Souuthe designs soothing devices embedded in familiar comforting objects such as teddy bears and cushions, built around research into why hugging is calming. The company positions its technology as an adjunct to existing care rather than a replacement for medication or clinical oversight. The £75,000 Innovate UK award will fund clinical testing and regulatory work required before planned trials with hospices and NHS trusts. Souuthe estimates that replacing even one medication-led intervention per week with its technology could save the NHS roughly £98 million a year in nursing and monitoring time. The founder, Lou Willis-Keeler, developed the idea after personal experiences of end-of-life care and previously worked as an NSPCC child protection manager. Souuthe is based in Saltburn and is currently at the pre-seed stage supported by public grant funding and Innovate UK business support.

Total raised

$0M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

Aug 2026