Joyvié Health Raises $1M to Rethink Continence Underwear

Jan de Vries · 2026-06-05

UK-based Joyvié Health has closed its pre-Seed funding round, raising a total of $1.04 million for its continence underwear. The product is designed from first principles to significantly reduce stool-to-skin contact, maintain skin integrity, and reduce caregiver burden. The funding is made up of an Innovate UK grant, as well investments from HERmesa Angels, SyndicateRoom, Lavender Ventures, and individual angel investors. "Products designed for care should never cause harm. That's not a vision statement. It's the reason this company exists," says Zoe Robson, Founder & CEO of Joyvié Health. ### A Surge in HealthTech Funding Across Europe 2026 activity shows Joyvié Health's pre-Seed round sits alongside several UK and European HealthTech funding announcements in adjacent areas of care delivery, clinical workflow, elderly care, medical devices and women's-health-adjacent innovation. In the UK, Semble raised $36.3 million to scale its healthcare management platform for outpatient providers. Evaro secured $21.9 million to expand NHS-licensed embedded health services. JAAQ closed $15.7 million to grow enterprise partnerships. Calibre emerged from stealth with $2.9 million to tackle health "guesswork." And Nul raised $878,000 to launch and expand its alcohol-dependence care platform. Elsewhere in Europe, Recare in Berlin raised up to $38.7 million to scale its AI platform for hospitals and care providers. Patronus raised $11.5 million for a senior-friendly emergency smartwatch and family app. Tucuvi raised $17.8 million to scale voice-AI nursing follow-up automation. Ditto in Rotterdam raised $7.9 million to make medical information easier for patients to understand. ShanX Medtech secured $25.1 million to advance antimicrobial-resistance diagnostics, with an initial women's-health application in urinary tract infections. And MedVasc raised $2.3 million to progress its anaesthesia catheter towards US approval. Taken together, these rounds amount to over $181 million in related 2026 HealthTech funding. "At Lavender Ventures, we are committed to backing founders addressing large, underserved markets with innovative solutions that can meaningfully improve people's lives. We believe the market is ripe for innovation, and Joyvie's approach has the potential to deliver significant benefits not only for individuals, but also for carers, healthcare systems and the environment," adds Gail Armstrong, Lavender Ventures.  ### A Personal Story Behind the Innovation Joyvié Health was founded by Zoe Robson following the death of her father, Fred, in 2025. Fred was 77, fit and sharp-minded, when a late-stage pancreatic cancer diagnosis arrived without warning on Christmas Eve 2024. Eleven weeks later, he was gone. In those eleven weeks, Fred lost bowel control and had to wear a nappy. Faeces trapped against skin breaks it down — moisture, pathogens and pH imbalance doing damage that never fully heals. His skin broke down. His dignity went with it, change by change. And Ruth, his wife and primary caregiver, carried a burden that was invisible to the world outside and impossibly hard to bear. "My parents didn't deserve that," says Zoe. "They were both at their most vulnerable — and the product meant to help them was making it worse. The skin breakdown, the shame, the loss of dignity, the weight on my mum. It wasn't from lack of care. It's a design failure." ### A New Approach to an Old Problem The company is on a mission to end the silent humiliation of faecal incontinence (FI) — a condition affecting an estimated 656 million people globally, yet the most common non-invasive solution remains unchanged for decades: nappies and pads. Where existing non-invasive product traps faeces against the skin, Joyvié contains stool in a disposable pouch immediately after excretion, significantly reducing skin contact, preserving dignity, and reducing the time and burden of care. Early testing shows approximately 90% reduction in stool-to-skin contact and approximately 70% faster changes. Faecal incontinence is often caused by conditions like cancer, childbirth trauma, or aging. For millions, it's a daily reality that strips away confidence and comfort. Joyvié's design addresses this head-on, offering a solution that's both practical and compassionate. ### Why This Matters for Caregivers Caregivers like Ruth often bear the brunt of these challenges. Changing soiled garments multiple times a day is exhausting, both physically and emotionally. By making changes faster and reducing skin damage, Joyvié's product could transform the caregiving experience. The company's focus on dignity and skin health aligns with broader trends in elderly care and medical devices. As populations age, innovations like this become not just desirable, but essential. - 90% reduction in stool-to-skin contact - 70% faster changes - Designed for both wearers and caregivers With this funding, Joyvié is poised to challenge the status quo. It's a small step for a startup, but a giant leap for the millions who deserve better.