Yola Jones

Yola Jones, CTO and co-founder of Seluna, is developing a groundbreaking combination of a wearable medical device and machine-learning software to diagnose paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) from home. Her passion lies in developing tools that are intuitive for users, transparent, unbiased, and accurate.

Current OSA diagnosis requires overnight hospital stays, leading to long waiting times and limited access. As a result, up to 80% of children with OSA go undiagnosed, risking chronic cognitive, cardiac, and mental health complications. Seluna’s innovative solution makes the diagnostic process more comfortable for children as well as alleviating strain on hospital resources, reducing healthcare costs, and improving health equity.

“Every child deserves access to timely, accurate diagnosis and care. My mission is to create innovative, accessible healthcare solutions that empower clinicians and improve the lives of children,” says Yola.

Her achievements include securing £320,000 pre-seed investment, participation in the Innovate UK Global Incubator Program, and establishing partnerships with the University of Glasgow and Toronto Sick Kids hospital.

“I feel truly validated,” says Yola of winning the Women in Innovation Award. “After working so hard for so long, being recognised like this is incredibly rewarding. Through the programme we want to enhance our tool, expand our clinical and industry collaborations, and develop a hardware device for diagnosing OSA from home.”

What barriers has Yola overcome? “I still encounter individuals who overlook my eight years of experience in the field,” Yola reflects. “I’ve learned to embrace this. I’m not afraid to correct people or have in-depth technical discussions. I leverage their surprise in my skillset to leave a lasting impression which could have a real positive impact on our company.”

Her advice to aspiring innovators: “Never underestimate your skillset or ability to learn as you go. You have a lot more skills than you realise.”

For more information on Women in Innovation

Find out more about the Women in Innovation Award and other support available across the Innovate UK ecosystem on the Women in Innovation programme page.