Tortoise


Programme

Pre-Accelerate Cambridge

Sector

Healthcare/Pharma/Biotech


Tortoise addresses the critical unmet need for an evidence-based, scalable, accessible solution that supports people mentally AND physically through MSK recovery. Globally, the 2022 digital health market was valued at $211Bn (CAGR 18.6% to 2030) and mobile health has a 20% share of this market ($42Bn), making the market opportunity significant [Grandview Research]. We blend our team’s expertise in clinical anatomy, sports therapy, design, behavioural science and positive psychology to create a product that is engaging and appealing, evidence-based and easy to use.

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Founding team

Rich Luddington

Richard is a Sports Therapist with an MSc degree in Sports and Exercise Medicine.

With over 15 years of experience, he has played an integral part in supporting both local and international athletes including individuals from the past two Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth games.

For Tortoise, Richard brings his experience of how clients interact with professionals and respond to different types of treatment and rehabilitation.

He advises and guides our team through current national guidelines and best practice around injury rehabilitation. Owner and Senior Therapist, Fit Again Sports Therapy, Sports Injury and Rehabilitation Clinic First team therapist for Cambridge United FC Therapist for two Sport Relief challenges (including supporting Eddie/Susan Izzard and Jo Whiley) Richard was an international athlete for the GB Bobskeleton team, competing for 6 years at an elite level.

After an ankle issue caused Richard to reduce activity levels, he was curious that symptoms also deteriorated significantly.

With the COVID-19 lockdown, he changed his approach and gradually built strength requiring detailed tracking of activity levels and pain – with no digital solutions, this manual tracking was time consuming, but important in determining parameters for improvement.

Something worked, and Richard is currently pain-free and tolerating half marathons.

Fiona McMaster

Fiona has worked in public and private sectors across four continents in a career that has included roles in education, research, innovation and communication.

She has degrees in Chinese (MA – Cambridge), Public Health (MPH – Manchester), Health Behaviour (PhD – Michigan), and Education (PGCLT).

The main areas that Fiona brings to Tortoise are her practical knowledge of the research process including navigating ethics application and her expertise in behaviour change and communication through motivational interviewing.

Notable Professional Projects and Roles: Training of child protection specialists (US) Behavioural science and educational design advisor to National Institute of Corrections (USA) Project director for $5m NIH (US) grant Course director for MSc Public Health (UK) Founding director, Eskal Ltd.

Fiona is missing discs from her lumbar (2003) and cervical (2021) spine. She was a compliant patient, being particularly careful when starting a gradual exercise programme post surgery. Getting her diagnosis was tricky – her first incident was in China and necessitated navigating an unfamiliar health service.

In 2021, Fiona used research software from previous projects to show her injury to clinicians due to treatment backlogs and limited equipment. This helped schedule her surgery and prevent any psychological deterioration during the waiting process.

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