From Hospital robots to mobile hair salons: inspirational:- 'hidden entrepreneurs' selected to tackle Regional health challenges

SOCIAL cHospital robots, AI guided sleep support and a mobile hair salon are among a selection of innovative business ideas chosen to receive investment from a unique new Liverpool City Region (LCR) programme.

Citizen 1st LCR will support:- 'hidden entrepreneurs' from local communities to develop businesses rooted in their own lived experiences of health and care challenges.

More than 200 people from across the Liverpool City Region applied to participate in the initiative; the 1st time Public Life's Citizen Incubator model has been brought to Liverpool; which is integral to Liverpool City Region's Health and Life Sciences Innovation Zone.

Following an extensive recruitment campaign that included a CV-less application process; designed to reduce barriers to entry; and pitching workshops, the successful entrepreneurs announced details of their plans this week.

They will now each receive a Real Living Wage Salary, seed funding, and comprehensive support for a full year to support their fledgling businesses:-

• Sean Bailey from Runcorn is developing MySleepHealth, an AI-guided platform offering evidence based digital sleep support for people with conditions like autism, ADHD, insomnia, and shift work disorder.
  

• Faye Boswell from South Liverpool is creating Sensified Spaces; a Tripadvisor style platform to help the neurodivergent community navigate sensory experiences in public spaces, inspired by her family and travel industry experience.
  

• Katie Bowater from Prescot is scaling the Young Entrepreneurs Club to support:- 18 to 35 year olds, with business guidance, peer connection, and well-being support, inspired by her own journey as a young founder.
  

• Ceara Byrne from Formby is the founder of Laurel's Wood CIC, managing a 16 acre private woodland providing nature-based experiences to improve mental health and well-being in her community.
  

• Umar Hayter from Toxteth is developing EnviroCleanLCR, an eco-cleaning service in Liverpool using electric cargo bikes to provide affordable, sustainable cleaning and youth employment, contributing to better mental health and community well being.
  

• Lorcan McGuinness from Childwall is creating Guided Robotics, flexible and compliant robotic systems for healthcare use within Hospitals, reducing contagion and biohazard exposure for staff and increasing positive patient outcomes.
  

• Frankii Panchoo, from Toxteth, is creating Hair: Anywhere, a fully accessible mobile salon bringing inclusive hairdressing to people -especially wheelchair users -who can't easily reach traditional salons, raising the bar for what inclusive experiences should look like.
  

• Mathew Richards from Childwall is launching an inclusive sports and media enterprise, creating opportunities for people of all ages to get active, build confidence, and connect through community events.

The programme was launched at the newly opened Central Tech, an innovation hub where the entrepreneurs will be based.

Professor Iain Buchan, W.H. Duncan Chair in Public Health Systems, Associate Pro Vice Chancellor for Innovation, and Director of the Civic Health Innovation Labs (CHIL) said:- "These pioneering entrepreneurs will use their lived experience and deep understanding of their communities to develop practical solutions to important health and care challenges. We were struck by the passion and commitment shown by those selected throughout the process, and we're delighted to be working alongside them. Over the next year, they'll collaborate with scientists, engineers, health and care professionals, and established industry partners to develop their solutions. This work epitomises our University's civic mission—to push boundaries in science and technology while addressing the real needs of our communities."

James Green, CEO and Founder of Public Life, said:- "Congratulations to the inspiring hidden entrepreneurs who have been selected for Citizen 1st LCR. We were over 20 times oversubscribed so winning a spot is a huge achievement and a reflection of the quality of their ideas and their passion to make a difference. The next year offers a unique opportunity to receive a Real Living Wage and sector-leading support to build a business that tackles health inequalities in the Liverpool City Region. These hidden entrepreneurs are breaking new ground in how we solve the social challenges facing them and their communities."

Councillor Liam Robinson, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Cabinet Member for Innovation, said:- "The Life Sciences Innovation Zone was set up to drive the sector and the City Region economy in a way that not only creates jobs, training and prosperity but also embraces the creativity and innovation of our residents, while improving health and care outcomes. I'm excited to see how these projects develop over the next year and how they will benefit the communities that these innovative and inspiring entrepreneurs are part of. Well done to them all for being chosen from a hugely competitive and impressive selection process."

