Spotlight Pathology

Spotlight Pathology is a medical technology firm focused on the application of artificial intelligence to address critical challenges in cancer diagnostics. Originating as a spin-out from the University of Manchester in January 2020, the company was co-founded by Dr. Martin Fergie and Professor Richard Byers. Dr. Fergie, the Chief Technology Officer, brings over 15 years of experience in developing AI algorithms for image analysis in both academic and industrial settings. Professor Byers, the Chief Medical Officer, is a consultant haematopathologist, providing deep clinical expertise in the diagnosis of blood cancers. The leadership team was later joined by CEO Dr. Sam Perona in April 2024, an experienced entrepreneur who previously founded, grew, and exited a successful medical device company.

The company is developing AI-powered decision support tools designed to accelerate the diagnosis of blood cancers like lymphoma and leukaemia. This addresses the significant global challenge of pathologist shortages and rising workloads, which can lead to diagnostic delays and impact patient care. Spotlight Pathology's core product is an AI software platform that integrates with existing digital pathology hardware. The platform utilizes proprietary computer vision models, trained on extensive UK hospital datasets, to analyze digitized tissue biopsy images. Its software can detect cancer, differentiate cell types, perform automated cell counts, and conduct spatial analyses to help pathologists streamline their diagnostic workflow. The technology is not intended to replace human specialists but to serve as a supplementary tool that enhances objectivity and reduces the time required for a diagnosis.

Spotlight Pathology targets its services toward hospital pathology departments, including NHS trusts, private hospitals, and third-party laboratories that have transitioned to digital scanning. The business model involves providing this machine learning technology as an integrated solution to improve the efficiency and accuracy of pathology services. Beyond diagnostic support, the company also offers customized machine learning solutions for Clinical Research Organisations and pharmaceutical companies to aid in their research. The company has secured significant funding, including a £425,000 investment as part of a larger £1.125 million round, with backing from investors such as EHE Ventures, DeepBridge Capital, and Lyva Labs. This capital is being used to finalize platform development, obtain UKCA regulatory approval, and initiate pilot programs in the UK, Europe, and the US. Keywords: digital pathology, artificial intelligence, cancer diagnostics, haematopathology, medical imaging, decision support, lymphoma, leukaemia, computer vision, MedTech