It’s amazing to see what can be achieved when STEM-based startups apply their expertise to pursuing sustainability, climate action, social justice and more. To celebrate National STEM Day 2022 tomorrow, we thought we’d reflect on how some STEM startups are using science, tech, engineering and maths to deal with real world issues and create a better society for all of us. Startups and scaleups have always been the home of innovation and creativity, and when this is directed towards social or environmental issues, pretty incredible things happen. Here are 7 STEM startups changing the world for good, bit by bit, and how they’re doing it.

Thalamos

Twitter: @Thalamos_

Founders: Arden Tomison and Ross Tomison

Thalamos was established when one of the founder’s friends was sectioned and they were horrified at the system – it was slow, dysfunctional, and not fit for purpose. Essentially the Mental Health Act was outdated and Thalamos was created in search of a digital solution to assessing and treating an individual in crisis without a convoluted paper trail.  By creating a digital end-to-end care pathway, they’ve been able to make getting help safer and speedier. In fact, they’ve managed to reduce average access to care times from a whopping 7 days to just 15 hours.

LettUs Grow

Twitter: @LettUsGrow

Founders: Charlie Guy, Ben Crowther, and Jack Farmer

Founded in 2015 by three University of Bristol alumni, LettUs Grow has one mission – ‘to grow more food, with less pressure on our world’. They use aeroponic indoor farming technology and vertical farming to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture and make food cheaper and more accessible for all. Their ethos is centred around radical kindness and inclusivity, and they’re working towards a future where food production and distribution is simpler and better.  

TalkLife

Twitter: @TalklifeApp

Founder: Jamie Druitt

Started when the founder struggled with his mental health and found the support available was pretty thin on the ground, TalkLife is a peer support platform. Their focus is generating tailored digital support interventions, user-focused safeguarding, and creating a peer community. They’ve since partnered with Harvard University researchers and more to develop unique methods of predicting and preventing self-harm. Now working on a global scale, they are doing astonishing work using technology to revolutionise approaches to mental health support.

Earswitch

Twitter: @earswitch

Founder: Dr Nick Gompertz

Earswitch is doing ground-breaking work on communication technology for people with severe disabilities. It was developed by a GP practitioner, Dr Nick Gompertz, to give people with disabilities autonomy and power over their communication capabilities. Penned as the next human-computer interface, it works through ear muscles (the tensor tympani) activating virtual keyboards which users can then use to answer calls, read texts, trigger their virtual assistant and a range of other options. As their tagline says, they really are ‘unlocking communication for all’.

Gapsquare

Twitter: @gapsquare

Founder: Dr Zara Nanu, and Ion Suruceanu

Gapsquare uses AI software to detect and resolve gender, ethnicity, sexuality and disability pay gaps in companies. It processes HR and payroll data and then presents it in user-friendly graphs and diagrams so companies can use it to adjust their recruitment processes, as well as their pay and bonus structures accordingly. Gapsquare’s CEO, Zara Nanu, founded the company seven years ago with the intention of addressing the gender pay gap and creating a fairer and more equitable future for everyone.

CytoSeek

Twitter: @CYTOSEEK

Founder: Professor Adam Perriman, Dr Tom Green and Dr Ben Carter

Using precision membrane engineering platform technology which the co-founders developed at the University of Bristol, CytoSeek is delivering pioneering cell therapies to treat cancer. They’re currently engaged in proof of principles studies for multiple Artificial Membrane-Binding Proteins (AMBPs) in combination with immune cells to combat solid tumours. In March of this year, they raised an insane £3.57million in funding, so will only be continuing to develop and grow!

Heights

Twitter: @yourheights

Founder: Joel Freeman and Dan Murray-Serter

Working with leading experts and practitioners in neuroscience, nutrition and medicine, Heights offer a braincare supplement designed to holistically support your mind. Unimpressed by all the fads in the health and wellbeing sector, they wanted to create something simple and straightforward which was rooted in thorough research and data.  Like they say on their website – ‘no buzzwords, no fluff’. Formulated to optimise your mood, concentration, energy and sleep cycle, the supplements have been endorsed by a range of specialists.

If any of this has inspired you and you feel like getting involved with any STEM startups, head to our Jobs Board to have a look at what roles we have live, or give us a call on 0117 428 0600 to chat to one of our amazing recruiters!