Hospital robots, AI-guided sleep support and a mobile hair salon are among a selection of innovative business ideas chosen to receive investment from a unique new Liverpool City Region (LCR) programme.
Citizen First LCR will support 'hidden entrepreneurs' from local communities to develop businesses rooted in their own lived experiences of health and care challenges.
More than 200 people from across the Liverpool City Region applied to participate in the initiative - the first time Public Life's Citizen Incubator model has been brought to Liverpool - which is integral to Liverpool City Region's Health and Life Sciences Innovation Zone.
Following an extensive recruitment campaign that included a CV-less application process - designed to reduce barriers to entry - and pitching workshops, the successful entrepreneurs announced details of their plans this week.
They will now each receive a Real Living Wage Salary, seed funding, and comprehensive support for a full year to support their fledgling businesses:
- Sean Bailey from Runcorn is developing MySleepHealth, an AI-guided platform offering evidence-based digital sleep support for people with conditions like autism, ADHD, insomnia, and shift work disorder.
- Faye Boswell from South Liverpool is creating Sensified Spaces - a Tripadvisor-style platform to help the neurodivergent community navigate sensory experiences in public spaces, inspired by her family and travel industry experience.
- Katie Bowater from Prescot is scaling the Young Entrepreneurs Club to support 18-35-year-olds with business guidance, peer connection, and well-being support, inspired by her own journey as a young founder.
- Ceara Byrne from Formby is the founder of Laurel's Wood CIC, managing a 16-acre private woodland providing nature-based experiences to improve mental health and well-being in her community.
- Umar Hayter from Toxteth is developing EnviroCleanLCR, an eco-cleaning service in Liverpool using electric cargo bikes to provide affordable, sustainable cleaning and youth employment, contributing to better mental health and community well-being.
- Lorcan McGuinness from Childwall is creating Guided Robotics, flexible and compliant robotic systems for healthcare use within hospitals, reducing contagion and biohazard exposure for staff and increasing positive patient outcomes.
- Frankii Panchoo, from Toxteth, is creating Hair: Anywhere, a fully accessible mobile salon bringing inclusive hairdressing to people -especially wheelchair users -who can't easily reach traditional salons, raising the bar for what inclusive experiences should look like.
- Mathew Richards from Childwall is launching an inclusive sports and media enterprise, creating opportunities for people of all ages to get active, build confidence, and connect through community events.
The programme was launched at the newly opened Central Tech, an innovation hub where the entrepreneurs will be based.
Professor Iain Buchan, W.H. Duncan Chair in Public Health Systems, Associate Pro Vice Chancellor for Innovation, and Director of the Civic Health Innovation Labs (CHIL) said: "These pioneering entrepreneurs will use their lived experience and deep understanding of their communities to develop practical solutions to important health and care challenges.
"We were struck by the passion and commitment shown by those selected throughout the process, and we're delighted to be working alongside them. Over the next year, they'll collaborate with scientists, engineers, health and care professionals, and established industry partners to develop their solutions.
"This work epitomises our University's civic mission-to push boundaries in science and technology while addressing the real needs of our communities."
James Green, CEO and Founder of Public Life, said: "Congratulations to the inspiring hidden entrepreneurs who have been selected for Citizen First LCR. We were over 20 times oversubscribed so winning a spot is a huge achievement and a reflection of the quality of their ideas and their passion to make a difference.
"The next year offers a unique opportunity to receive a Real Living Wage and sector-leading support to build a business that tackles health inequalities in the Liverpool City Region. These hidden entrepreneurs are breaking new ground in how we solve the social challenges facing them and their communities."
Councillor Liam Robinson, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Cabinet Member for Innovation, said: "The Life Sciences Innovation Zone was set up to drive the sector and the city region economy in a way that not only creates jobs, training and prosperity but also embraces the creativity and innovation of our residents, while improving health and care outcomes.
"I'm excited to see how these projects develop over the next year and how they will benefit the communities that these innovative and inspiring entrepreneurs are part of. Well done to them all for being chosen from a hugely competitive and impressive selection process."
Next steps
The entrepreneurs will receive a year's Real Living Wage salary, seed funding, and comprehensive support, including a dedicated business advisor and cutting-edge tech support from the University of Liverpool's Civic Health Innovation Labs (CHIL) and Virtual Engineering Centre.
As their business model develops, they will have opportunities to test assumptions with potential buyers, build the brand, integrate technology into their project, and connect with investors. It's hoped they will, then, go on to secure investment to take the next big step in their venture.
Unsuccessful applicants are being offered lighter touch support, with an inaugural networking event being planned for October 2025.
More about Citizen First LCR
Citizen First LCR is co-funded by the Fusion21 Foundation, the registered charity of national social enterprise Fusion21 Ltd, which specialises in efficient and impactful public sector procurement and delivers visible social value. It is also funded and supported by local housing associations Torus Foundation, Riverside, and Livv Housing Group.
The project is part of the University of Liverpool's Civic HealthTech Innovation Zone (CHI-Zone), funded by the Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone Programme, and brings Public Life's Citizen Incubator model to Liverpool for the first time.
The Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone Programme forms part of the Government's national Investment Zone Programme, positioning the city region as a powerhouse for health and life sciences innovation.
