Spotlight Pathology raises £1.4m seed to speed blood cancer diagnosis using AI
This article covers Spotlight Pathology, a Liverpool biotech startup, which has raised £1.4m in a seed funding round to advance its AI software for faster blood cancer diagnosis. The funding is intended to support product development, regulatory activity and initial clinical deployment to help pathologists reduce diagnostic delays and address workforce shortages in UK pathology services.
Spotlight Pathology, a Liverpool biotech startup, has raised £1.4 million in a seed funding round to push its AI software for faster blood cancer diagnosis through product development, regulatory milestones and early clinical deployment. The cash is intended to help the company move from the lab into routine clinical settings where diagnostic delays and workforce shortages are a pressing problem.
Why it matters
Blood cancers are often complex to diagnose, typically requiring specialist review and multiple tests. At the same time, pathology departments in the UK face rising demand and staff shortages, which can contribute to delays that affect patient care. Tools that can help prioritise urgent cases and speed consistent interpretation of slides could reduce turnaround times and support clinical decision making.
This injection of seed capital matters because it targets the practical gap between research prototypes and regulated, clinically deployed software. If Spotlight Pathology’s system integrates into existing workflows as intended, it could help pathology teams triage cases and free specialist time for the most complex reviews.
Inside the product
Spotlight Pathology develops AI software that analyses digital pathology images to support the identification of blood cancers. The system is designed to fit into current clinical workflows and to help pathologists flag urgent samples and reach decisions more consistently.
The company is based at UKRI’s Daresbury Laboratory campus in the Liverpool City Region. It was founded by Dr Richard Byers, a consultant haematopathologist, and Dr Martin Fergie, an AI specialist with more than 15 years of experience developing healthcare algorithms. The round will fund product development, regulatory activity and initial in-use clinical trials aimed at clinical deployment.
Who are the investors?
The round was co-led by the UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund (UKI2S) and the Liverpool City Region Seed Fund, which is managed by AXM Venture Capital. Other participants include River Capital and follow-on investment from existing backers EHE Ventures, Lyva Labs and Deepbridge. UKI2S is managed by Future Planet Capital.
The investors have framed the deal as support for a spin-out moving from a national research campus towards clinical use and commercial scaling.
In the announcement, Sakura Holloway, Investment Director at UKI2S, managed by Future Planet Capital, added:
Spotlight Pathology demonstrates how UK university research can be translated into technologies that improve patient outcomes. The team is addressing a critical challenge in blood cancer diagnostics and is well positioned to bring this technology into clinical environments.
This investment reflects our confidence in both the leadership team and the technology, as well as our commitment to supporting spin-outs tackling major healthcare challenges while improving productivity across the health system.
In the announcement, Joanne Evans, Investment Director at Liverpool City Region Seed Fund, said:
We are delighted to support a team bringing together world-class expertise in haematopathology and AI, led by Sam Perona, an exceptional health technology leader. We look forward to supporting Spotlight Pathology’s continued growth in the region.
In the announcement, Cllr Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council and Cabinet Member for Innovation at the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, added:
Spotlight Pathology’s progress highlights the strength of health innovation emerging from our City Region. This investment represents a commitment to accelerating lifesaving technologies that can transform how quickly and accurately blood cancers are diagnosed.
Through the Liverpool City Region Seed Fund and our wider innovation strategy, we are ensuring pioneering companies like Spotlight have the support needed to scale and deliver real impact.
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Founder perspective
In the announcement, Sam Perona, Chief Executive Officer of Spotlight Pathology, said:
Blood cancers can be extremely challenging to diagnose, and diagnostic delays can have devastating consequences for patients. Our mission is to support pathologists with tools that fit seamlessly into existing workflows, helping them reach accurate diagnoses faster and with greater confidence.
This investment gives us the momentum to move from development into real-world clinical settings. We are excited to be scaling the business from Daresbury, working alongside partners across the North West and beyond, while strengthening our leadership as we enter this next phase.
The bigger picture
The raise underlines continued interest from UK biotech investors in companies translating public research into clinical products. UKI2S’s participation highlights a wider push to commercialise technologies emerging from research campuses and to channel regional investment into health innovation.
Spotlight Pathology’s next steps — regulatory work and initial clinical trials — follow a familiar route for clinical AI vendors aiming for NHS adoption. Success will depend on demonstrable clinical benefit, regulatory clearance and smooth integration into lab workflows.
This funding round is one of several recent UK efforts to shift AI diagnostic tools out of research settings and into regulated clinical use, reflecting both investor appetite and the health service’s need for productivity-enhancing technologies.
The deal also points to the Liverpool City Region’s growing role in health innovation, and to a broader UK and European trend: venture and seed funds increasingly backing startups that can bridge lab research and frontline clinical care.
They've invested in Spotlight Pathology
Get to know these biotech investors
| Investor | Sector | Stage | Activity | Team | Connect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 UKI2S (UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund (UKI2S)) | 13 investments investments | 3 contacts contacts | |||
 Liverpool City Region Seed Fund | 1 investment investment | more info | |||
 River Capital | 5 investments investments | 4 contacts contacts | |||
 EHE Ventures | 4 investments investments | 4 contacts contacts | |||
 LYVA Labs | 5 investments investments | 3 contacts contacts | |||
 AXM Venture Capital | 1 investment investment | more info | |||
 Future Planet Capital | 9 investments investments | 11 contacts contacts |
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