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Applications for the programme are open until midnight on Sunday 13 October 2024
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Applications open for Accelerating FemTech
September 9, 2024Today, the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London has opened applications for the second cohort of Accelerating FemTech to further support the issues raised within the Women’s Health Strategy. Funded by Innovate UK and the Medical Research Council, the programme helps early-stage companies, university spinouts and entrepreneurial-minded academics focused on women’s health to gain the commercial and funding momentum they need for long-term success.
Building upon the expertise gained from running the award-winning DigitalHealth.London Accelerator, Accelerating FemTech is a specialised programme dedicated to advancing women's health innovations. It offers bespoke support, targeted workshops, and mentoring to enhance product development, entrepreneurship skills, and stakeholder engagement across the NHS and academia. The programme will also support participants to prepare for a special closed-call feasibility funding opportunity through Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst.
The delivery of Accelerating FemTech is led by the HIN in collaboration with partners across the UK, including: DigitalHealth.London, CW Innovation, Health Innovation West of England, Health Innovation East Midlands, Health Innovation West Midlands, Health Innovation Yorkshire and Humber, Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria, Health Innovation North West Coast, the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) Scotland, Health Innovation Research Alliance Northern Ireland (HIRANI) and others.
On the announcement, Rishi Das-Gupta, Chief Executive for the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London, and Anna King, Commercial Director for the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London, reflect on how Accelerating FemTech will support innovators working to address urgent challenges in women's health:
“Women’s health is an area with vast opportunities for innovation. From female-specific areas like maternal health, fertility, gynaecological cancers, and menopause, to conditions that disproportionately or uniquely impact women, such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, we have designed Accelerating FemTech to inspire and empower innovators to address these critical challenges, providing them with the knowledge and support they need to advance work within this space.”Anna King, Commercial Director for the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London
“The Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London is excited to be running the Accelerating FemTech programme for a second consecutive year. Supported by Innovate UK’s Biomedical Catalyst (BMC) in partnership with the Medical Research Council, this programme underscores the critical importance of collective expertise and collaboration in advancing innovations in women’s health. I look forward to collaborating with health and care leaders across the UK to help close the gender gap in the industry and drive meaningful progress in women’s health.” Rishi Das-Gupta, Chief Executive for the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London
Ten companies from the inaugural cohort of Accelerating FemTech were awarded a share of over £1 million through the Biomedical Catalyst. Their successful projects focus on a range of women’s health problems, including menstruation management, maternity and neonatal safety, as well as cervical screening.
Among the successful companies is IBEX Innovations Ltd, whose innovative detection software, IBEX Bone Health, can be integrated into routine breast cancer screening programmes, facilitating early detection and diagnosis of osteoporosis. Another winning company is Joii Ltd, who are empowering people who menstruate to track their period symptoms and utilise latest scientific insights to enhance their understanding of gynaecological health.
Dr Samana Brannigan, Head of Health Technologies at Innovate UK, reflects on the vision for the Biomedical Catalyst and the support accelerators, including Accelerating FemTech, can provide for innovators in this field:
“The vision for the Biomedical Catalyst is to support early stage businesses to grow by translating their ideas into innovative products and services that can improve patients’ lives and boost UK economic growth. We are pleased to be able to build on the success of last year’s accelerators, working in collaboration with the Medical Research Council, to inspire new spinouts and start-ups, and create a pathway to commercialisation from our excellent research base.”Dr Samana Brannigan, Head of Health Technologies at Innovate UK
On the announcement of Accelerating FemTech opening for applications, Laura Dickens, Associate Director of Industry Partnerships at Medical Research Council, said:
“We are delighted to partner with Innovate UK and the HIN on the Accelerating FemTech programme to build on the success of the first round. We look forward to seeing the novel ideas that come forward and how those develop through the programme to create a pipeline of both academic-led and business-led innovations, which are then able to progress towards societal and economic benefit through accessing funding opportunities from Medical Research Council, Innovate UK or the wider innovation ecosystem.”Laura Dickens, Associate Director of Industry Partnerships at Medical Research Council
Accelerating FemTech is open to early-stage companies, university spinouts and academic entrepreneurs from across the UK who are looking to take their early-stage innovation to the next level. Learn more about the programme by reading Accelerating FemTech: FAQs.
Applications for the programme are now open until midnight on Sunday 13 October 2024.
Learn more about the programme: 101 Webinar
This is your chance to learn more about the Accelerating FemTech programme, engage with members of the programme delivery team and some of the companies who have been previously supported on Tuesday 1 October from 12:30PM to 1:30PM.
Sign up to the webinar