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Funding & Opportunities

Funding & Opportunities

Our business development team provides support to innovators, start-ups and small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) working in the health and life science sector across the West of England region and beyond.

We work closely with our member organisation to identify local needs and priorities in the healthcare industry. This information, combined with our large network enables us to reach out to companies through open innovation challenge pathways to provide solutions.

Alongside partners, we have received funding from European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), to create bespoke business support programmes. These programmes are designed to help innovators and SMEs to develop and commercialise innovative products and services that have the potential to improve and transform healthcare.

Many entrepreneurs find the NHS business landscape difficult to navigate – that’s why we’ve created a training programme specifically addressing the needs of healthcare innovators and covering core skills in entrepreneurship.

Health Innovation Programme

Support offered: An intensive, fully-funded, four-day personal development course, our Health Innovation Programme has been running since 2015, delivering high quality coaching, mentoring and personal development support.

Stage of innovation: This could be a product or service already in development or simply the germ of an idea.

Open to: Healthcare professionals or academics employed by one of the West of England AHSN’s member organisations, public contributors involved in one of our member organisations, or a small to medium enterprise (SME) or micro-business in Swindon & Wiltshire.

Application deadline: 11/08/2019

The Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) is an NHS England funded initiative led by the Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) to develop technology solutions for known healthcare challenges.

SBRI Healthcare Cardiovascular Challenge

Support offered: Successful applicants can receive up to £100,000 of funding for phase one (feasibility) and up to £1 million for phase two (development) for solutions that match the needs of the NHS.

Stage of innovation: Ready to launch

Open to: Open to all organisations that can demonstrate a route to market for their solution

Application deadline: 14/08/2019

The Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) is an NHS England funded initiative led by the Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) to develop technology solutions for known healthcare challenges.

SBRI Healthcare Integrated Care and Social Care Challenge

Stage of innovation: Ready to launch

Open to: Open to all organisations that can demonstrate a route to market for their solution

Application deadline: 14/08/2019

We've partnered with Wessex AHSN and Wiltshire Council to bring an Innovation Accelerator Programme for small and medium-sized enterprises in the Health and Life Sciences sector. The programme aims to support businesses through research, development and innovation activities with fully funded resources.

Swindon & Wiltshire Health and Life Science Innovation Hub

Support offered: 1:1 support from a suite of healthcare business experts available through a range of health sector specific professional services.

Stage of innovation: Applicants must have a business or be an individual entrepreneur with a registered business.

Open to: Companies either situated in, operating in or planning to relocate to the Swindon or Wiltshire area.

Application deadline: Ongoing

Together with the University of the West of England, we run the Health Tech Accelerator Programme to provide up to 12 hours of free business support to small and medium-sized enterprises in the health and life science sector.

Health Tech Accelerator Programme

Support offered: Mentoring and business support (including planning and strategy, financial advice, market research, IP advice and bid writing); sector specific expertise; networking & academic/ industry collaboration opportunities

Stage of innovation: Any

Open to: Start-ups and SMEs based in the West of England who are looking to further develop novel products or services for the health and life science sector