For many people living with diabetes, foot ulcers develop quietly and can go unnoticed until they become serious. Secuped, a Leiden-based start-up, is working to change that story. Drawing on medical knowledge and smart sensor technology, the team is developing a home monitoring system that is intended to allow patients to check their feet daily and clinicians to intervene long before damage sets in. It's a simple idea with the potential to be life-changing.

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A new way to stay ahead of complications

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Diabetic foot ulcers are a major global health issue, and early detection is key to avoiding infection, hospitalisation, or long-term tissue loss. Yet the earliest signs are easy to miss, especially between routine medical appointments.

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Secuped's home monitor is being designed as a practical solution. The device aims to capture subtle temperature changes in the feet, which are early indicators that tissue may be under stress.

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As founder Martijn van de Giessen explains, “Through home monitoring, we aim to enable our users and their healthcare providers to intervene in time, before a wound develops.” These interventions can be relatively straightforward. “Interventions to offload the feet can be easy,” he adds, “taking rest or getting better-fitting shoewear.”

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Rethinking detection from the ground up

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Traditional diabetic foot care relies on infrequent check-ups and visual assessments, which leave long gaps in monitoring. Secuped's innovation seeks to replace this reactive model with continuous, data-informed insight.

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Its sensor platform is being designed to highlight risk patterns far earlier than visible symptoms would, giving clinicians a chance to act before ulcers develop.

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The start-up's contribution lies not only in its technology but in its integration into routine care. By translating sensor data into clear, clinically relevant information, the system will help bridge home monitoring and hospital decision-making, potentially reducing complications and easing healthcare pressure.

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Local collaborations driving progress

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Set within the wider network of Leiden’s entrepreneurship and research infrastructure, Secuped benefits from an environment designed to support early-stage health innovations. Its development is closely tied to Leiden’s medical ecosystem through collaboration with the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), where clinical expertise helps guide both scientific and practical decision-making.

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At the same time, partnerships with patient and healthcare organisations ensure the technology reflects real-world needs. Early feedback has already shaped design choices. “People really like that the device looks very friendly, not like a medical device,” says Van de Giessen. “This will help acceptance by our future users.”

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Looking ahead

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Secuped is now advancing towards broader technical and clinical validation. Recent early-stage funding, including investment from the Graduate Entrepreneur Fund and support from UNIIQ, is helping the team refine prototypes and prepare for further evaluation.

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Clear milestones are already in view. “In the next two years, we aim to go from prototype to product, run our first clinical trials and obtain CE-labelling,” Van de Giessen says. Alongside participation in collaborative research initiatives such as the DIAMOND project with LUMC and other partners, these steps mark a transition from development towards clinical readiness.

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With continued collaboration across Leiden’s research community, Secuped is moving towards a future in which reliable, at-home monitoring could become a standard part of diabetic foot care, helping clinicians act sooner and supporting patients in preventing complications before they begin.

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written by Lyna Meyrer