Matresa raises £315,000 pre-seed to address UK maternal health crisis
Continuous, personalised support from pregnancy through to early parenthood.
UK maternal health AI company Matresa has raised £315,000 in pre-seed funding to accelerate the development and rollout of its personalised, technology-driven maternal health platform. The round was led by SFC Capital.
The raise comes at a critical moment for maternal care in the UK, with maternal deaths reported at their highest level in more than two decades. The figures have intensified scrutiny on continuity of care, early screening, and access to preventative services for women before and after birth.
Founded by former nurse Mari-Carmen Sanchez-Morris, Matresa is an online maternal health platform designed to transform how maternal care is delivered — “intelligently, preventatively, and compassionately.” Sanchez-Morris previously worked in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), where she observed the lack of structured support available to mothers before and after birth — an experience reinforced by her own journey through motherhood.
“Poor maternal healthcare isn’t just happening in a vacuum: it affects other areas of healthcare, and stunts women’s career growth, which in turn impacts businesses and the wider economy,” Mari-Carmen said.
“Tailored care isn’t a privilege – it’s a right. Women and mothers deserve to feel safe and supported, and we need to do more to tackle this crisis.”
A growing maternal health gap
One in five women experience maternal mental health disorders and/or serious complications following childbirth, according to cited data. Many of these outcomes are considered preventable with earlier intervention and stronger continuity of care, yet structural gaps remain across maternity services.
The economic impact is significant. Preventable maternal health issues are estimated to cost the UK economy between £13 billion and £15 billion annually, reflecting lost productivity, increased healthcare expenditure, and longer-term social consequences.
At the same time, women’s health startups continue to face structural funding barriers. All-female founder teams received just 2.8% of total venture capital funding in 2024–25, according to industry figures. Against that backdrop, Matresa’s pre-seed round marks an early milestone for the company as it prepares for a summer launch.
“SFC Capital was delighted to lead this investment round in Matresa,” said Edward Stevenson, Fund Principal at SFC Capital.
“We made this investment given the talent and strength of Mari-Carmen and the growing problem that the company is solving. She has demonstrated to us tenacity and determination in all our interactions, all of which suggest to us that she is 100% committed to improving maternal health for women everywhere.”
AI, prevention and the workplace
Matresa integrates clinical expertise, behavioural science and AI-powered insights to provide continuous, personalised support for mothers throughout matrescence — the transition from pregnancy through early parenthood.
The platform offers structured, preventative screening and support for mothers and partners during maternity leave. It also provides employers with aggregated visibility and insight into what is typically an unmanaged period in workforce planning.
The workplace dimension is central to Matresa’s model. Currently, one in three mothers leave the workforce within a year of childbirth, according to cited research. Replacing a skilled female employee post-maternity can cost employers between £30,000 and £150,000.
Matresa targets three high-risk moments: during maternity leave, in the period leading up to a return to work, and during early reintegration. In a pilot with one of the Big Four professional services firms, the company reports that participant wellbeing scores rose from 5.2 to 7.8, productivity increased by 20%, and energy and mood improved by 50%.
The company argues that earlier intervention reduces the need for reactive responses later — both in clinical care and workforce management.
Launch and next steps
Set to launch this summer, Matresa says the new funding will support product optimisation and broader rollout across the UK. The company aims to position itself at the intersection of healthcare delivery and employer-backed benefits, an increasingly active segment within digital health.
The model reflects a broader shift in women’s health innovation toward preventative, data-driven platforms that combine clinical screening with behavioural and workplace support.