From Sewage to Science: How Claire Trant and Untap Health Are Revolutionising Disease Detection

In this episode of Why Design, I sit down with Claire Trant, co-founder and CEO of Untap Health, a deep tech company using wastewater epidemiology to detect illnesses before symptoms appear. Claire’s journey from Imperial College to Rolls-Royce and then into entrepreneurship is as inspiring as it is challenging.She opens up about the highs and lows of startup life—navigating funding rounds, scaling a hardware business, and the personal challenges that have shaped her leadership. From securing patents and raising millions to pivoting the company’s mission and testing breakthrough technology, Claire shares what it truly takes to build a deep tech startup in a male-dominated field.If you’re interested in the raw, unfiltered reality of building a hardware company from scratch, this one’s for you.Key Takeaways:🔹 From Academia to Entrepreneurship – How Claire’s background in materials science and aerospace led her to founding Untap Health.🔹 The Evolution of a Startup – How Untap pivoted from large-scale wastewater monitoring to targeted health surveillance in hospitals and care homes.🔹 Scaling a Hardware Business – The challenges of developing, testing, and rolling out new deep tech solutions.🔹 Fundraising Realities – Lessons learned from securing pre-seed funding and preparing for the next round.🔹 Surviving a Tough Year – How Claire navigated personal and professional hardships, including the loss of her co-founder and sister, to keep Untap moving forward.🔹 Building the Right Team – The impact of hiring a Chief Product Officer and the importance of aligning culture with company vision.🔹 Women in Deep Tech – Claire’s experience as a female founder and the biases she’s encountered along the way.🔹 What’s Next for Untap Health – Expanding into new markets, working with hospitals and farms, and the long-term vision for public health monitoring.Resources & Links:🌍 Connect with Claire Trant on LinkedIn🔬 Learn more about Untap Health📢 Hiring! Untap Health is looking for a Head of Business Development – Check out the role here💙 Support Claire’s Charity Marathon for Diagnostics Research – Donate Here👥 Join the Why Design community! Sign up for our upcoming events, online huddles, and workshops: teamkodu.com/events🔗 Follow Chris Whyte on LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/mrchriswhyte🎧 Listen to Why Design on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Amazon Music. Don't forget to subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!