Talk to us!

One year ago our revolutionary Automated DTAC Compliance Platform was born: The DTAC Squirrel™. 

We have many milestones to celebrate since the Squirrel™’s launch 1 year ago and are grateful to our clients whose feedback has helped shape the Squirrel™ into what it is today, and our team who made it all happen. Thank you!

‍

The Origin of DTAC Squirrel™

DTAC Squirrel™ evolved from a set of tools we initially used in-house for consulting services that were incredibly effective in streamlining the DTAC compliance process. These tools saved us countless hours of work, so when we realised we could give these tools to our clients directly at an accessible price, we knew it would change DTAC forever. 

The Squirrel™ AI chatbot evolved rapidly during its initial development, transforming from a knowledgeable (but characterless) bot, to a genuinely personable and inspiring DTAC teacher. He is truly the embodiment of Acorn Compliance, playful but powerful!

I’ll admit that it’s been a while since I completed one of his in-person challenges (especially the squats), but our users say that the Squirrel™’s little personality makes compliance work far more engaging!

‍

Achievement in Innovation

With Squirrel™'s 1st birthday, we are able to reflect not only what we have achieved but what is next. Since its release, the Squirrel has “learned a number of new features” including:

• Built-in e-learning, covering multiple standards including AI best practices
• Product version tracking to ensure innovators stay compliant
• Non-mandatory DTAC tasks that help your NHS applications, boost the viability of your healthtech innovation in the UK, and prepare you for international expansion

Squirrel™, like DTAC itself, continues to evolve. The most profound evolution has come through AI upgrades, that are ensuring Squirrel™ stays tuned to changing regulations and offers curated, and clear advice to innovators to aid their compliance journeys. 

Additionally,  Squirrel™ has gained consciousness and can now analyse completed compliance tasks in real-time and guide the innovator as to which task should be done next. Guided by user feedback, we have honed in on each task to make it as easy as to complete as possible with tasks now broken down into bite-sized steps, and repetitive items eliminated to streamline the DTAC process.

‍

A Year of Success

Squirrel™ has guided multiple SMEs through DTAC at breakneck speed, hitting our bold claims of achieving DTAC 10x faster. And the Squirrel™ isn’t just for UK innovators, it’s also helped international companies enter the UK market. Emergency services have even used our platform to keep up with NHS standards! 

In 2024, as a part of our mission to empower healthtech innovation, we launched the Squirrel™ Innovation Fund, giving 5 healthtech startups free access to our Squirrel™ platform. Because of this, innovators who normally would have been stuck in regulatory red tape, were able to get DTAC compliant and bring their product closer to the patients who need it.

Last year, we also had the privilege of taking the DTAC Squirrel™ worldwide! We’ve been all over the UK, visited the EU, attended large trade shows, delivered talks at accelerator events and even embassy dinners. Big thanks here to all who hosted us and aided this journey! And if you happen to see our team in your corner of the world, please come say “Hello” and collect some Squirrel™ branded goodies!

‍

Squirrel™ Goes Onward!

We’re now looking forward to celebrating the Squirrel™’s 1^st birthday, and would like to extend our thanks to our community and all those who’ve supported and believed in us. The Squirrel™ platform started as a bold idea, and is now a reality. It remains the only automated compliance platform that was developed from a deep understanding of healthtech and is geared to assisting innovators get compliant with DTAC and other frameworks. Thanks to your feedback, interest and engagement we have managed to develop the best way for innovators to become DTAC compliant.

I’ve been told I can’t reveal what features are coming next, but we have some very big ticket items on the way that will increase Squirrel™’s value for money, simplify further the process of getting compliant with multiple frameworks, and  assuring the safety and security of healthtech for all, worldwide. Stay in touch or follow us to get the latest  Squirrel™ news sent directly to your inbox!

Happy birthday Squirrel™ 🎈

Written by Leon Stein, Compliance Specialist, “Squirrel™ Trainer”, Acorn Compliance

‍