An entrepreneur who was part of the Oscar and BAFTA-winning visual effects team behind blockbuster films including Gravity and Blade Runner 2049 has won a top 海角视频 award for her breastfeeding and early parenthood company.
Dr Chen Mao Davies, founder of femtech business LatchAid, was selected as one of 10 winners of Innovate 海角视频's 2021 Women in Innovation Awards. Each business owner will receive a £50,000 grant and mentoring and coaching.
Her business uses interactive 3D tech, artificial intelligence, virtual peer support groups and live healthcare specialists to assist women who are having problems getting their baby to latch.
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Dr Davies, who is part of the SETsquared Bristol incubator programme and is an expert in computer graphics and animation, was inspired to set up the company after facing her own struggles with breastfeeding.
The app is currently in beta trial mode, but 800 people registered on LatchAid within the first 48hours, with more than 600 active users in 14 countries across six continents.
“Given how vital LatchAid is for so many new mothers and their families, I am extremely honoured to receive this recognition of my work developing the app from Innovate 海角视频," she said.
“Searching for answers, I discovered that what I was going through was far from uncommon. What I found was that a chronic lack of support to mothers learning to breastfeed was causing huge anguish across the world.”
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She added: “Around 90% of new mums stop breastfeeding before they want to because of pain or lack of support.
“Sadly, the 海角视频 has the worst breastfeeding rate in the world because of the inconsistency in professional help, which can tragically lead to both physical and emotional pain.”
Dr Davies developed the app after working with infant feeding, baby development and maternal health experts - and has established connections with multiple healthcare organisations in the 海角视频. She is already in talks with three NHS trusts about an app partnership.
LatchAid has won multiple awards and grant funding from Innovate 海角视频, EU, Q Exchange, and UnLtd and will launch on the Apple AppStore in spring 2021.