Inspiring Leadership with Jonathan Bowman-Perks MBE

Sarah Bolt is the visionary founder and CEO of Forth, a health tech company pioneering personal health management. Forth provides vital insights into biological health, empowering individuals with the knowledge to manage their wellbeing and extend their healthspan. 

Ten years ago, Sarah began experiencing health changes due to perimenopause. The lack of knowledge and data about her own body highlighted a critical gap in personal healthcare. Sarah foresaw the need for individuals to become proactive in managing their health due to the rising pressures on national healthcare systems and the desire by people for more data about their own body. This realisation inspired her to found Forth in 2016.

Forth was created to offer a service that Sarah needed herself: an accessible way to understand personal health without visiting a GP. The company gives people easy access to laboratory blood testing and distils data into an easy-to-understand digital formats, allowing people to track changes as well as supporting them in health improvement. Since its inception, Forth has become one of the leading remote testing companies in the UK and Europe. 

Over the last 4 years Forth's has become increasingly focused on addressing the shortcomings in women’s health. In 2021, the company sought to address the limitations of single-day hormone testing for women and launched its ground-breaking product MyFORM®. MyFORM® is the first hormone test in the world to use a combination of AI and blood testing to map how a woman’s reproductive hormones fluctuate throughout a woman's unique cycle. MyFORM® is an example of what Sarah terms the 2.0 phase of home health testing which leverages AI for better interpretation and greater understanding of personalised health. 

Sarah Bolt's entrepreneurial journey is marked by significant achievements. She is one of only 2,000 female founders in the UK to raise over £1 million, securing £2.6 million through three funding rounds. Her efforts have been recognised with awards such as the Health & Wellbeing Entrepreneur at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards as well as a finalist for the Natwest Female Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.

To date, Forth has conducted nearly 1 million tests, providing individuals with essential data to make informed decisions about their own health. Beyond impacting people’s health, Sarah is committed to helping other female founders navigate the challenging start-up journey. Through mentorship programs like Set Squared, a Tech Accelerator in Bristol, she assists women in overcoming start-up challenges and securing funding.

Sarah Bolt's journey from a health-conscious individual to a pioneering health tech entrepreneur is a story of passion, innovation, and impact. Through Forth, she has addressed a critical healthcare gap, setting a new standard for personal health management. With significant investment, numerous awards, and a growing base of users, Sarah and Forth are poised to continue advancing preventative care through innovative health tech solutions.