How to Start a Start Up
2025-01-25 09:00 - 17:00 UTC | University of Leeds, Parkinson Building, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
The morning will consist of specialist talks followed by an afternoon of workshops.
This is a MedTech Foundation event. More details to follow

2025 Masterclass in the Design and Conduct of Complex Intervention Evaluations
2025-01-29 09:00 - 17:00, 2025-02-05 09:00 - 17:00, 2025-02-12 09:00 - 17:00 | Microsoft Teams
Many health and social care interventions are complex and require careful consideration of key methodological challenges to enable robust evaluation. This workshop will provide attendees with a clear understanding of how to design and conduct a complex intervention evaluation and will include:

• What makes an intervention complex?
• An overview of existing frameworks
• The role of pilot and feasibility studies
• Trial design for complex intervention evaluation
• Intervention implementation and the role of a process evaluation
• Practical considerations for trial set-up and delivery
3 Day online course held on Wednesdays.
Wednesday 29th January, 5th February and 12th February.
Structure:
Teaching will be delivered live online.
There will be a strong emphasis on the practical exercises where participants will gain hands-on experience in the design and conduct of complex intervention evaluations, using a variety of real-life examples from our own experience.
Course Requirements:
Clinicians, Health Professionals, Researchers and NIHR Academy Members / Fellows interested in planning, leading, or being involved in the design and conduct of evaluations of complex interventions would benefit from this masterclass.
Attendees should already have good working knowledge of clinical trials and be keen to understand the challenges which are specific to evaluating complex interventions.
The masterclass is not suitable for those seeking an introduction to clinical trial design.
Early-bird registration £475 available until midnight Friday 20th December 2024.
Standard registration £525 from end of Early Bird until midday Friday 24th January 2025.

Research Inclusion
2025-01-29 12:30 - 13:30 | Microsoft Teams

National HealthTech Series - London
2025-01-30 | GBS London, 260 High Street, Stratford, London, E15 2JA, United Kingdom
Each event will involve a series of keynote speeches, panel discussions, pitch sessions, interactive roundtable discussions, careers fairs and super connect networking sessions involving stakeholders from across the healthcare, education, industry, startup and non-profit sectors. All sessions will include Q & A providing attendees with opportunities to get involved including the interactive workshops focused on the following topics that you can register to participate in on your registration.

Innovation for Healthcare Net Zero – Call for Innovators!
2025-01-31 10:00 - 11:30 | Microsoft Teams
Join our multidisciplinary team to learn about your chance to take part in our Innovation for Healthcare Net Zero Programme. Designed to assist innovators from an early-stage in developing new technologies for Net Zero Healthcare – the programme will place an emphasis on practical and focused activities on how to navigate the challenges and opportunities associated with embedding sustainability within innovation.
Target Audience: MedTech innovators in the early-mid stage of development, with a focus on embedding environmentally sustainable practice into their innovations.
This is a partnership between NIHR HRC Accelerated Surgical Care, Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber and Pd-m.

AI Meets Medicine: Strategies, Start-ups and Corporate Innovation - Invitation
2025-02-06 09:30 - 14:30 | University of Leeds, Parkinson Building, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
Professors Krsto Pandza and Hutan Ashrafian, alongside notable speakers from Microsoft, Behold.ai, NuraLogix, openEHR International and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, will discuss:

The strategic and managerial challenges related to AI as a Medical Device

How AI innovations can be developed and regulated in dynamic and uncertain healthcare environments

Key themes in innovation management to guide academic research in business studies

The importance of collaboration between industry practitioners and academic researchers

Women shaping the future of HealthTech
2025-02-06 17:00 - 19:30 | Union Mills, Union Mills, 9 Dewsbury Road,, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS11 5DD, United Kingdom
This unique gathering will bring together key stakeholders, including NHS regional representatives, local authority and mayoral combined authority partners, academic institutions, research organisations, and our network of innovators.

