Manchester-based Dote isn’t just taking its first steps. Following a £1.6m fundraise in 2024, the start-up is now ramping up its expansion plans and is on a mission to transform how parents care for their babies.
Dote aims to spark a ‘baby tech’ revolution by blending AI with infant healthcare through solutions that could make even the most sleep-deprived new parents take notice.
At a recent preview event, the company unveiled its flagship product called ‘Dote Buddy’, which was described as an AI-powered smart monitor that promises to do more than just listen out for midnight cries.
Instead, it could become a “valuable” early detection tool, capable of tracking sleep patterns, temperature, and potentially spotting early signs of serious health conditions such as asthma or epilepsy.
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Driving this vision forward is Denise Namakando, who joined the team permanently as managing director earlier in 2025. Her career has seen her take on major senior marketing roles after previously working at the likes of Unilever, Sara Lee, Mattel, Dyson and Owlet Baby Care.
“My career has really been built around developing, launching and growing consumer brands, plus managing parts of the business that go along with that,” she tells Prolific North.
For Namakando, the appeal of Dote was just how “disruptive” the brand was.
“I am so passionate about the work we’re doing, helping parents use technology for real change.”
Part of that change includes the company’s partnership with healthcare innovation hub Medipex for an independent study, exploring the feasibility of Dote Buddy’s ability to detect specific health conditions and disorders.
Presenting some of the results at the event, Seonaid Thompson PhD, market intelligence officer at Medipex, said the monitor had “potential” to improve infant healthcare.
But it’s not just about alerts and metrics. Dote aims to remove the simmering panic that often defines early parenthood.
“I’ve been driving with my baby in the back, wondering if they are breathing and ok. You see their little head rolling and you’re filled with worry,” Namakando explains.
“Building up that data set is hugely powerful. Our technology is quietly monitoring and it’s hugely powerful, as mum or dad can go to the doctor and get help much quicker if needed.”
Yet in an age of data breaches and digital paranoia, can AI really be trusted to watch over your children? After conducting focus groups in the UK and a wider study across the UK and US, the results were surprising.
“They didn’t feel like big brother was zeroing down on their address,” says Namakando. “In our focus groups, parents were not scared by the concept of AI. In fact, they see a real benefit to it.”
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For Avril Murphy, who joined Dote as chief operating officer this year after previously working alongside Namakando at Owlet Baby Care, there might be an initial wary reaction from parents but they ultimately just want “peace of mind”.
“It gives you that reassurance that you can sleep and we will let you know if there’s something that needs your attention,” adds Namakando. “Younger parents, the millennials and Gen Z’s, they’re much tech savvier than I was back in the day.”
But perhaps the most interesting part of Dote’s model is what it might do with the data.
“We have a real mission to share that back with the academic and medical communities, because they’re really lacking robust, first-hand data. Parents found it really motivating to be able to play a part in that.”
Dote has successfully raised £1.6m to date, a sum that has been instrumental in everything from consumer research, validating the concept, product-market fit and developing working prototypes.
“£1.6m has gone a long way in terms of everything from the consumer research, validating the concept, to branding and building the prototypes. They’ve been tested and we’re ready to go into mass production,” Murphy explains.
Now, the company is seeking to raise an additional £1m to support its scaling efforts by increasing inventory and intensifying its marketing efforts.
Dote’s products have already been pitched to major retailers across both sides of the Atlantic, opening up conversations with the likes of Target and Amazon.
“We’re really quite confident after this fundraise, it will get us to revenue-generating and then be able to self-fund after that.”
Beyond investment, a key part of Dote’s plans involves expanding to the US. And that does mean boots on the ground too.
“We want to set up a subsidiary over there to be able to work with the likes of Target directly, D2C and Amazon. Amazon’s a big play for us as we’ve got a contract with them for the UK and Europe and we are continuing discussions with them.”
Ultimately, the duo firmly believes they have “game-changing” solutions to support parents and families.
“Dote is much more than a collection of products. We’re building a brand with real depth – and a real purpose,” says Namakando.
And that purpose? In their own words, it’s about building something much bigger than a monitor.
“We want to create the biggest database of infant health monitoring. That’s ultimately the north star. There are a lot of stepping stones to get there but that’s ultimately the end game,” adds Murphy.
