Entrepreneurs including former football coach generate £5.2m social return through initiative
The entrepreneurs have turned lived experience into business (Image credit: LCR CA)
Citizen First LCR has helped nine entrepreneurs, including a former Manchester United football coach, turn lived experience of health and care challenges into innovative businesses, generating a £5.2m social return.
Among the entrepreneurs is Sean Bailey, who is behind MySleepHealth, an AI-guided sleep support platform.
After suffering a serious spinal injury while playing football, Bailey - a former coach at Manchester United - experienced the impact poor sleep can have on health and wellbeing.
He created the platform to support people living with autism, ADHD, insomnia and shift work disorder, combining AI technology with evidence-based sleep guidance.
In the space of just 12 months the platform has been built, investment secured, and trials about to begin in NHS settings – with Bailey accepted onto Alder Hey Children's Hospital's innovation programme.
Another participant, south Liverpool travel agent Faye Boswell, has developed Sensified Spaces, a sensory reviews platform designed to help neurodivergent people navigate public places with confidence.
The review app enables users to access information about sensory environments and share experiences.
It has already secured partnerships with venues attracting a combined annual footfall of more than 52 million people, including Liverpool ONE and Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
The ventures are among nine businesses created through Citizen First LCR during its first year. Together they have secured more than £376,000 in investment, grant funding and commercial partnerships.
Liverpool City Region cabinet member for innovation Cllr Liam Robinson said: "These results show the enormous value that can be unlocked when we invest in the talent that already exists within our communities.
"Citizen First is helping people with lived experience of health and care challenges develop solutions that can improve lives, create businesses and support economic growth.
"The remarkable return on our investment demonstrates that backing local people isn't just the right thing to do, it's a smart investment that delivers real returns for communities, public services and our economy."
James Green, founder and chief executive of Public Life, added: "What these nine entrepreneurs have built in twelve months is remarkable – but they're not the exception. The people closest to our biggest social challenges often have the best business ideas – but the least ability to act. What the Liverpool City Region has pioneered is a way to find those hidden entrepreneurs, give them the support they need, and systematically mobilise a whole place behind them. There are hidden entrepreneurs in every town and city in the country – and Liverpool has just shown the country how to unlock them."
The business owners are:
Faye Boswell, Sensified Spaces
Sean Bailey, MySleepHealth
Frankii Panchoo, Hair: Anywhere
Leanne Lucas, Let's Be Blunt
Katie Bowater, Young Entrepreneurs Club
Ceara Byrne, Laurel's Wood
Abeer Al-awlaqi, AA Health & Nutrition
Mat Richards, Inclus-Ability CIC
Lorcan McGuinness, Braywell Robotics