Firm in £500,000 boost to launch 'revolutionary' test

A medical technology firm has secured £500,000 backing to roll out a venture tipped to ‘revolutionise’ the fitness sector.

Applied Monitoring has been supported by the North East Venture Fund to launch blood testing apparatus over the next year.

Bosses say the kit assesses lactate levels to flag when athletes reach peak exertion and better plan training regimes.

Replacing the need for professional athletes to have regular finger-prick blood tests, they add the technology will open up lactate monitoring to amateur athletes, runners and fitness fans.

Following Durham University trials, the Sunderland company has signed a contract with a European microchip maker to create a miniature device that could be embedded into an armband and synchronised with a smartwatch. 

And Jon Dixon, chief executive, who co-founded Applied Monitoring in 2018 with Rob Connell, said its funding boost will allow the firm to press ahead with a launch this year.

He said: “A build-up of lactic acid causes muscles to seize up and athletes to ‘hit a wall’.

“But it’s hard for them to know when this will happen without measuring lactate levels.

“Finger-prick tests are uncomfortable, fiddly and not always accurate.

“Our device will overcome these problems and provide continuous monitoring, rather than a one-off measurement.

“This latest funding, together with our partnership with a major global chip manufacturer, will enable us to bring it to market.”

He added the firm is also looking to develop a device for hospitals, where lactate levels can be used to detect sepsis.

The firm’s funding boost from the North East Venture Fund, which is supported by the European Regional Development Fund and managed by Mercia Ventures, follows previous Mercia investment in 2022.

It has now raised more than £1 million.

Ian Wilson, of Mercia Ventures, added: “Smartwatches can already monitor vital signs such as heart rate and temperature, and now all the big device manufacturers are looking for a way to monitor lactate levels too.

“Applied Monitoring is leading the way, and has attracted interest from some of the major players.

“We look forward to the launch of the new device, which could revolutionise the fitness market.”

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