UK-based preventative health startup Stride has raised £4.6 million in seed funding to develop its health platform and support its international expansion. The funding round includes investments from Arāya Ventures, Morgan Stanley Inclusive & Sustainable Ventures, Better Ventures, Innovate UK and an investor from the a16z Scout Fund, along with several angel investors.
Stride was launched in May 2024 by Andrew Steele, an Olympic medallist and co-founder of DNAfit. The company offers a health membership that combines DNA, blood and gut health tests with personalised health insights.
Stride helps people better understand their health through test results and personalised information. Its platform allows members to track changes in their health over time and make more informed decisions about their lifestyle and wellbeing.
The company aims to help people take action before health problems develop, rather than waiting until they need treatment. By combining health tests with personalised guidance, Stride wants to make preventative healthcare easier to access and help people build healthier habits over the long term.
Drawing on his experience in elite sport and genetics, Andrew Steele, founder of Stride, believes that making preventative health more engaging and accessible could encourage people to take greater control of their health: “Preventative health can sometimes sound boring or worthy, when actually it could be one of the most transformative opportunities of our generation. If we can make better health exciting, aspirational and genuinely engaging, and use deeper analysis to give people better insights earlier in life, we have the potential to change everyday behaviours at a scale that could fundamentally reshape how long and how well we live.”
Stride believes preventative healthcare can also help reduce pressure on healthcare systems. The company aims to help people understand their health risks and make lifestyle changes earlier, which could help prevent some illnesses and reduce demand for services such as the NHS.
Stride has also received funding from Innovate UK for two research projects. The first aims to develop a method for measuring biological age by combining different types of health data. The second focuses on building an AI-powered health assistant that brings together lab test results, wearable device data, medical records and other information to provide personalised health advice.
The company is also expanding into the premium wellness and longevity market through partnerships with Triple Bond at The BoTree Hotel and LongLane, an alcohol-free biohacking destination. These partnerships use Stride’s diagnostic tests to offer more personalised wellness experiences.
The new funding will help Stride develop a platform that provides personalised health insights and helps people manage their health more proactively. The company also plans to launch its Stride One membership in international markets outside the UK before the end of 2026.
