Readily Diagnostics, a Stockholm-based healthtech startup, has received a €811,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to advance development of an affordable point-of-care test for sexually transmitted infections.
The funding will support early-stage concept and feasibility work for a molecular diagnostic test targeting the three most common STIs: chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis. The grant will enable the company to focus on critical technical challenges, including sample preparation methodologies, antimicrobial-resistance detection capabilities and the creation of a comprehensive product-development roadmap.
Addressing Global Diagnostics Gaps
Sexually transmitted infections represent a significant global health challenge, with millions of cases reported annually across both developed and developing nations. Yet access to accurate, rapid diagnostic tests remains inconsistent, particularly in low-resource settings where healthcare infrastructure is limited. Current testing options often require laboratory equipment, trained personnel and extended turnaround times, creating barriers to timely treatment and prevention of transmission.
The Gates Foundation grant recognizes the potential of Readily Diagnostics’ approach to bridge this accessibility gap. By developing a simple, accurate and affordable test suitable for point-of-care use, the company aims to enable diagnosis and treatment decisions in communities currently underserved by existing diagnostic options.
Liza Löf, representing Readily Diagnostics, articulated the company’s mission in response to the funding: “Readily is committed to delivering accessible molecular diagnostics. A diagnosis should not depend on where you happen to live. This grant from the Gates Foundation lets us show that an accurate STI test can also be simple and affordable enough to use anywhere. That is the whole point of the technology we have built.”
Swedish Healthtech Innovation
Readily Diagnostics was founded in 2022, positioning itself within Sweden’s growing diagnostics and healthtech sector. The €811,000 grant represents the company’s total funding to date and provides crucial validation of its technological approach during the critical early development phase.
The company’s focus on molecular diagnostics reflects broader trends in European healthtech, where entrepreneurs are leveraging advances in biotechnology to create solutions addressing gaps in global healthcare access. The emphasis on affordability and simplicity aligns with development-focused investment priorities, particularly from foundations dedicated to improving health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.
The Gates Foundation has historically prioritized diagnostic innovations addressing infectious diseases in resource-constrained settings, recognizing that reliable testing forms the foundation for effective disease management and public health response.
As Readily Diagnostics moves forward with this development phase, the project exemplifies how European startups are positioning themselves to address global health challenges through innovation. The work to create accessible STI diagnostics represents the type of healthcare technology development that can have meaningful impact across both developed and developing healthcare systems worldwide.