MedTech development in the NHS: collaboration, innovation, and investment opportunities
2025-02-11 08:30 - 15:00 | Nexus Leeds, Nexus at Leeds University, Discovery Way University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 3AA, United Kingdom
Join us for this event, hosted in partnership with Nexus at the University of Leeds and the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre. MedTech companies can learn about opportunities to collaborate and the support available to develop new technologies or test products in an NHS setting.
Attendees will have the chance to connect with NHS clinicians involved in innovation, receive guidance on regulatory requirements, and gain insights from experts in the investment landscape. At the end of the day, one-to-one sessions from VCs and other investors can be booked, offering a chance for you to discuss about your company’s specific needs and goals.
If you are seeking guidance on introducing your product to the NHS, this event is an excellent opportunity.

NIHR i4i Connect 9 - Launch Webinar
2025-02-11 10:00 - 11:30 | Microsoft Teams
The NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) programme is a translational research funding scheme aimed at supporting SMEs to de-risk early-to-late stage medical devices, in vitro diagnostics and high-impact patient-focused digital health technologies for ultimate use in the NHS or social care settings.
The NIHR i4i Programme will launch the 9th round of its Connect awards on the 18th of February 2025.
Offering up to £150,000 per project over a 6-12 month period, its primary aim is to help SMEs get to a point where they can apply for further funding or to support projects at any stage of the translational research and development pathway to further de-risk them for follow-on investment.
Agenda
10:00 – 10:30: Introduction to the Connect call, specification and application process
Pippa Gledhill, Senior Programme Manager NIHR i4i
10:30 – 11:25: Live Q&A
An opportunity for the audience to ask questions to the NIHR i4i Programme Team.

NIHR Fellowships 2025: changes to Fellowship schemes and University of Leeds support programme
2025-02-14 12:00 - 13:00 | Microsoft Teams
This session will include:

Overview of the changes to the NIHR Fellowship schemes and the NIHR application process that take effect from now.
Details of our bespoke support program for applications to the next round of the NIHR Doctoral (previously the Doctoral Fellowship and Doctoral Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship) and Postdoctoral (previously the Advanced Fellowship, Advanced Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship) Fellowships schemes.

NIHR changes to the Fellowships scheme

NIHR is simplifying how the schemes for career development are presented so it is less confusing for the applicant to know which scheme to apply for. In this information session we will talk through NIHR’s new simplified offer for career development and what that means for applicants from 2025 onwards.
NIHR are not reducing any of the opportunities available or reducing investment into research career development, but they are aiming to simplify the process by streamlining their awards. More details can be found here.

NIHR Fellowships support programme: Notify an intention to submit
This programme of support will be delivered by the University of Leeds (UoL), in partnership with our NHS partners, including the Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust (LTHT). It is open to all aspiring applicants who wish to develop an application hosted within the UoL or LTHT or those who are yet to decide who would be the most suitable host. If you are planning to apply to in the next round (dates below), please fill out this Microsoft Form by the 26th of February, Wednesday. This will allow us to tailor our support for the upcoming round.

Award
Application window

Postdoctoral Award
26 March – 21 May

Doctoral Award
9 April – 10 June

The programme will deliver online support sessions*, peer support and guidance to support those wishing to develop an application in 2025. The programme will enable you to work with others who are applying for applications at the same time as you, to network, build connections and support each other.

*Anyone keen on applying for future rounds of NIHR Fellowships or finding out more about the schemes or topics is also welcome to attend the information and support sessions. Details of the sessions will be circulated separately.

Details and recordings of previous support programme can be found here.

Talking Point Tuesdays - NICE: Making an Early Assessment
2025-02-18 09:00 - 12:00 | Hybrid Event, United Kingdom
Join us on Tuesday 18th February at 09:00 AM at The Catalyst (10:00AM for online attendees) for a morning of insightful discussions and networking opportunities. At this exciting event, you’ll learn about NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) and hear about some key updates.
Background
The Innovation Observatory is the gateway to the NICE Technology Assessment (TA) Programme for industry, preventing delays in bringing new and repurposed medicines to the UK market through the early identification and tracking of new and repurposed medicines and health technologies.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) TA programme provides UK healthcare guidance through Technology Appraisals and Highly Specialised Technologies assessments. A NICE recommendation is crucial for market access to the NHS in England and Wales. The Innovation Observatory is the first step in the process and we work closely with our pharmaceutical industry partners.
We provide the ‘gateway’ to NICE by submitting potential topics that meet the NICE Topic Selection criteria for medicines as set out in the NICE Topic Selection Manual. We follow the development of new and repurposed medicines from at least two years before estimated UK license to provide a timely notification to NICE. This early notification triggers the NICE TA process and allows NICE to provide new guidelines as close to the license date as possible.
The Innovation Observatory has a strict confidentiality agreement which means we only share confidential information with selected policymakers.
Sign up to this informative event
With a range of knowledgeable speakers and an expert panel available for your questions – don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity!
This event is funded by NIHR and free to attend. Attendance is available either online or in -person at The Catalyst in Newcastle. It is open to nationwide small and medium sized businesses operating in the health and life sciences sector.

