Innovate UK UKRI Unlocking Potential Award
In a world where innovation often serves as a buzzword, UKRI’s Unlocking Potential Award celebrates the progress UK startups make in addressing society’s most pressing challenges. Recently, Innovate UK’s prestigious UKRI Unlocking Potential Award granted Gena recognition, affirming our commitment to improving the lives and outcomes of rare cancer patients.
Specifically, over 2,100 businesses from across the UK applied, but only 233 projects received funding, business support packages, and personalised coaching and mentorship. Innovate UK awarded a combined £6.2 million in grants to this diverse group of innovators, fostering a culture of purpose-driven innovation that promises to reshape industries and transform lives.
We join a remarkable group of individuals and companies harnessing technology and creativity to drive positive economic and societal change.
From developing sustainable alternatives to traditional construction materials to revolutionising healthcare with AI-powered diagnostic tools, these innovators represent the forefront of progress in the UK.
The Innovate UK UKRI Unlocking Potential Award offers more than financial support; it validates our vision and marks the beginning of our journey to improve outcomes for rare cancer patients.
So What is Gena?
We know that facing a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, with an abundance of information to absorb, treatments and appointments to coordinate, and the need to adapt to a new way of life. At Gena, we believe in empowering individuals on their cancer journey, making the daunting diagnosis a bit more manageable.
We’ve crafted Gena to provide comprehensive help and support for everyone living and dealing with cancer. The Gena platform is designed to assist you in staying on top of each facet of your cancer treatment, offering personalised genomic insights, and secure management of medical records, appointments, and results in one central hub, supporting you through every step of your unique treatment pathway.
If you want to have a chat please feel free to reach out here!
Skomer founded Gena after his mother passed away from Glioblastoma, a devastating brain cancer. As her caregiver and a cancer researcher, he witnessed the severe limitations in treating rare cancers.
Thus, Gena was born. Gena’s mission is to give cancer patients access to all available personalised treatment pathways. Informing better treatment decisions. Empowering cancer patients.
Skomer previously worked in the tech sector, responsible for building scaling teams. He completed his MSc at UCL’s School of Engineering in 2022, having written his dissertation on the applications of genomics within the health sector and beyond.
