Prehabilitation, a rapidly emerging healthcare necessity, mirrors rehabilitation but is conducted before surgery. It focuses on enhancing a patient's cardiovascular fitness and strength while offering nutrition, lifestyle, and psychological support to prepare for surgery. This approach decreases the risk of complications by 50% and reduces hospital stays by an average of two days, also improving long-term health outcomes.

NHS England, recognising these benefits, has mandated that trusts incorporate prehabilitation into their care protocols under new perioperative guidelines. Consequently, healthcare providers are seeking cost-effective solutions to implement at scale.

Leading the charge in prehabilitation innovation is PreActiv. Founded by NHS doctors in 2020, the platform leverages advanced technology to create personalised prehabilitation programmes tailored to each patient’s needs. As a cost-effective option, PreActiv aligns perfectly with NHS England’s guidelines.

PreActiv's platform has attracted significant interest, with Exceptional Ventures as the lead investor. This VC firm, focused on health and wellness investments, is committed to supporting PreActiv's innovative approach and its promising potential.

Exceptional Ventures Investment Manager, Michella Botto added: “We are thrilled to partner with Rebecca and Alec on PreActiv's journey to revolutionise the prehabilitation space. Their scalable, evidence-based programmes significantly reduce surgical complications and accelerate recovery, offering a cost-effective solution to the £14 billion burden on the NHS. PreActiv's integration of patient data, support networks, and educational resources makes it a promising innovation in improving surgical outcomes and long-term health.”

Joining Exceptional Ventures with follow-on funding is Europe's early-stage tech for good VC, Bethnal Green Ventures alongside Angel Academe and a group of experienced angel investors.

PreActiv co-founder Dr Alec Snow, a consultant anaesthetist and ICU physician, said, “We are excited by the success of our pre-seed raise. Our goal within the next year is to become the market leads in prehabilitation, supplying healthcare providers with the tools they need to optimise patient health whilst reducing costs and pressure on their services"

Alongside closing their pre-seed investment round, the award winning company is also in the final weeks of their clinical trial, in collaboration with Bath University and Royal United Hospitals Bath.

Co-founder and Women in Innovation winner, Dr Rebecca Allam added: “PreActiv's platform is already demonstrating transformative results. All users fitness has improved within six weeks by an average of 25.9% and adherence to all sessions prescribed is a staggering 99.6% with 88.4% of patients completing three sessions within seven days. This preliminary data showcases the power of individualised digital prehabilitation. We look forward to releasing the final clinical data within the coming months.”