Greater London Enterprise Awards 2021

63 | Greater London Enterprise Awards 2021 The COVID-19 pandemic created enormous demand for services that simply didn’t exist a year ago. A rapid response has created an entirely new industry, focused on supporting people during these unprecedented times. The team at HALO specialise in COVID testing solutions, providing the masses with reliable, saliva-based PCR tests. We take a look at the firm following its success in SME News’ Greater London Enterprise Awards. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, incredible teams of people have come together to find practical solutions to the problems that have been faced by us all. The first, and most important factor, was the creation of reliable testing systems that could detect this coronavirus. The HALO team was brought together to produce exactly that. At the heart of HALO is a heady mix of world- class scientists, technological innovators and logistical masterminds. They have made it their mission to deliver on behalf of their customers, ensuring their wellbeing throughout the pandemic. Independent and self-funded, this UK start-up was founded with the simple focus of conceiving, designing and building consumer- friendly healthcare testing at scale. With testing at the heart of any pandemic response, this is a team that could see the value in making sure they could continually deliver. HALO was designed from the start to provide its own testing systems, investing in its own gene sequencing RT-PCR lab facility. Based within the Imperial College campus at White City, London, this custom-built project has allowed the team to react quickly to the rising demand for their services. This sort of growth simply wouldn’t be possible with a repurposed facility. The team’s specialisation is in the provision of saliva-based PCR tests that can be used by the entire family. While many PCR tests on the market are swab-based, medical journals such as The Lancet have championed saliva testing as it is not only better, but simpler and less painful. The team’s system means that their customers do not need to have nose and throat swabs. Instead, customers simply have to spit in a tube, scan the tube with the HALO app and get their results. Leading Innovators in COVID Testing Solutions 2021 HALO’s proudest boast is that they have almost 100% accuracy in what they do, allowing people the information they need to get on with their lives. Despite taking on such a challenging role in a volatile market, the team at HALO have achieved some truly wonderful things. Since the beginning of the pandemic, they have become one of the only test services to partner with UCL Genomics and the Francis Crick Institute to detect and protect against new variants, the first saliva-based COVID-19 test provider to receive International Standard ISO 15189 accreditation from UKAS and one of the founding members of the newly launched The Laboratory and Testing Industry Organisation to ensure testing providers meet the highest standards to guarantee quality customer service . This ability to focus specifically on the challenges that might arise from this specific crisis means that the team have been able to stay one step ahead of the game when it comes to the pandemic. The difficulties of setting up this sort of organisation during a pandemic have been significant, but the success of the team and its innovative approach really speaks for itself. When there is a need, it is small businesses that can pick up the slack, acting in an agile manner to satisfy all customers. Their quick thinking has seen them become a major force during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is certain to put them in a good position for new projects as the situation returns to normal. Company: HALO Name: Nathan McGlone Email: [email protected] Web Address: https://www.haloverify.com/ Jul21793