Elena Gaydar
We help dental clinics produce same-day, in-house clear aligners, replacing the 3-week offshore lab turnaround time.
Project
5AXISWORKS Ltd
URL
Year founded
2014
Business stage
Seed
High-growth sectors
Advanced Manufacturing
Sector
Manufacturing
Location
London
Funding
Funded Award Winner
The problem and opportunity
UK dental clinics ship clear-aligner cases to offshore labs, forcing patients to wait 21 days per cycle and moving millions in manufacturing revenue offshore. Clinics lose margin, patients delay care, and access to orthodontics worsens amid a dental crisis flagged by the British Dental Association. Existing in-clinic options force clinics to replace their scanners and planners; offshore chains remain slow and vulnerable to disruption.
The solution and innovation
5Xtrim is a registered clear-aligner manufacturing platform, deployed in clinics in the UK and internationally. DAWN adds an API integration layer that connects it to the scanners and treatment planners each clinic already owns, with zero switching cost. It was co-designed with a Clinical Design Panel of women dentists. Traction includes three pilot clinics signed for Closed Beta; an Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award, and a planned provisional patent.
Market and ambition
Target: 14,000+ UK dental practices and a multi-billion-pound global clear-aligner market. Traction: 5Xtrim is commercially deployed in UK & internationally; three pilot clinics are signed for DAWN Closed Beta; and the business has received an Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award. Ambition: £1m+ annual recurring revenue and 100+ UK clinics by 2028; Series A £2-4m 2028; EU launch 2029.
Founder perspective
I’ve spent my career talking to customers, getting real feedback, and solving what isn’t working for them. DAWN comes from doing exactly that with women dentists. They told us: don’t replace what we already use, and don’t make us wait three weeks per patient. So we built exactly that – same-day, in-clinic, using their existing systems.
Women in Innovation Award
Recipient of an Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award 2025/26, receiving funding, tailored business support, and access to specialist training and networks. View all winners and highly commended applicants from the Women in Innovation cohort 2025/2026.