Latest news with #SokratisPapafloratos
Entrepreneur
a day ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Entrepreneur UK's London 100: Numan
Numan is one of the UK's fastest-growing digital healthcare companies, redefining how patients approach their health through personalised, technology-driven solutions Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Industry: Healthtech Numan is one of the UK's fastest-growing digital healthcare companies, redefining how patients approach their health through personalised, technology-driven solutions. The company was founded in 2018 by Sokratis Papafloratos, an experienced entrepreneur with a track record of building and backing successful tech businesses. Numan began as a men's health startup focused on treating erectile dysfunction. In just six years, it has evolved into a full-scale digital healthcare provider, supporting over 500,000 patients through over 150 London-based staff with treatments for conditions like obesity, hair loss, and sexual health. The company generated £30m in revenue in 2023 and more than doubled that figure in 2024 – which was largely driven by the launch of their weight loss management service. The company recently launched its AI-powered Health Assistant, to support their holistic weight loss programme that includes GLP-1 prescribing. This proprietary tool is designed to provide real-time, personalised health guidance while ensuring rigorous safety and clinical oversight. With its rapid growth, technological advancements, and unwavering focus on safety and innovation, Numan is one of the most exciting and impactful London-based startups – deserving a place in the Entrepreneur UK London100 list as it continues to shape the future of digital health.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'I was only 15 but knew I wanted to own a telecoms business'
Sokratis Papafloratos is founder and CEO of London-based Numan, the leading men's digital healthcare company. Previously, the Greek-born serial entrepreneur founded TrustedPlaces, which was acquired by Yell Group Plc, while he was one of the first investors in mindfulness app Being an entrepreneur and founder was what I visualised doing since I was about 15. It seems strange to have it all worked out as a teen, but I wanted to build a business and put out a product that was mine. I never thought deeply as to where this desire came from. I used to read computer magazines, the internet didn't exist and I didn't know about building a tech company, but I had this notion that telecommunications was going to be massive. My plan was to start a telecoms business and make it successful. When I first came to the UK, I started in engineering and had a brief corporate career with Vodafone before Saul Kato, the most influential boss in my first job at a start-up, made that journey a reality. Read More: Impossibrew CEO says Dragons' Den failure sparked alcohol-free brand's rise Qwikker, which delivered a Bluetooth distribution platform for mobile devices, had just opened an office in London and I was hired as operations director. It sounds glamorous but essentially it was a job that did anything from setting up a bank account to pitching to the head of Universal Music. A highly impressive individual, Saul was the epitome of a Bay Area entrepreneur and I understood from him what it meant to motivate and inspire a small team, to handle pressure and difficult times and how to have ambition and courage. A sense of ownership and belief, as well as taking in as much initiative and responsibility as you could muster, were the transformative aspects I also learned under Saul. Even after a year in the job, I had gained so much as a 26-year-old and was ready to have the courage to do something big and bold that in many cases hadn't been done before. Saul gave me some sound advice that building a business (I founded TrustedPlaces in 2006) is not about being the smartest, it is most of the time about common sense, thinking clearly and having grit and perseverance. Later, and purely coincidental, our first investor at Numan happened to be Saul's college room-mate and close friend. Nevertheless, it showed me how valuable reputation is, how people remember you and the good will that might come back for you. Read More: 'It was scary writing a £80k cheque for our sparkling rhubarb idea' The vision for Numan is to create a new model around health that integrates medication, diagnostics, expert access, change the way we think and react about our health, and focus on prevention and behavioural change. When I first thought about this in 2012 it was way too early. When we launched six years later it was still early but the language and vision was still there from the start. People are interested in engaging about health, understanding about themselves, to pay for it and engage in ways that were still niche in 2018. We started as a men's health start-up selling erectile dysfunction solutions to become a full-scale digital healthcare provider today with 270 employees. We turned over £30m in 2023 and more than doubled that with our first fully profitable year in 2024 after launching into the weight loss management space. We've helped patients achieve a total weight loss of over 200,000kg. Read More: The entrepreneurs making the next generation of 'premium' nappies This year we are set to roll out technologies in AI with patient engagements, as well as going deeper into women's health. AI will be transformative in both reducing costs and risk, as well as making the delivery of health more efficient and help us increase productivity. If I go back to Qwikker, the start-up mentality made me think strategically. I was fearless at that age to try stuff out and without being cocky, but I felt that if I couldn't do it then there was no one else who could. That experience carried me through everything I have done since. And Saul pushed and encouraged when he saw that you could grab the initiative. That is one thing I would love us to do more — to have that sense of ownership and not be afraid to fail. Read more: 'I went to a board meeting days after nearly dying but I soon saw my purpose' Meet the CEO responsible for selling London to the world 'Want to grow an iconic brand? CEOs have to value CMOs as servant leaders'Sign in to access your portfolio