NIHR Developing Research Leaders Programme for Allied Health Professionals - Information Webinars
2025-02-18 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-03-06 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-03-18 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-03-26 12:00 - 13:00 | Microsoft Teams
This programme provides funded time for you to explore your own ways to build research capacity and capability in your organisation, and to develop a positive research culture in support of your team, service and organisational priorities.
You will use your knowledge, skills and personal experiences to motivate and enable others to get involved in research activities that help improve health and care outcomes.
We are looking for motivated AHPs from various health and social care backgrounds who aspire to develop as research leaders, are good at connecting with others, and who bring fresh ideas to drive a positive research culture.

Launch of NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in In Vitro Diagnostics
2025-02-21 09:30 - 15:00 | Storey Club, Storey Club, Paddington Central, 4 Kingdom Street, London, London, United Kingdom
The HRC IVD is a centre of expertise offering research and navigation services for innovators at all stages of IVD development. Hosted by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, we help innovators translate their ideas into the clinical setting. Our initial focus is on cancer, infectious and respiratory diseases, critical care, primary and social care.

Attend the launch and discover:

Our aims and ambitions for the HRC

Our services, networks, and facilities

Success stories from industry

How we bring together the ecosystem to accelerate IVD adoption by the NHS

There will also be networking opportunities and lunch is provided.

Building global futures - AI and Healthcare
2025-02-24 13:00 - 17:00 | University of York, York Guildhall, Coney Street, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 9QL, United Kingdom
Are you ready to collaborate, innovate, and reimagine healthcare? Hosted by the University of York in partnership with Amity University, India. This event will bring together leading academics, industry leaders, and innovators to explore how cutting-edge research and partnerships can shape the future of AI in healthcare.
Why You Should Join Us:

Co-create solutions: Dive into hands-on, interactive sessions to tackle real healthcare challenges.
Learn and share: Hear from experts, share ideas, and be inspired by the latest in AI and healthcare.
Connect globally: Work alongside researchers, developers, clinicians, and innovators with global perspectives.

This event will feature a wide range of research overviews, keynote speeches, and panel discussions that provide both theoretical insights and practical perspectives on AI’s role in transforming healthcare. Additionally, it creates space to explore how partnerships between academia and industry can accelerate progress in this vital field.
Through collaboration, academia and industry can harness their collective expertise to drive groundbreaking advancements in AI for healthcare, addressing global challenges with innovative, practical, and impactful solutions.
We hope you can join us to explore the potential for partnership and innovation in this exciting and critical area.

West Yorkshire Innovation Festival
2025-03-03 08:00 - 2025-03-07 17:00
From the Industrial Revolution onwards, West Yorkshire has been a hotbed of innovation, where ground-breaking discoveries and transformative practices go hand in hand to power our economic success and prosperity.

Returning for its third year, the West Yorkshire Innovation Festival brings together businesses, entrepreneurs of all ages and backgrounds, and experts to share resources and support, and showcase the innovation happening across the region.

Created by the West Yorkshire Innovation Network and coordinated by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the festival aims to encourage ideas and collaboration to create new opportunities, positive change and foster a culture of innovation to help supercharge our businesses.

