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UK Bridges invests in healthcare start-up

UK community development venture capital firm Bridges Community Ventures is investing an undisclosed sum in healthcare start-up Eyebright.

Eyebright will provide cataract surgery facilities to NHS and private sector healthcare providers and aims to reduce waiting times between diagnosis and treatment. Eyebright will open its first clinic in Hull in June and plans to open a further 25 clinics over the next five years.

‘Dedicated day surgery facilities have been successful in the US and Europe and we believe the company has strong financial prospects,' said Bridges' director Carolyn Maddox. ‘We also anticipate it will make a strong positive impact on the local communities through employment opportunities, supply chain expenditure and addressing the NHS backlog.'

Bridges was launched in May 2002 with the intention of providing £40m of venture funding in order to restore economic vibrancy to deprived areas of England. Its maximum investment in any single company is £2m.

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