Afon Technology and the EIC Accelerator: Needle-Free Glucose

Afon Technology, based in Caldicot in south Wales, is developing Glucowear, a wristband that uses ultra-low power radio and microwave signals to track blood sugar without piercing the skin. It was selected in the EIC Accelerator's October 2022 cut-off, and chief executive Sabih Chaudhry said the company received €2.4 million from the European Innovation Council, according to the Welsh Government. In July 2023 the EU's own EISMEA newsroom reported that the company hoped to have the device on the market by early 2024, calling this "an extremely optimistic goal".

No project for Afon appears on CORDIS, the EU's register of funded projects. Glucowear is not on sale; Afon's website still names 2026 as the "anticipated launch". Its accounts for 2025 show cash of £5,003 and net liabilities of £498,664, and state that "a material uncertainty exists which may cast significant doubt on the Company's ability to continue as a going concern", according to Companies House.

Where Afon Stands Now

In March 2026 Afon reported that Glucowear achieved "approximately 75 per cent overall accuracy in distinguishing between normal and elevated blood glucose levels" in its first real-world trial, in which the device was worn by Chaudhry himself during daily activities, according to The Diabetes Times. The initial target group is people with type 2 diabetes who do not use insulin. The company allotted new shares four times between July and November 2025 and again in January 2026, and a charge registered in July 2025 was marked satisfied in November 2025, the register shows. The 2025 accounts were not audited, under the small-company exemption.

The Technology: Reading Sugar With Microwaves

Glucowear sits on the underside of the wrist and measures shifts in a resonating sensor that change with blood glucose, streaming readings to a phone. A proof-of-concept study was published in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology in April 2023, and further tests took place at the Profil research institute in Germany in July 2020 and November 2024 and at Swansea Bay University Health Board in May 2023, according to Open Access Government.

What the EIC Award Promised, and What the Record Shows

The award promised "a non-invasive, wearable, real time continuous blood glucose monitoring sensor". Without a CORDIS project, there is no public EU record of milestones or results. Afon's 2024 accounts said international trials in Germany and Poland began that year, and that £6.4 million would be needed to take the company through clinical trials and manufacturing to a CE or UKCA mark. No CE or UKCA mark has been announced.

1. Working wearable sensorPartialPrototypes tested.
2. Clinical accuracyPartialAbout 75% on one wearer.
3. CE or UKCA markNot yetNone announced.
4. Market launchMissed2024 target passed.

The Money

In 2024 Afon raised £629,308 from private investors and received £1,222,231 in grant income, its accounts state. It sought a £4.5 million convertible loan and planned to raise a further £15 million. By the end of 2025 its accumulated losses of £8.04 million exceeded its £7.54 million share premium, creditors due within a year had risen to £1.07 million, and £722,677 was owed to suppliers. The 2025 accounts no longer mention the £4.5 million loan.

What Cannot Be Checked

Why Europe Should Care

A needle-free glucose monitor would matter to millions of people with diabetes; The Diabetes Times notes that Apple, Samsung and Google are widely reported to have explored the idea without success. The EIC backed a small Welsh company in that race. Four years on, the public record shows early data, a missed launch and a company short of cash.

The Verdict

Afon Technology and the EIC have not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on public records and published statements, linked throughout.