Ross O'Hanlon and Rowan Armstrong - BioLiberty

BioLiberty, addresses the overlooked need for hand rehabilitation with Lifeglov—a soft robotic glove enabling data‑driven, intensive post‑stroke therapy.

Four men standing in front of the National Robotarium sign
Bioliberty founders L-R Ross O’Hanlon Rowan Armstrong Shéa QuinnConan Bradley

Founders:

  • Two from the University of Edinburgh: Rowan Armstrong and Ross O’Hanlon.
  • Plus Conan Bradley and Shea Quinn from Queen’s University Belfast. 
     

About BioLiberty 

BioLiberty’s aim is to empower every human to live a longer, independent life by providing assistive robotics and rehabilitative technologies. Witnessing the struggles of living with reduced mobility inspired their ideas.

Its flagship product, Lifeglov, is a soft robotic glove designed to support the recovery of hand motor function, particularly in patients experiencing hand weakness after stroke or other neurological conditions. By combining assisted movement with gamified therapy exercises, Lifeglov enables clinicians to deliver more intensive, data-driven rehabilitation than traditional methods allow.

Stroke is one of the leading causes of long-term disability in the UK. Many survivors are left with lasting hand weakness or impaired motor function that limits independence and reduces quality of life. Effective neurological rehabilitation relies on high-repetition movement, but clinic time is finite, therapist-led manual therapy is resource-intensive, and patient progress can be difficult to measure objectively.

Assistive and rehabilitative technology has historically focused on the lower limbs. Bioliberty identified a significant gap in the market for clinical hand rehabilitation devices that are effective, portable, and evidence-based.

 

Success

In March 2026, Bioliberty secured £7.7m in a Series A investment round led by a £3m commitment from the Scottish National Investment Bank. The round included capital from existing investors Archangels, Eos Advisory, Old College Capital (the University of Edinburgh's in-house venture investment fund), and Hanna Capital SEZC, as well as new investor Conduit Connect.

The funding will support continued product development and manufacturing in Scotland, and accelerate commercial growth in the United States, where Bioliberty's hand rehabilitation technology is already in use at several leading rehabilitation facilities.

 

Edinburgh Innovations Support 

Edinburgh Innovations supported Ross O'Hanlon and Rowan Armstrong from the early stages of the company's development, providing business advice, access to funding, introductions to relevant networks, and entrepreneurship training.

Bioliberty is headquartered in Edinburgh’s city centre with manufacturing based in Fife. The company opened a US headquarters in Boston in 2025 to support its North American commercial operations.

 

You just have to go for it. If you have an idea surround yourself with the correct people, try and find expertise that you need and build from there and always be open to learning new things.

Ross O’Hanlon shares advice to other entrepreneurs

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