A former care worker who has created a tech platform for SMEs in the care industry has joined a trade mission to Ireland after securing key growth support.
Tsitsi Mtasa founded Manchester-based Wisterias to develop an AI-powered care management platform designed for smaller operators in the care sector. Her product brings together scheduling, compliance, invoicing and care planning into one system designed to improve workflows and to cut paperwork.
It also allows care workers to get real-time updates on their work “even in low-connectivity environments”.
In two years Tsitsi has gone from concept to a market-ready product and created two jobs, and is aiming to grow turnover from £58,000 to £1m over the next three years. She has secured £87,000 in funding and has been backed by business support bodies in Greater Manchester.
This month Wisterias was selected to join a life sciences-focused trade mission to Ireland led by Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham alongside Liverpool City Region metro mayor Steve Rotheram.
Tsitsi, CEO of Wisterias, said: "We've focused on what actually helps. These are practical tools that are typically out of reach for smaller organisations, and that give carers time back to focus on people, because that's what care is really about.
"We've lived these challenges and have seen first-hand how much time and effort is spent on administrative tasks in care settings. That’s why we built this the way we did."
Tsitsi worked with GM Business Growth Hub's Innovation Service to secure innovation grant funding and guidance to develop the platform. She also worked with the EnterprisingYou programme to help her develop her leadership skills and her business model.
She said: "The Hub helped us close the gap between what we had and what we needed to go to market. They brought everything together: funding, advice, connections and kept us moving forward."
Yvonne Grady, head of innovation at GM Business Growth Hub, said: "Tsitsi's journey with Wisterias is a brilliant example of innovation driven by purpose. Her frontline experience, combined with the right support at the right time, has produced a solution that tackles genuine challenges facing care providers today."
