MIME Technologies gets boost from ATI Boeing Accelerator

Above:   MIME Tech CEO Anne Roberts.
Courtesy MIME Technologies

The company has received funding from Boeing HorizonX Global Ventures and also from Scottish Enterprise, Scotland’s national economic development agency, as part of the Boeing Scotland Alliance.

The firm develops solutions for environments where there is no immediate access to professional medical care and is targeting business and commercial aviation as one of several key markets.

Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Anne Roberts says, “Turning a plane around is complex and expensive, costing anything from £20K to over £250K per flight. Medical emergencies can be stressful for the crew, often little casualty data is gathered to support an informed inflight decision.”

The onboard kit helps to improve crew confidence to respond during an emergency and transfers critical vital signs data to doctors on the ground. This enables quicker decisions, reduces risk and helps to improve outcomes. Airlines also receive higher quality incident reports for audit, insurance, and crew training.

The six-figure funding boost will be used for product development, creation of jobs in the firm and accelerate customer growth in both the UK aerospace and global markets.

Roberts says “The funding, coupled with the professional input of industry-leading strategists and technical experts will enhance our ability to transact with the aviation market and is a perfect example of how the aviation industry can support new ways to safeguard all passengers.”

The backing comes as the firm was selected from nearly 200 applications from more than 40 countries to join the ATI Boeing Accelerator programme, which attracts world-class young companies who are creating sustainability-enabling technologies. The programme was created in partnership with the Aerospace Technology Institute and Boeing. GKN Aerospace is the corporate sponsor and Rolls-Royce recently joined as a partner.

Commenting on MIME Technologies’ participation in the programme, Sir Martin Donnelly, president of Boeing Europe and managing director of Boeing in the UK and Ireland, added, “The ATI Boeing Accelerator has introduced us to hundreds of tremendous start-ups throughout the UK and beyond, each bringing a unique perspective and value to aviation and manufacturing. That understanding deepens with our investment in the companies selected for the programme, and we are delighted to continue our connection even further with MIME through the Boeing Scotland Alliance with Scottish Enterprise.”

Linda Hanna, CEO of Scottish Enterprise and co-chair of the Boeing Scotland Alliance, said, "Our initial investment and support has helped MIME to continue to innovate during the pandemic and we believe it’s well placed to capitalise on air travel opportunities as we adjust to a post-Covid way of life.

“We’ve supported MIME in many ways to help achieve its growth ambitions, and it’s fantastic to see this latest development unfold as a result of our Boeing Scotland Alliance.

“By deepening our strategic partnership with one of the world’s largest manufacturing companies, we want to unlock new jobs and increased opportunities for Scottish SMEs, and that’s exactly what this investment in MIME is doing.”

As confidence to fly will play a key role in aviation recovery plans from the Covid-19 pandemic, Roberts says “It has never been more important for the aviation industry to provide clear guidance and reassurance that every effort is being made to prioritise the health of passengers and employees. As we roll out the product across the globe, commercial airlines and private jets can use our technology to do just that.”

Founded by Dr Alasdair Mort and Anne Roberts, MIME Technologies is located at Solasta House, Inverness. Supported by Highlands & Islands Enterprise. Awards include SCDI’s Excellence in Research & Innovation award. The company was ranked 9th in the ‘Scotland Tech 50’ firms from BusinessCloud (2020).