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In the UK, approximately 5.8 million people live with diabetes, and this number is rising. Many people with diabetes rely on diabetes technology, such as CGMs, to manage their glucose levels; however, roughly only 10% of adults with diabetes access a structured diabetes education programme.
There are also approximately 30,000 children and young people under 19 living with Type 1 diabetes in the UK.
SmartStart Health is on a mission to empower people with diabetes to better understand and manage their condition with its adaptive CGM education platform.
Dr. Sufyan Hussain at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London says, "Education is key to effective diabetes management. With the right knowledge and support, people living with diabetes can feel empowered to manage it and live full, healthy lives. Early and accessible education improves outcomes. Initiatives like SmartStart play a vital role in making that education engaging and relatable, supporting people with diabetes to build the skills and confidence for daily self-management.”
Working alongside the funding experts at Grantify, SmartStart scored in the top 3.4% of applicants to secure an Innovate UK Smart Grant of £185,050, which is now funding the development of the app for its UK launch in early 2026. With this funding, SmartStart is transitioning from its non-adaptive proof-of-concept version to a fully functional adaptive learning platform. SmartStart’s mobile-first CGM education platform will bridge the CGM education gap with interactive, personalised learning that helps people manage their diabetes independently, with confidence.
Melissa Holloway, CEO & Founder at SmartStart Health, says: "Too often, there’s a gap between what’s explained in a doctor’s appointment and what patients actually understand — especially when it comes to using technology like CGMs to manage diabetes.
“As more people with diabetes gain access to CGM, there will be a greater need to support them in getting the most out of the technology, and not more capacity in the system. Our non-adaptive proof-of-concept version doubled users’ CGM knowledge scores from baseline and increased the proportion of patients reaching key diabetes management targets. We’re so happy Grantify was able to help us secure the funding to bring adaptive learning paths to SmartStart so we can help support people with diabetes and the NHS with personalised, scalable diabetes education.”
SmartStart not only benefits those living with diabetes, but could also have wider benefits for the country as a whole. Every year, the NHS in England spends around £10 billion, which is around 10% of its entire budget, on treating diabetes, with two-thirds of that sum going towards treatment for diabetes complications that might have been prevented. Accessible education has the potential to ease future pressure on the UK’s stretched health services by improving self-management at home and reducing avoidable hospital visits.
Mat Westergreen-Thorne, Co-Founder of Grantify, says: "We’re pleased Grantify could help SmartStart access the funding it needs to develop the interactive learning platform. This app is going to help real people manage their health and improve their lives. We especially love working with mission-driven clients like SmartStart that are making a meaningful impact. We look forward to the UK launch next year!"
A M P Cantelo
Onyx Media and Communications
+44 7789905304
email us here
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