TidalSense
Category: AI in Healthcare
AI-powered respiratory diagnostics company building handheld devices for rapid COPD and asthma diagnosis using patented CO₂ sensor technology and machine learning. TidalSense was founded in 2013. The company is led by Dr Ameera Patel. Based in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Team size: 11-50. Total funding raised: $40M. Latest round: Venture Round. Key investors include BGF, Downing Ventures, Cross-Border Impact Ventures, Airstream Capital, Foresight Group.
- Founded
- 2013
- Headquarters
- Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Team size
- 11-50
- Total funding
- $40M
Value proposition
Replaces 19th-century spirometry with a 75-second normal-breathing test that any healthcare professional can administer, delivering AI-powered COPD diagnosis in under 5 minutes (vs 30-60 min for spirometry), increasing diagnostic throughput from ~1 to 4-6 patients per hour.
Products and solutions
N-Tidal Diagnose (handheld AI-powered COPD diagnostic device, CE-marked Class IIa under EU MDR), N-Tidal Capture (remote patient monitoring solution using N-Tidal digital biomarkers), N-Tidal sensor platform (patented high-accuracy CO₂ sensor technology)
Unique value
First and only non-spirometry AI diagnostic device to receive CE marking under EU MDR (Class IIa) for COPD diagnosis; patented sensor technology measuring every molecule of CO₂ in exhaled breath; trained on 2.5M+ patient breaths with >90% diagnostic accuracy.
Target customer
NHS and other national health systems; primary care / GP practices; community lung screening clinics; hospitals; pharmaceutical companies (for clinical trials)
Industries served
Healthcare / Respiratory Diagnostics, Medical Devices, Primary Care, Community Health, Pharmaceuticals (clinical trials)
Technology advantage
Patented high-accuracy rapid-sampling CO₂ sensor technology (10+ years R&D); AI models trained on 2.5M+ patient breaths; first non-spirometry AI diagnostic CE-marked under EU MDR Class IIa for COPD; cloud platform with 4G connectivity; real-time geometric analysis of breath waveforms; ISO 13485:2016 certified.
How they differentiate
Unlike traditional spirometry (invented 1846) which requires forceful exhalation, specialist training, and 30-60 min per patient, TidalSense's N-Tidal Diagnose uses normal breathing for 75 seconds, requires 10 min training, and delivers AI-powered diagnosis in under 5 min. The patented CO₂ sensor technology provides unprecedented insight into lung physiology that spirometers cannot measure.
Main competitors
NuvoAir (Stockholm/Boston - home spirometry and remote monitoring, ~$28M raised), MIR (Medical International Research - traditional spirometry), traditional spirometer manufacturers (e.g., Vitalograph, CareFusion)
Key partnerships
Innovate UK (grant funding), SBRI Healthcare (grant funding), NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research), Asthma + Lung UK, Health Innovation East, University of Oxford (clinical studies)
Notable customers
NHS Suffolk and North-East Essex Integrated Care Board, NHS Wales, community lung screening programs in Southern England, NHS Glasgow, GP practices across the UK via Oxford-led rollout
Major milestones
2013: Founded as Cambridge Respiratory Innovations (CRI), Dec 2020: First institutional funding from BGF and Downing Ventures, May 2023: £7.5M Series A led by BGF and Downing Ventures, Mar 2025: N-Tidal Diagnose becomes first non-spirometry AI diagnostic device to receive CE marking under EU MDR (Class IIa) for COPD, Sep 2025: NHS launch in Suffolk and North-East Essex, Jul 2026: $19M funding round led by Cross-Border Impact Ventures, total funding reaches $40M
Growth metrics
Trained on 2.5M+ patient breaths; >90% diagnostic accuracy in post-market validation; deployed across multiple NHS regions; 4-6 patients per hour throughput vs ~1 with spirometry
Market positioning
Pioneer in AI-powered respiratory diagnostics, positioned to disrupt the $1B+ global spirometry market by replacing outdated technology with accessible, AI-driven point-of-care testing. Targeting underserved respiratory diagnostics market affecting 1 in 5 people worldwide.
Geographic focus
UK (NHS deployments in Suffolk, North-East Essex, Wales, Glasgow, Southern England); expanding to Ireland, Europe, and preparing for US market entry
Patents and IP
Multiple patents on N-Tidal sensor technology (high-accuracy rapid-sampling CO₂ sensor); patented geometric analysis of breath waveforms; proprietary AI diagnostic algorithms
About Dr Ameera Patel
Medical doctor (MD); PhD in Applied Mathematics / Computational Neuroscience from University of Cambridge; former AI researcher at Microsoft Research; worked in NHS as clinician
Latest news about TidalSense
More AI in Healthcare companies
Official website: https://tidalsense.com