Edinburgh-based owner of key pregnancy-focused data specialist acquired by healthtech firm

A healthtech firm that is major player in recording pregnancy data has been bought by a provider of hospital-wide software for the NHS in a deal aiming to provide “a bright future for mother and baby healthcare”.

Edinburgh-based Clevermed has confirmed its acquisition by System C in a move it says will unlock growth and investment for its flagship mother and baby health system BadgerNet. It adds that currently, nearly all babies in neonatal units in the UK have their details in BadgerNet, and it is estimated that by the end of 2023, the offering will record just under half of UK pregnancies. “Every day the system supports over 40,000 women and families across the UK who log in for a view of their notes and/or their baby’s neonatal journey online,” says Clevermed, which has 75 staff.

It also says it was the first company to create a single joined-up pregnancy and newborn record operating between trusts and health boards, first across Scotland and then in England, and it has worked closely with the New Zealand government and clinical community for more than a decade.

The senior team at Clevermed will remain in place after the acquisition (terms of which were not disclosed), committed to delivering on a five-year plan. Chief executive Jane Stephenson said: “Clevermed was founded because there is a great need for IT systems to be part of the wider NHS journey in improving care for newborns, women and families. Many people who work at Clevermed have had a baby in the neonatal unit or have gone through a tough pregnancy and are personally invested in our mission.”

From left: Clevermed chief technology officer Chris Koiak, founder Peter Badger, and CEO Jane Stephenson. Picture: contributed.

Peter Badger, Clevermed’s founder, said: “We are excited about the future with System C, and the potential it will unlock for Clevermed, the BadgerNet System, and for our team. This is an eagerly awaited next chapter for us, which is all about providing a fantastic platform for continued and exciting innovations in women and children’s health going forward.”

System C boss Nick Wilson said: "The acquisition is a natural fit culturally and technologically... enabling us to offer better healthcare outcomes through digital services. We want to provide a safe landing place for what Peter Badger, Jane Stephenson, and the team at Clevermed have built over many years and to guarantee its future.”