About the Accelerator

DigitalHealth.London Accelerator programme is uniquely positioned to provide in-depth knowledge of the NHS to a cohort of high potential small and medium sized businesses (SMEs). The Accelerator aims to speed up the adoption of innovation at scale, ensuring that greater numbers of patients benefit from emerging new technology, more rapidly.

It’s the first programme of its kind, based in London, which draws upon a number of key founding and strategic partners, who together bring a rich and diverse collateral of resources and expertise across healthcare, research, innovation, digital health and tech.

The programme is receiving £1.7 million of funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.  The Department for Communities and Local Government is the Managing Authority for ERDF. Established by the European Union ERDF funds help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations.  For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.

The year-long programme will run over three consecutive years to work with around 80 (20 – 30 in each year) SMEs and support them through meetings and events individually tailored to each business’s specific needs, which focuses on

• engagement with clinicians and healthcare experts
• refining products to meet needs
• deepening understanding of the health system
• showcasing in health facilities
• developing business models in order to progress product development
• access to the market

Each SME is assigned a Digital Health (NHS) Navigator, an experienced professional from the NHS with the expertise to understand their needs and gain first-hand advice on products in development and business models.

What can you expect from the DigitalHealth.London Accelerator programme?

Throughout the programme, the cohort of SMEs will be encouraged to attend (by “invitation-only”) highly informative events to build up their knowledge and network in the NHS to tackle the challenges when scaling up their business with the NHS and the wider healthcare system.

This will include and is not restricted to the below:

• Day-to-day contact and quarterly meetings with your Navigator to diagnose business needs, agree on the quarterly goals and track progress
• ‘Meet the Expert’ workshops structured around a particular theme of interest to SMEs with an aim to give an opportunity to learn, explore the wider context, gain insights and network with key decision makers (for example, meet NHS Trust leads and decision makers, London CIOs and hear from procurement experts)
• Pitching workshops to perfect your pitching skills
• Access to specific calls from a wide networks of partners to showcase your work, network or meet prospective investors
• Access to the Innovation Voucher scheme to engage with clinicians and healthcare organisations
• Access to a panel of mentors committed to support the SMEs
• An invitation to the cohort-wide socials and opportunities for SMEs to collaborate

To better understand how the programme works, we have put together these useful graphics and resource materials:

• Who benefits from the Accelerator programme
• A typical journey through the Accelerator programme for an SME
• A graphic featuring our founding and strategic partners
• See what senior NHS stakeholders say about the programme (video channel)
• Read the FAQs page
• Meet the first cohort of 2016

Get in touch with us at dhla@digitalhealth.london if you would like to take part in the programme.