Welcome to our 2024 Impact Report – a look at what our portfolio companies have done to move the needle. This year’s edition highlights the grit, progress and potential of impact startups in a world that feels anything but predictable. It’s a snapshot of where we are, what we’ve learned, and why we believe the case for impact has never been stronger.
At Norrsken VC, we back founders tackling real-world problems at scale with solutions that have the power to change millions of lives. That’s why we’re proud to invest in Sava, the company making health monitoring painless, affordable, and accessible, starting with diabetes but with a vision far beyond.
The Problem
1 in 9 people on the planet live with diabetes. Managing it means tracking blood sugar. Every day, multiple times. Yet fewer than 1% use the very technology that could help them live longer, healthier lives. The reason is that today’s continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are invasive, expensive, and inaccessible to most of the people who need them. It’s a global health failure. But this is where Sava steps in.
The Solution
Founded in 2019 by Imperial College London bioengineers Renato Circi and Rafaël Michali, Sava’s mission is to build the technological foundation for preventative and personalised healthcare. The team has developed the world’s first multi-molecule biosensor, powered by proprietary microsensing technology. Their first product – a pain-free, affordable Continuous Glucose Monitor – has delivered strong results in early clinical trials, achieving up to 10 days of accurate, real-time glucose monitoring in people with diabetes. No needles, no hassle.
This is a milestone no other microsensor has reached to date. Most devices fail after just a few days. Sava’s platform is not only more comfortable and accessible. It’s also built for scale.
Rafaël Michali, Sava’s co-founder and co-CEO, explains: “This clinical trial marks a pivotal moment not just for Sava, but for the future of biosensing and personalised healthcare. The data generated so far has shown that our technology has the potential to match the performance of leading CGMs in the market today, without the invasiveness or high cost of filament-based systems. It paves the way for a completely novel approach to biosensing that can redefine the way we approach not only chronic disease management, but any health goal.”
And this is just the beginning. Sava’s biosensor platform is modular – designed to detect multiple molecules beyond glucose. This unlocks a future of preventative, personalised health, where real-time molecular insights can help manage a range of health conditions or goals.
As Renato Circi, co-founder and co-CEO: “Glucose is only the beginning. We have built a modular platform capable of multi-molecule sensing. New molecules will create new use cases. What we’re building here is not just a device, but a whole new technological foundation for personalised healthcare, where anyone can use a biosensor to understand their health in real time, at a molecular level.”
The Investment
Sava has raised $19 million in Series A funding, bringing their total raised to $32 million. The round was led by Balderton Capital and Pentland Ventures, with strong participation from new investors Norrsken VC, JamJar Investments. True Global, Italian Founders Fund, Athletico Ventures and Exceptional Ventures also joined. This funding will help accelerate Sava’s path to regulatory approval and commercialisation of its next-generation wearable, as well as scale its growing team.
Why We’re Backing Sava
By making health monitoring painless, affordable, and scalable, Sava is opening the door to better care, earlier interventions, and more empowered patients. We’re proud to partner with Renato, Rafaël, and the Sava team as they bring real-time, personalised healthcare to life.
