Upfront Diagnostics
Upfront Diagnostics is a Cambridge, UK medtech company that develops LVOne, the world's first rapid lateral flow blood test for detecting Large Vessel Occlusion strokes in under ten minutes from a finger-prick sample, sold to ambulance services, hospitals and stroke networks globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersCambridge, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Upfront Diagnostics does
Upfront Diagnostics is a Cambridge-based medtech company founded in 2017 that has developed LVOne, marketed as the world's first rapid lateral flow blood test for detecting Large Vessel Occlusion (LVO) strokes at the point of care. LVOne uses a proprietary combination of two biomarkers, D-dimer (clot formation marker) and GFAP (brain bleeding marker), measured via lateral flow immunoassay to deliver a positive/negative LVO classification in under ten minutes from a single finger-prick capillary blood sample. The portable, room-temperature-stable device is intended for use by paramedics and emergency clinicians in ambulances and urgent care settings without the need for additional equipment, addressing the unmet need of identifying thrombectomy-eligible stroke patients prior to hospital arrival where brain imaging is unavailable.
The company's business model is built on enterprise sales of the LVOne device and its consumable test cartridges to ambulance services, hospitals, and stroke networks, deployed through negotiated pilots and partnership contracts rather than publicly listed pricing. UK go-to-market is anchored in pilots with London Ambulance Service (approximately 280 vehicles covering 6.5 million people) and the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, plus clinical evaluations through the RADAR study across six NHS stroke hospitals led by Newcastle University. International expansion is being built through the NordicDx iaX platform partnership, distributor recruitment, and clinical collaborations in the US (TIME study, Harvard Medical School), Puerto Rico (COPILOT), and planned EU entry pending CE marking.
Upfront Diagnostics has secured approximately $7–9 million of combined equity and non-dilutive grant funding across £1.6M seed capital (2023), a $4.3M round led by Phoenix Sustainable Investments with Cambridge Enterprise Ventures (May 2025), and multiple grants from SBRI Healthcare, Innovate UK and CPI. The company achieved UKCA marking and ISO 13485:2016 certification in 2024–2026, is enrolled in the UK IDAP pathway, and remains in pre-revenue or pilot-revenue stage at the time of analysis with headcount of 1–10.
Upfront Diagnostics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Upfront Diagnostics
- Legal name
- POCKIT Diagnostics Ltd.
- Website
- https://upfrontdiagnostics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Upfront Diagnostics is a Cambridge, UK medtech company that develops LVOne, the world's first rapid lateral flow blood test for detecting Large Vessel Occlusion strokes in under ten minutes from a finger-prick sample, sold to ambulance services, hospitals and stroke networks globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Upfront Diagnostics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Point-of-Care Stroke Diagnostics
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)
- SIC
- In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rapid Antigen/Antibody Lateral Flow Tests (General Platform Category) (HLAHAOAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Remote Diagnostics & Home Testing Devices (Connected POC/At-Home Diagnostic Readers) (HLAHACAL)
Keywords
Where Upfront Diagnostics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Upfront Diagnostics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Medical Device Sales: Revenue generated from the sale of LVOne rapid blood test devices and consumables to healthcare providers, ambulance services, and hospital systems. The product is deployed through pilot programs and is expected to generate recurring revenue from consumable test cartridges.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise/Healthcare System Pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Upfront Diagnostics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Upfront Diagnostics manufactures and sells LVOne, the world's first rapid lateral flow blood test for detecting Large Vessel Occlusion (LVO) strokes. The handheld point-of-care device uses a proprietary combination of D-dimer and GFAP biomarkers measured from a finger-prick capillary blood sample, delivering results in under 10 minutes without requiring additional equipment. It is designed for pre-hospital use by paramedics and emergency clinicians in ambulances and urgent care settings.
Product overview
Upfront Diagnostics offers a single core product: LVOne, the world's first rapid lateral flow blood test for stroke diagnosis. LVOne is a handheld point-of-care device that measures two proprietary biomarkers (D-dimer and GFAP) to identify Large Vessel Occlusion strokes within minutes from a finger-prick blood sample. The product is designed for pre-hospital use by paramedics and emergency clinicians, enabling rapid triage decisions and fast-tracking of patients to thrombectomy-capable stroke centres. There is no platform-plus-modules architecture; LVOne is a standalone diagnostic device with no additional product modules or add-ons.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- LVOne Rapid Stroke Blood Test LVOne is the world's first rapid lateral flow blood test designed to detect Large Vessel Occlusion (LVO) strokes at the point of care. It uses a proprietary combination of D-dimer and GFAP biomarkers measured from a finger-prick capillary blood sample, delivering results in under 10 minutes without additional equipment. The portable, room-temperature-stable test is intended for use by paramedics and emergency clinicians in ambulances or urgent care settings to accelerate triage of suspected stroke patients to thrombectomy-capable stroke centres.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% accuracy in detecting LVO using GFAP and D-dimer biomarkers
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Upfront Diagnostics
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Upfront Diagnostics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature5 records
Upfront Diagnostics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- London Ambulance ServicecoreSix-month pilot deployment of LVOne across approximately 280 vehicles serving North Central, North West, and North East London, covering 6.5 million people. Paramedics test suspected stroke patients using the finger-prick blood test, providing advanced warning to receiving stroke teams.
- Harvard, MIT, Cambridge, and OxfordcoreMulti-institutional partnership to trial the first GFAP lateral flow device for traumatic brain injury detection, extending LVOne technology beyond stroke to TBI applications.
- Hospital Menonita Caguas, Inc.coreCOPILOT clinical trial partnership for 24-month evaluation of LVOne performance in Puerto Rico. Hospital is Puerto Rico's premier stroke centre with 24/7 stroke coverage.