The entrepreneurs will receive a year's Real Living Wage salary, seed funding, and comprehensive support, including:- a dedicated business advisor and cutting-edge tech support from the University of Liverpool's Civic Health Innovation Labs (CHIL) and Virtual Engineering Centre.

As their business model develops, they will have opportunities to test assumptions with potential buyers, build the brand, integrate technology into their project, and connect with investors. It's hoped they will, then, go on to secure investment to take the next big step in their venture.

Unsuccessful applicants are being offered lighter touch support, with an inaugural networking event being planned for October 2025.

Citizen 1st LCR is co-funded by the Fusion21 Foundation, the registered charity of national social enterprise Fusion21 Ltd, which specialises in efficient and impactful public sector procurement and delivers visible social value. It is also funded and supported by local housing associations Torus Foundation, Riverside, and Livv Housing Group.

The project is part of the University of Liverpool's Civic HealthTech Innovation Zone (CHI-Zone), funded by the Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone Programme, and brings Public Life's Citizen Incubator model to Liverpool for the 1st time.

The Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone Programme forms part of the Government's national Investment Zone Programme, positioning the City Region as a powerhouse for health and life sciences innovation.

Jo Hannan, Head of Fusion21 Foundation said::- "We're proud to co-fund Citizen 1st LCR, empowering grassroots entrepreneurs to tackle health and care challenges in their local communities through innovative business ideas. This work strongly aligns with our funding priorities: financial inclusion, health and wellbeing, and employment and skills. We look forward to seeing the meaningful impact this programme delivers."

ICO Enforcement Notice shows Liverpool Labour's contempt for transparency

DATA watchdog's intervention in Liverpool City Council is unacceptable says Opposition Leader. Cllr Carl Cashman, Leader of the Liverpool Liberal Democrat, has slammed Liverpool Labour after the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) issued an enforcement notice against Liverpool City Council for its appalling record on Freedom of Information (FOI) requests.

He warned that Labour were risking the Council backsliding into the opacity and corruption that dominated the Anderson era of Liverpool City Council.

The notice follows figures showing that in August just 66% of FOI requests were answered within the legal deadline, with the rate for 2025 so far an abysmal 57%. There are currently 100 overdue requests sitting unanswered.

Liverpool Liberal Democrats have had reports of local residents waiting in excess of 18 months for responses to FOIs. They argue that Labour have not instilled a culture of transparency in the Council, but instead hiding away from the public.

Cllr Carl Cashman said:- "This is a disgrace. Once again, Liverpool Labour has dragged our City into the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The ICO doesn't hand out enforcement notices lightly; this is a public humiliation and proof that Labour has utterly failed to get a grip on transparency and accountability. FOI is not optional. It is the law. Yet Labour have treated it as an inconvenience, kicking the can down the road and piling up a backlog that is now a national embarrassment. They've had years to sort this and instead we're seeing the same old pattern: failure, denial, and then intervention from outside regulators."

The ICO notice forces the Council to:-

• Eliminate its FOI backlog within 4 months.
  

• Report regularly to the ICO on progress.
  

• Publish an action plan within 30 days to hit a 90% compliance rate.

Cllr Cashman added:- "Every time Labour promises improvement, we end up right back here; with watchdogs and commissioners stepping in because the Council can't do its basic job. Residents deserve answers, journalists deserve access, and opposition Councillors deserve scrutiny. Instead, Labour presides over secrecy, incompetence, and backsliding. Liverpool deserves so much better than this cycle of failure. The Liberal Democrats will not let Labour sweep this under the carpet; we will keep fighting for real openness, accountability, and a Council that obeys the law instead of dodging it."

What are your thoughts on this news topic? Email our Newsroom at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com or send us a message on:- Mastodon, Facebook, or Twitter. Please do let us know as we love to hear your views....