Healthcare innovators, NHS professionals and industry experts are being invited to take part in a high-intensity programme aimed at accelerating solutions to some of the health service’s most pressing challenges.
Health Tech Enterprise, which supports MedTech innovators in navigating the complexities of healthcare commercialisation, has opened applications for its upcoming Health Innovation Sprints in London and Cambridge.
The sprints will take place on 11 May 2026 at Kilburn & Strode LLP, and on 2 June at the Imperial War Museum Duxford, with the latter focusing specifically on paediatrics and child health.
Dr Anne Blackwood, chief executive for Health Tech Enterprise, said: “Our Health Innovation Sprints are designed to break down barriers between ideas and implementation.
“By bringing NHS innovators together with commercial, technical and regulatory expertise in one room, we can accelerate the development of solutions that directly address real-world challenges in healthcare.
“We’re particularly keen to hear from both idea owners and experienced advisors who want to play a hands-on role in shaping the next generation of health technologies.”
The initiative will bring together “clinical entrepreneurs” – individuals or teams with early-stage healthcare innovations – alongside experienced technical, commercial and clinical experts who can help shape and accelerate their ideas into viable products and services.
The one-day sprints are designed as intensive workshops, where participants work in small, multidisciplinary teams.
Each group combines innovators with specialists in areas including product development, regulation, intellectual property, health economics and investment.
Following keynote sessions and short pitches, teams collaborate to build a practical roadmap for progressing each idea.
Projects are expected to align with NHS priorities, including the shift from hospital to community care, increased digital adoption, and a stronger focus on prevention.
The programme is open to NHS staff and healthcare start-ups with early-stage ideas, as well as experienced professionals from across technical, commercial and clinical disciplines who are keen to support innovation.
Applicants with ideas are typically expected to have reached Technology Readiness Level 3 (TRL3) or above.
By the end of the sprint, teams will have developed a structured business case and roadmap,
covering areas such as regulation, commercialisation and product development.
Projects will then be presented to a judging panel, with awards recognising the strongest progress made during the day.
The winner of the Innovation Voucher, sponsored by eg technology, will receive complimentary development time with the eg engineering team to develop and progress their idea through solutions such as ideation workshops followed by concept drawings or story boards, design reviews of existing prototypes and putting together a user or product requirements specification.
Previous events have led to collaborations between clinicians and SMEs, as well as successful grant applications funded by organisations including EPSRC and NHS charities.
The sprints are designed not only to accelerate individual ideas, but also to strengthen collaboration across the health tech ecosystem.
Jonathan Morrall for Kilburn & Strode LLP, said: “We are really excited to partner with Health Tech Enterprise on this Health Innovation Sprint event.
“Medtech is a core area for us, and our Medtech group is delighted to be supporting NHS innovators tackle real-world challenges in healthcare.
“The group of assembled experts including members of our specialist Medtech team will provide an excellent opportunity for the innovators to develop their solutions.”
Experts from across technical and commercial disciplines are strongly encouraged to attend and support participating teams.
Those interested in taking part can find out more by contacting [email protected].
