🎧 Listen on Spotify: Next Big Thing Radar Podcast
Occuity – Scanning the Eye for Disease
Sector: Healthcare / MedTech
Platform: Republic Europe (Seedrs)
Stage: Growth
What They Do
Occuity develops non-invasive optical devices that detect and monitor chronic diseases using the eye instead of invasive tests.
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
Screening for diabetes, glaucoma, myopia and other chronic conditions remains slow and uncomfortable. Occuity’s handheld diagnostics aim to bring early detection into mainstream clinical and retail environments.
Snapshot
CE-marked PM1 pachymeter sold through 19 global distributors
15+ patents around its optical diagnostic platform
Raising at a ~£38.9M valuation
Pipeline includes glaucoma, myopia, diabetes and Alzheimer’s screening devices
My Take
A strong IP base and clear clinical use cases. This has potential as a multi-product diagnostics platform rather than a single-device company.
Sector: Marine Navigation / Travel & Leisure
Platform: Republic Europe (Seedrs)
What They Do
Savvy Navvy is a marine navigation app that integrates charts, weather, tides and routing for recreational boaters.
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
Leisure boating is modernizing, and existing tools are fragmented and technical. Savvy Navvy offers a cleaner, consumer-friendly UX that aligns with how today’s boaters want to plan and navigate.
Snapshot
Previous Seedrs rounds oversubscribed
Pre-money valuation around £14–15M
User growth accelerated post-pandemic as recreational boating increased
My Take
A clear vertical solution with strong stickiness once users rely on it for safety and planning.
Jetoptera – Bladeless Propulsion for Future Aircraft
Sector: Aerospace / Advanced Mobility
Platform: Wefunder
Stage: Growth
Minimum Investment: $250
What They Do
Jetoptera is developing a bladeless “fluidic propulsion” system designed to offer quieter, simpler vertical and short-takeoff flight compared to rotors or fans.
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
Urban air mobility and defense aviation are limited by noise, complexity and safety issues. A high-thrust, low-noise propulsion alternative could reshape how VTOL aircraft are designed.
Snapshot
~$1.7M raised this round
~90 patents granted, 100+ pending
~$1.9M FY22 revenue, largely from US military contracts
Multiple collaborations in the defense sector
My Take
This is deep-tech with long timelines, but the technology is differentiated and IP-heavy—attractive for long-horizon watchers.
Black Mamba – Impact-Driven Hot Sauce from Africa
Sector: Food & Beverage
Platform: Wefunder
Stage: Early
Minimum Investment: $100
What They Do
Black Mamba produces hot sauces and condiments made in Eswatini using organically grown ingredients and a predominantly women-led workforce.
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
Global demand for ethically sourced, authentic food brands continues to rise. Black Mamba has both a strong mission and real export traction.
Notable Investor
Enygma Ventures (VC)
Snapshot
~8 export markets including the US, UK, UAE, Norway
FY24 revenue: ~$377K
Supports 1,000+ individuals through its farming and supply chain network
My Take
A genuine international CPG brand emerging from Africa with a clear ethical and commercial story.
SchoolRyde – Daily Rides Infrastructure for Kids
Sector: Mobility / Transportation
Platform: Wefunder
Stage: Early
Valuation Cap: $8M (Early Bird $5.6M)
Minimum Investment: $100
What They Do
SchoolRyde provides scheduled daily rides for children using licensed taxi fleets, coordinated through a parent-facing app and operator API.
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
Child transportation is a significant pain point, yet most solutions are local and operationally heavy. SchoolRyde leverages existing taxi infrastructure instead of building its own fleet.
Snapshot
Revenue-generating and active in Minneapolis
250+ drivers integrated via partner fleets
API connected to a major taxi operator’s dispatch system
Founders with backgrounds at Turo, Outschool, DocuSign, Harvard, Kellogg
My Take
A smart “infrastructure layer” approach rather than a logistics-heavy rideshare model.
Ezalife – Making Feeding Tubes Safer for Children
Sector: Medical Devices — Pediatric Enteral Feeding
Platform: StartEngine
Stage: Early
Minimum Investment: ~$499.95
What They Do
Ezalife makes the Button Huggie, an FDA-registered device designed to stabilize G-buttons and reduce complications for children who require feeding tubes.
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
Over a million US families are affected each year by G-button issues. Few simple, scalable devices address dislodgement and skin irritation.
Notable Investors
Children’s Hospital Colorado
University of Colorado
Snapshot
FDA-registered medical device
Institutional backing of ~$1.6M from pediatric healthcare organizations
Addresses a high-friction, under-served clinical need
My Take
A focused medical device solving a very specific, painful problem with credible institutional support.
Halcium Energy – Rooftop Wind Built to Complement Solar
Sector: Renewable Energy / Distributed Generation
Platform: StartEngine
Stage: Early
Minimum Investment: $500
What They Do
Halcium Energy develops modular rooftop wind turbines designed to capture turbulent wind in urban and suburban environments.
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
Most small-scale renewables are solar-only. Rooftop wind that works in low, variable conditions could improve overall energy availability for homes and businesses.
Snapshot
Designed for urban rooftops rather than towers
Targets complementary generation alongside solar
Strong inbound interest from prospective installers and businesses
My Take
Execution risk is typical for hardware, but the market gap is clear: decentralised wind that actually works for buildings.
Heart Failure Solutions – A Minimally Invasive HFpEF Therapy
Sector: Cardiovascular Medical Devices
Platform: StartEngine
Stage: Early
Minimum Investment: ~$498.64
What They Do
Heart Failure Solutions is developing the PeriCut System, a minimally invasive device intended to treat heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
Why It Might Be the Next Big Thing
HFpEF represents about half of all heart failure cases, yet current options remain limited. If the PeriCut System proves effective, it could address a large therapeutic gap.
Snapshot
Enrolling in an FDA-approved Early Feasibility Study
10-person team with ~23 months of runway
Capital allocated to clinical progress and R&D
My Take
High clinical/regulatory risk, but a large unmet need. Best tracked through trial results rather than short-term metrics.
Wrap-Up
This week’s radar spans diagnostics, aerospace, impact CPG, mobility, pediatric care, and cardiac devices. The common thread: purposeful, category-focused solutions with real early traction or institutional validation.
A balanced mix across Seedrs, Wefunder, and StartEngine gives a multilayer view of where early retail capital is moving.
📖 Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice or investment solicitation.