We didn’t think it would be long before the founders and former directors of System C Healthcare, which was acquired by McKesson in 2011 for £87m, made another appearance on the UK healthcare IT stage. And we were right. Dr Ian Denley and Markus Bolton have just launched Shearwater Healthcare Solutions, a company designed to provide growth capital and hands-on expertise to IT businesses in the health and social care sector.
The venture is well-timed given the demise of the National Programme for IT in the NHS and the resurgence in opportunities for SMEs in the UK healthcare IT sector. As Denley explains: “SMEs are included for the first time in years and we’re offering portfolio companies an injection of our time, energy, and cash so they can grab this moment and make the most of it.”
In the past, Denley and Bolton have demonstrated a knack for spotting trends early and backing the right horses. Given their track record at System C – which they took from start-up through AIM-listing, five strategic acquisitions and successful trade sale – we’ll be watching Shearwater’s activities with great interest in the months to come.