Xim came to Catalyst in 2015 with three employees. Five years on, the company – trading as Lifelight - has blossomed to a team of over forty. It is on the cusp of securing major international contracts and, impressively, it has attracted grant and equity funding of £2.7m over the last 14 months. 

Company Founder and CEO, Laurence Pearce, describes his business growth prospects as “extremely positive”. Reflecting on his experience of Southampton Science Park’s Catalyst programme, Laurence commented: “On joining the programme, my priorities were to give my business a home and to learn from fellow entrepreneurs, both on the programme and around the Science Park. The time commitment and duration of the programme suited me, and it was extremely important that I wasn’t required to relinquish any commercial equity.”

“I found the Catalyst programme hugely rewarding. The peer group learning and mentoring helped me to focus on commercial growth and seeking investors, while supporting with practical advice and networking. As the business now grows, I am keen for it to remain on the Science Park which has become the hub of our network of customers, partners and suppliers.”

Lifelight allows completely contactless measurement of vital signs: heart rate, blood pressure, respiration and oxygen saturations. It does so in just 40 seconds using a standard smartphone or tablet, with no additional hardware. The technology has the potential to enable safer, easier and more effective remote triage and monitoring. In 2020, UK Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock, announced Lifelight as one of the first winners of the AI in Health and Care Award, which aims to accelerate testing and implementation of new technologies for the NHS.