Bioliberty raises £7.7m led by SNIB with support from Archangels
This article covers Bioliberty, a University of Edinburgh student‑founded healthtech startup that has raised £7.7m in a series A funding round to accelerate development and manufacturing of its soft‑robotic glove Lifeglov and expand commercially in the United States. The funding is intended to scale manufacturing in Scotland and support deployment of an AI and robotics‑enabled rehabilitation platform that targets therapists, patients recovering from mobility‑limiting conditions and rehabilitation services.
Bioliberty, a University of Edinburgh student-founded healthtech startup, has raised £7.7m in a series A funding round to accelerate development and manufacturing of its soft-robotic glove, Lifeglov, and expand commercially in the United States. The deal signals continued investor interest in medtech that combines robotics and AI to deliver measurable rehabilitation outcomes.
Why it matters
Rehabilitation services face growing demand as ageing populations and improved acute care leave more people requiring longer-term recovery support. Bioliberty’s approach targets two persistent problems in rehabilitation: limited therapist time and a lack of objective, high-frequency outcome data. If the technology can make therapy sessions more efficient and produce clearer recovery metrics, it could ease pressure on clinical teams and improve patient throughput.
The funding is earmarked for product development and to scale manufacturing in Scotland, while supporting the company’s existing commercial foothold in the United States. Bioliberty’s trajectory — from a university spinout to an international operator with a Boston office — reflects a common route for UK medtech companies seeking larger payer markets.
Inside the product
Bioliberty develops Lifeglov, a soft-robotic wearable designed to assist physical rehabilitation for people recovering from mobility-limiting conditions. The platform pairs the wearable with AI and computer vision to generate objective assessments of patient progress and to enable therapists to deliver higher-intensity, repeatable interventions.
That combination aims to do two things: make in-clinic therapy sessions more effective and create data that can inform clinical decision-making and coordination of care. The company is positioning the product for use both in specialist rehabilitation facilities and eventually in patients’ homes.
Who are the investors?
The round was led by a £3m investment from the Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB). Existing backers Archangels, Eos Advisory, Old College Capital — the University of Edinburgh’s in-house venture fund — and Hanna Capital SEZC also participated, alongside new investor Conduit Connect. The full round is expected to close later in the year.
SNIB’s participation is notable for signalling continued public-sector support for Scottish deep-tech and manufacturing initiatives. Old College Capital’s follow-on commitment underlines the role university funds play in bridging the gap between research and commercial scale-up. Archangels is an established early-stage investor network active in the region, while the new participants broaden the company’s investor base ahead of international expansion.
In the announcement, Katharine Fox, Head of Investment at Old College Capital, said:
Bioliberty is an example of world‑class engineering from the University of Edinburgh translating into better patient outcomes. Their AI‑enabled soft‑robotics platform is reshaping rehabilitation by giving clinicians clearer data and patients faster progress, and this funding will scale manufacturing in Scotland while accelerating growth in the U.S.
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Founder perspective
Bioliberty was founded in 2019 by Rowan Armstrong (CEO), Ross O’Hanlon, Conan Bradley and Shéa Quinn, with early support from Edinburgh Innovations and seed investment from Old College Capital. The company is based at the National Robotarium in Edinburgh, with manufacturing in Fife and a U.S. headquarters opened in Boston in 2025.
In the announcement, Rowan Armstrong, CEO at Bioliberty, said:
This investment allows us to significantly expand our capabilities, from advancing how we measure patient recovery using computer vision and AI-driven assessments, to extending our product into patients’ homes.
Scotland has provided a strong foundation for Bioliberty, offering access to world-class engineering talent and a highly collaborative research environment. This funding will enable us to grow our team in Scotland, create high-value jobs, and continue building technology here that supports better rehabilitation outcomes.
The bigger picture
Bioliberty’s round sits at the intersection of several trends: sustained interest in healthtech that delivers measurable clinical value, the maturation of university spinouts into commercial ventures, and targeted public investment to retain manufacturing capacity in regional tech clusters. For the UK and Europe, the deal illustrates how combining local engineering ecosystems with overseas commercial expansion remains a common path to scale for medtech startups. Continued follow-on capital and regulatory progress will determine how fast such companies can move from specialist clinics into wider clinical pathways and home care.
They've invested in Bioliberty
Get to know these healthtech investors
| Investors | Investment Focus | Startup Investments | Round Size | Connect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB)( ) | ||||
 Archangels( ) Archangels focuses on investing in disruptive technology with protectable intell... Edinburgh  | ||||
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 Old College Capital( ) Old College Capital (OCC) is the University of Edinburgh’s venture investment fu... Edingburgh | ||||
 Hanna Capital SEZC( ) George Town, Cayman Islands | MobilityHealthtech | |||
 Conduit Connect( ) | ||||
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