Shilpa Yadav
Sentinel Vault AI helps biobank teams rescue at-risk research samples during freezer failures using clear, auditable workflows.
Project
Manas Labs Ltd
URL
Year founded
2025
Business stage
Pre-Seed
High-growth sectors
Digital and Technologies
Sector
Digital
Location
London
Funding
Highly Commended Applicant
The problem and opportunity
Biobanks store critical samples that support research into cancer, rare diseases and other serious conditions. When a freezer fails, especially out of hours, teams have limited time to identify, prioritise and move affected samples. Many responses still rely on manual records, phone calls and local knowledge, which can create delays, weak audit trails and risk to valuable research and future discoveries.
The solution and innovation
Sentinel Vault AI is a working MVP for biobank freezer-failure response. It supports teams to identify and prioritise affected samples, scan barcodes offline, record actions and keep human sign-off in place. Its innovation is turning a high-pressure emergency into a structured, auditable rescue workflow suited to sensitive research environments. A patent filing is in progress, with early NHS and biobank conversations underway.
Market and ambition
Sentinel Vault AI targets NHS, university and research biobanks managing critical sample collections. Early NHS and biobank conversations are underway. Over the next 2-3 years, Manas Labs aims to move from MVP to pilot deployments, then expand across the wider UK research and life sciences sector.
Founder perspective
Shilpa Yadav founded Manas Labs after nearly 20 years in software delivery, automation and applied AI. She believes AI should support people at the moments when decisions are urgent, evidence matters and human judgement must stay central, especially when critical research is at risk.
Women in Innovation Award
Highly Commended Applicant of the Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award 2025/26, receiving 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.