and all of our shortlisted businesses who really showcased the breadth of talent in our region's women led businesses.

“The buzz and connections being made in the room on the night between our audience of entrepreneurs, investors and advisors was just brilliant.

“There is a whole lot more to come from these business owners and I look forward to working with our partners NatWest and the British Business Bank on next year's competition.”

Harinder Kunor, accelerator community manager at NatWest, said: “It was fantastic to hear from some amazing female founders and leaders during the Women Entrepreneurs Pitch competition.

“Without question, the event showcases many of the exciting things happening around the West Midlands’ business ecosystem.

“Helping women-led businesses to scale and succeed is key to stimulating strong and sustainable local and national economies, which is why we are so proud that the NatWest works with partners across the region to support further business development.

“We’d like to congratulate all of the businesses who pitched and secured investment and we are excited to watch them grow with this support.”

Pictured: Harinder Kunor (NatWest), Henrietta Brealey (GBCC), Dr Aditi Desai (iCount) and Tracy Sherratt (British Business Bank)

Pictures: Edwin Ladd (Mr Ladd Media)