- NordicDxflagshipStrategic partnership to integrate LVOne into NordicDx's iaX portable lateral flow reader platform. This integration enables the first GFAP lateral flow test for stroke on the platform and expands into neurovascular diagnostics.
- Harvard Medical SchoolcoreCollaboration on TIME clinical study validating LVOne accuracy. Harvard neurologists participated in US clinical trial at Brandon Regional Hospital, Florida with 300+ patients.
- University of Alabama at BirminghamcoreClinical collaboration for TIME study validating GFAP and D-dimer biomarkers for LVO stroke detection in US emergency settings.
- Newcastle UniversitycoreLong-standing research partnership with Newcastle University Stroke Research Group led by Professor Chris Price. Conducted RADAR clinical study across multiple NHS hospitals with 500+ patients.
- Abingdon HealthcoreCDMO partner delivering feasibility through scale-up, quality control, robustness testing, validation, and routine manufacture of LVOne's dual-biomarker assays measuring D-dimer and GFAP.
- NHS EnglandcoreNHS evaluation of LVOne through RADAR study, SBRI Healthcare support, and inclusion in IDAP pathway for national adoption.
- East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST)corePilot deployment of LVOne in south Cambridgeshire assessing feasibility and safety for routine ambulance use in pre-hospital stroke detection.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Upfront Diagnostics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Viz.ai: AI-powered stroke triage and workflow coordination platform that identifies suspected LVO strokes and routes patients to thrombectomy-capable centres. Most directly comparable to Upfront on the LVO identification use case for ambulance and emergency-department decision-making, though using imaging AI rather than blood biomarkers.
- RapidAI: Stroke imaging AI platform used by hospitals and telestroke networks to detect LVO and accelerate treatment decisions. Competes with LVOne for the same clinical decision point (LVO identification pre- and intra-hospital), with an established installed base across US stroke centres.
- BrainScope: POC biomarker-based brain-injury diagnostic (TBI/concussion) using handheld EEG and biomarker approaches. Closely analogous platform model to LVOne — portable, non-imaging, biomarker-driven brain diagnostics — and a natural reference point as Upfront extends LVOne into TBI detection.
- NovaSignal: Robotic transcranial Doppler platform (NovaGuide) for real-time cerebral blood flow assessment, including pre-hospital and emergency-department LVO detection. Competes with LVOne as an alternative non-imaging modality for rapid LVO identification.
Broad incumbents
- Penumbra: Leading mechanical thrombectomy device maker and the downstream beneficiary of accurate LVO triage. Relevant peer because Penumbra's installed base and stroke-centre relationships shape the procurement environment in which LVOne would need to prove clinical-economic value.
- Medtronic (Neurovascular): Large incumbent in neurovascular devices including thrombectomy (Solitaire) and stroke-care workflow. Represents a potential strategic acquirer and a benchmark for what scaled commercial infrastructure in stroke intervention looks like, while its broader portfolio competes for hospital capital budgets.
- Abbott Point of Care: i-STAT and related POC blood-analysis platforms used across emergency and ambulance settings. Most relevant broad incumbent for POC diagnostics procurement dynamics, even though Abbott's menu does not currently include an LVO biomarker panel.
- QuidelOrtho: Major rapid diagnostics and lateral flow immunoassay franchise (e.g., Sofia platform). Comparable as a scaled lateral-flow POC diagnostics operator and a potential strategic/distribution partner for stroke or TBI biomarker assays.
Emerging players
- Cumulus Neuroscience: Clinical-stage brain-health diagnostics platform focused on objective CNS measurement in clinic and at home. Relevant emerging peer in the broader brain-diagnostic POC category where LVOne's TBI extension would compete.
Others
- Abingdon Health: UK-based lateral flow contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) and a current Upfront manufacturing partner. Comparable as a specialist in commercialising lateral flow assays and a natural strategic/distribution counterpart rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Upfront Diagnostics social profiles
Digital presenceUpfront Diagnostics compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Upfront Diagnostics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Upfront Diagnostics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Upfront Diagnostics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Upfront Diagnostics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Upfront Diagnostics
What does Upfront Diagnostics do?
Upfront Diagnostics manufactures and sells LVOne, the world's first rapid lateral flow blood test for detecting Large Vessel Occlusion (LVO) strokes. The handheld point-of-care device uses a proprietary combination of D-dimer and GFAP biomarkers measured from a finger-prick capillary blood sample, delivering results in under 10 minutes without requiring additional equipment. It is designed for pre-hospital use by paramedics and emergency clinicians in ambulances and urgent care settings.
Is Upfront Diagnostics a public or private company?
Upfront Diagnostics is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Upfront Diagnostics founded?
Upfront Diagnostics was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Upfront Diagnostics based?
Upfront Diagnostics is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Upfront Diagnostics make money?
One revenue line is on record: medical Device Sales.
Who are Upfront Diagnostics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Viz.ai, RapidAI, BrainScope and NovaSignal. Broad incumbents are Penumbra, Medtronic (Neurovascular), Abbott Point of Care and QuidelOrtho. Cumulus Neuroscience is listed as an emerging player. Abingdon Health is listed as an others.
Does Upfront Diagnostics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Upfront Diagnostics.
What industry is Upfront Diagnostics in?
Upfront Diagnostics's product category is Point-of-Care Stroke Diagnostics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAHAOAH, Rapid Antigen/Antibody Lateral Flow Tests (General Platform Category), with a secondary code of HLAHACAL, Remote Diagnostics & Home Testing Devices (Connected POC/At-Home Diagnostic Readers). Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 2835.