SwalTech

Transforming global dysphagia treatment from Christchurch

Swallowing Technologies (SwalTech®), a MedTech startup born out of Christchurch, is turning the traditional approach to dysphagia rehabilitation on its head – and attracting increasing attention from investors looking for scalable, clinically backed digital health solutions.

How big is the global problem of dysphagia?

$77 million in annual healthcare costs – just from stroke-related dysphagia in New Zealand alone. Multiply that across global populations, and the scale of the problem becomes impossible to ignore.

How is SwalTech changing the way we treat swallowing disorders?

The company's flagship product, BiSSkApp (Biofeedback in Strength and Skill Application), leverages world-first clinical research to help patients retrain their brains to swallow.

Unlike conventional therapies that focus solely on muscle strengthening, BiSSkApp targets neuroplasticity, offering a digital rehabilitation tool that is mobile, measurable, and scalable – enabling patients to access intensive therapy anytime, anywhere

Who’s behind SwalTech?

SwalTech is currently expanding across New Zealand and Australia. The company is led by CEO Emma Hayes, and built on the decades-long clinical and research expertise of Distinguished Professor Maggie-Lee Huckabee, whose pioneering work challenged conventional thinking around dysphagia treatment.

“This is exactly the kind of cutting-edge health tech that’s thriving in Christchurch,” says Paul Wilkinson, Head of Commercial and Skills Attraction at ChristchurchNZ. “SwalTech exemplifies how our innovation ecosystem supports globally scalable solutions that solve real-world health problems.”

Why Christchurch?

With a team of 10 and growing, SwalTech is a standout example of Christchurch’s emergence as a health tech innovation hub – offering investors access to IP-rich ventures at the intersection of AI, clinical science, and digital rehabilitation.

The problem they’re solving is enormous: dysphagia affects up to 15 million people in the US alone, with similar prevalence across Europe and Asia-Pacific. The current gold standard of care is outdated, inconsistent, and expensive.

SwalTech offers a scalable SaaS-based solution, with the potential to transform healthcare delivery for aging populations worldwide.

Does the technology really work?

This isn’t just technology for technology’s sake – it works.

Just ask Eric Knapp, a former firefighter who lost his ability to swallow after a stroke at age 32. After intensive therapy using the same approach behind BiSSkApp, Eric now eats, drinks – and works alongside the SwalTech team as a patient advocate.

What’s next for SwalTech?

SwalTech is currently exploring partnerships and funding opportunities to accelerate its next growth phase.