Maternal Health AI Startup Matresa Raises 315K Pound in Pre-Seed Round

• London-based startup Matresa has raised £315,000 in a pre-seed funding round led by SFC Capital
• This is a rare success story for female-founded startups in the UK
• The startup aims to address the rising crisis in maternal health

Matresa, a startup that specializes in providing AI-driven maternal health solutions for women in the UK, has raised an impressive £315k from SFC Capital during its pre-seed funding round, marking an exciting development for female-led businesses in the UK.

They aim to produce a solution that will provide women with customized support through technology which will benefit mothers from conception until well after delivery, especially as challenges continue to mount in the UK’s already fragile healthcare system for pregnant mothers and newborns.

According to Matresa, the UK’s maternal healthcare system is facing many obstacles as evidenced by the current maternal mortality rate being the highest it has been in more than 20 years and 20 percent of mothers experiencing significant complications after giving birth.

Mari-Carmen Sanchez-Morris is a former nurse and the CEO of Matresa. She has combined her experience working as a pediatric intensive care unit nurse and her experience as a mother.

Mari states that "poor access to maternal health care has a negative impact not just on the mother but also on many other aspects of society, such as women being able to grow their careers, grow their businesses, and contribute to the overall economy." She believes tailored care for mothers is a right and not a privilege.

The matter of funding is timely since the most recent statistics indicate that in 2024-25 only 2.8 percent of all venture capital was allocated to female businesses.

This statistic further shows how challenging it is for female-led companies to secure funds to support their businesses.

However, the fact that Matresa was able to secure funding at this stage demonstrates increased investor interest in technology-based solutions to social problems and confidence in Sanchez-Morris' vision.

Edward Stevenson, Fund Principal of SFC Capital, described the team and mission as two key factors that motivated SFC Capital to invest in Matresa.

"We invested in Matresa because of the talent of the founding team as well as their dedication to helping address a growing problem," said Edward. "In conversations with Mari, it has always been clear that she was committed to creating positive maternal health care systems on a global scale."