With an ageing population beset by comorbid health issues and a shortage of people to care for them, UK social care is in dire need of innovation.
Traditional telecare tech like pendant alarms offer a reactive solution. Now a new generation of care tech companies are taking a more preventative approach.
Among them is the ValueCare Group. The startup won the AI Innovation award at the 2025 Health Tech World Awards.
The company’s AI-powered tech aims to ensure that patients, particularly the elderly, receive timely care and medication.
The model has been designed to benefit both the Government and NHS ICB hubs by reducing overall system costs.
This shift to a preventative model of care has been a long time coming, says operations director, Robert Davies.
He says: “When we think about the generation that first entered the telecare industry, so much has changed since then.
“First of all, I don’t think they could have envisioned the country reaching a point where the primary need is now centered on elderly care. Chronic conditions have become a driving force.
“Yet even with these challenges, there is a growing sense of hope—especially among families whose needs have not been adequately met by the current system.”
The ValueCare Group has two solutions designed to deliver comprehensive home care monitoring.
Milie is a single, AI-driven platform that integrates fall detection, temperature monitoring, humidity tracking, motion sensors, fuel data and more.
The system aims to replace outdated, costly cloud dependencies with a fully self-hosted, real-time intelligence network.
Meanwhile, Micah is a conversational AI that provides practical, voice-guided support for medication adherence, fall prevention, mental health check-ins and independent living.
Not only does the tech enable people to live at home for longer, it gives carers the confidence to live their own lives, travel, take time to themselves, safe in the knowledge that their client or loved one is safe.
Robert says: “We had this vision where you can go out and you don’t have to worry. And that’s a major, major change.
“Families are telling us that they want to enjoy their lives, they want to go out to do things on their own time, but be sure that Nan is being well looked after.
“We can do that now. And the power of conversational AI, it’s discrete. You can use it 24/7.”
Stephen Nyasamo founded The ValueCare Group after seeing first hand how gaps in the social care system severely impacted his father’s care.
While sure that innovation was the solution, Stephen knew that the tech had to be accessible in order to meet the need.
Stephen says: “The simplicity and the ease of use of these devices was imperative.
“The elderly in particular may not be IT savvy, so we had to create something that was very easy to use so they can feel comfortable.
“We wanted to remove all the anxieties and emotional dependence on other people.”
The tech is already having a significant impact on the ground, Robert says.
One former client was finally able to go on holiday safe in the knowledge that her son was being looked after.
The client couldn’t trust old telecare options like pendants that only work for falls – if the person actually uses them.
Robert says: “In her brother’s case, he refused to wear it. He’d literally throw it in the bin.
“Every morning, the carer would find it and try again, but he just wouldn’t accept it. And why should he?
“He’d spent his entire life as a senior barrister — highly independent — and suddenly he’s expected to wear what feels like a chain around his neck.
“That’s the problem. Telecare, as it’s been done, often feels like incarceration rather than empowerment. But what we’re doing is different. It’s about freedom through technology.”
With a growing footprint in the UK, the duo are now looking to deliver Milie and Micah internationally.
They’re looking at opportunities in the US, Canada and Europe, working around the clock to make sure that their solutions are not only market-ready but truly impactful.
Robert says: While the cost of living crisis is very real, that’s just scratching the surface.
“The far bigger, more urgent challenge we’re facing in Western Europe and across the Americas is the ageing population crisis.
“By 2050, we’re projected to have two elderly people for every one young person.
“That’s not just a statistic—that’s a complete inversion of how our economies and healthcare systems are structured.
“And frankly, we don’t have enough young people to support or care for the older generation
“Our mission is simple: to help people live healthier, more independent lives in their own homes — without the constant cycle of hospital visits and recurring illnesses.
“That’s the goal we’re working toward every single day.”
