Working-class roots drive North East graduate’s AI healthcare revolution

A Northumbria University graduate has developed groundbreaking AI technology that could save thousands of lives by speeding up the timescales of cardiovascular diagnosis. It is a deeply personal passion for Jack Parker, CEO and co-founder of AIATELLA, as his father suffered a heart attack while waiting for his scan to be read – exactly the problem he aims to solve through rapid, accurate diagnosis using AI.

The North East faces stark health disparities, where life expectancy among communities can vary greatly between regions just miles apart. Poor cardiovascular health education leaves people unable to make informed lifestyle choices, resulting in higher overall risk and the development of symptoms earlier in life – yet many only seek hospital care when the disease is already advanced.

This knowledge fuelled Jack’s vision for AIATELLA, a UK-Finnish AI healthcare company, which is revolutionising cardiovascular disease detection. Their technology can currently reduce cardiovascular diagnosis time from upwards of 30 minutes to less than 3 minutes, and his next mission is to ensure screening is accessible to everyone.

Growing up in Walker in Newcastle, Jack was one of only nine students from his high school who went on to enrol at university. Despite this, Jack graduated from Northumbria University in 2017 with a degree in Biomedical Science after completing a foundation degree to gain entry to the university's accredited programme.  

"I chose Northumbria University because of its hands-on, practical approach," Jack explained. "The university understood students like me – those who needed a different pathway, but had the determination to succeed."

While studying for his degree, Jack arranged work experience in a local hospital’s cardiology department, where he witnessed a doctor spending an hour manually measuring vessels from an MRI scan, describing it as “the worst video game ever invented”. This inefficiency, combined with his firsthand understanding of the challenges people from communities like his own have experienced, inspired him to develop an automated solution.

"It's not just about passing the exam. It's about being proactive, actually using all of the knowledge you gain through a degree,” Jack continued. “I want to change the narrative about university education by showing how knowledge from Northumbria can be practically applied to solve real-world problems”.

AIATELLA addresses critical conditions, including acute and chronic aortic syndromes and carotid stenosis, which can lead to stroke. Though based in Finland, this technology is currently undergoing clinical evaluation with three NHS trusts across the North East - Northumbria, Newcastle, and Sunderland - comparing the AI tool's accuracy against cardiologists and radiologists.

AIATELLA has already demonstrated significant community impact through prevention-focused screening initiatives. Working with groups across the UK and Finland, including the Apna Ghar Women's Centre in South Tyneside, which serves minority ethnic women. In its research to-date, AIATELLA has identified several individuals requiring immediate intervention, including medication to prevent stroke.

The company is also conducting unfunded research on the gender health gaps in cardiovascular disease. Addressing the critical issue of women being underdiagnosed and undertreated for heart and vascular conditions.

Beyond his role as founder, Jack serves as a Visiting Professor at St. George's University, Northumbria's partner medical school, and has a joint research project planned throughout 2026 to validate AI prevention capabilities in relation to medical advancements.

Jack has also received valuable support from Northumbria University's Incubator Hub, which provided guidance on corporate governance for his Finnish-based company to apply for UK grants, as well as connections to the Department of Business and Trade, and crucial network-building opportunities.

Graham Baty, Head of Enterprise Development at Northumbria, said: " Through AIATELLA, Jack is not just building a successful business, he's pioneering solutions that could fundamentally transform how people access vital healthcare services. We're incredibly proud to have supported his vision from its early stages, and his success reinforces our commitment to nurturing entrepreneurs who are determined to make a meaningful difference in the world."

Northumbria University is dedicated to supporting current students and graduate start-ups. It has been ranked in the top 10 in the UK for the last 16 years for graduate start-ups based on aggregate turnover, according to the Higher Education Business Community Interaction Survey (2023/24), and has been placed in the top five for 13 of those years.

Find out more about the support available for students interested in studying at Northumbria University.