International Women’s Day, observed globally on the 8th March, is a long‑standing awareness day dedicated to recognising the achievements of women and highlighting the inequalities that still shape their lives. Rooted in more than a century of activism, it serves as a reminder of the progress made and the continued need to champion gender equity across every part of society, including healthcare and innovation.
Today, we are pleased to speak with Cohort 7 Clinical Entrepreneur Dr Lucrezia Cester, AI Engineer and Clinical Scientist, who co-founded LightHearted AI.
Welcome Lucrezia tell us a little about yourself and your innovation
During my PhD at the University of Glasgow, I developed an ultra-sensitive laser-based detection tool originally designed for military applications. From early on, I was drawn to repurposing it for healthcare, where it felt far more meaningful. Working within the NHS as an AI clinical scientist deepened that drive, giving me invaluable clinical insight into where technology could make a real difference. That journey led me to found LightHearted AI and develop LightScope: a non-invasive tool designed to transform how heart valve disease is detected.
How did your journey into innovation begin?
My journey into entrepreneurship began with the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme, an invaluable first step where I built foundational knowledge and connected with people who are still central to my network today. One example is a cardiologist I met there years ago who is now collaborating with us on a study involving heart valve surgery patients. I later met my co‑founder, Dilip Rajeswari, at Entrepreneur First, where LightHearted AI was founded and the company really took shape.
Since then, we’ve taken part in several leading accelerators and were named in the Forbes 30 Under 30, which has been a great honour for both of us.
What impact do you hope your innovation will have?
LightScope has the potential to fundamentally change how heart valve disease is detected. Today, 40% of HVD patients receive their diagnosis in the emergency room or at autopsy, and women are disproportionately affected, often remaining asymptomatic until their disease has reached a severe state. Deployed as a screening tool in primary care, LightScope can catch these patients early, enabling valve replacement treatment before heart failure sets in and reducing the burden on healthcare services.
Beyond HVD, our longer-term vision is to expand into a broader cardiovascular screening platform, detecting heart conditions early and shifting healthcare from reactive to preventative.
Is there a woman who inspires you within healthcare or innovation?
Lisa Suennen, Managing Partner of American Heart Association Ventures, is a constant source of inspiration. Through the Go Red for Women Venture Fund, she directs investment specifically toward understanding how cardiovascular disease presents differently and disproportionately in women, which sits at the heart of LightHearted AI’s mission.
Women with heart valve disease are significantly underdiagnosed, often because the tools we rely on weren’t designed with them in mind. LightScope aims to change that, and we’re proud that AHA has already invested in us, a meaningful validation of our shared mission.
What advice would you give to women interested in innovation?
My biggest piece of advice is to find your community early. The mentors, peers, and networks you build, whether through programmes, accelerators, or just putting yourself out there, will open doors you didn’t even know existed.
Beyond that, don’t be afraid to be bold. Women in STEM are often not taken as seriously as we should be, and the venture capital world is still largely male-dominated. Confidence isn’t arrogance, it’s a necessity. You have to show up loudly and back yourself, because no one else will do it for you.