Understanding the Link Between Oral Health & IBD
2025-03-03 17:30 - 19:00 | Hybrid Event, United Kingdom
Oral health can provide crucial insights into systemic diseases like Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). This hybrid workshop aims to raise awareness of how conditions such as Orofacial Granulomatosis (OFG) can be linked to underlying gut diseases like Crohn’s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC)
🔬 Learn from Experts
Gain insights from leading specialists, including:

Dr. Tathyane Nakajima Teshima – NIHR Clinical Lecturer & Expert in Oral Medicine, UCL
Professor Andrew Smith – Senior Lecturer in Innate Immunity, UCL Eastman Dental Institute

🧪 Discover the Latest Research

Explore the connection between oral symptoms and IBD
Understand the role of biomarkers in early detection & disease management
Learn about future advancements in precision medicine

💬 Engage & Ask Questions

Recognise early symptoms & improve disease management
Participate in a live Q&A with specialists
Connect with patients, caregivers, researchers, and healthcare professionals

LTHT Innovation EXPO
2025-03-04 15:00 - 18:00 | Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Old Medical School, Thoresby Place Great George Street Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 3EX, United Kingdom
Join us at this exciting EXPO event, hosted by the Innovation Pop Up, to find out about the latest cutting-edge developments in health technology innovation. Guests will have the opportunity to interact with Innovation Pop members who will be demonstrating their latest innovations, as well as an opportunity to network with regional innovation partners and colleagues from across LTHT. The event will also showcase our future ambitions and plans for the new Innovation Hub based in the Old Medical School.
To confirm your place, please RSVP using the registration link and if you have any questions, contact innovation.lth@nhs.net

Addressing the diversity challenge: Using data to identify the right research locations
2025-03-05 14:00 - 15:00 | Microsoft Teams
Health research regulators across the globe are encouraging researchers to increase the diversity of people taking part in clinical trials. The Health Research Authority (HRA) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have all issued or updated inclusion and diversity guidance in the last 12 months.
With these changes ongoing, one thing is certain: inclusive research is better research. In the UK our data capabilities are rapidly expanding and creating new ways to target research locations that offer opportunities to engage diverse populations.
You will hear from:
– Esther Mukuka, NIHR Director of Research Inclusion
– Laura Bousfield, NIHR National Research Delivery Director
– Mark Evans, NIHR Research Data and Digital Transformation Manager
Join the webinar to hear the latest in this evolving conversation and hear about emerging solutions.

Healthcare and Innovation Forum
2025-03-12 12:30 - 17:00 | Squire Patton Boggs, 60 London Wall, London,, EC2M 5TQ, United Kingdom
We are delighted to invite you to attend the Healthcare and Innovation Forum, an exclusive event bringing together thought leaders, innovators and industry experts to explore the most pressing challenges and emerging opportunities within the healthcare sector.
As healthcare continues to evolve in response to global trends and technological advancements, this forum will provide a platform for in-depth discussions on critical topics, including decarbonisation, healthcare policy, M&A and the growing role of HealthTech and AI.

National HealthTech Series - Birmingham
2025-03-13 | GBS Birmingham, Norfolk House, Smallbrook Queensway, Birmingham, West Midlands, B5 4LJ, United Kingdom

Talking Point Tuesdays - Health Economics
2025-03-18 09:00 - 12:00 | Hybrid Event, United Kingdom
Join us on Tuesday 18th March 2025 at 09:00 AM at The Catalyst for a morning of insightful discussions and networking opportunities. At this exciting event, you’ll learn all about Health Economics as well as finding out about you can get involved with the HTC – Health Technology Committee and HEG – Health Economic Group.
Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity!
This event is funded by NIHR and free to attend. Attendance is available either online or in -person at The Catalyst in Newcastle. It is open to nationwide small and medium sized businesses operating in the health and life sciences sector.

Shaping the Future of Healthcare
2025-03-19 12:00 - 13:30 | Microsoft Teams
The healthcare landscape is evolving rapidly, and organisations and businesses that can adapt and innovate will lead the way. Discover how academic partnerships can create new pathways for growth and expansion in the healthcare sector. These partnerships have the capacity to generate and sustain business growth, leading to improved competitiveness, process improvements, productivity, and ultimately profitability.
In this webinar, we will:

Outline the steps to connect with academic institutions, including NHSA universities, and highlight Innovate UK funding opportunities and ways to access pioneering health research that can drive innovation in your business or organisation.
Teach you how to collaborate with leading academic institutions, tap into their expertise, and explore the funding required to bring your health-related products and services to market.
Share how academic partnerships can create new pathways for growth and expansion in the healthcare sector, helping you bring your health-related products and services to market.
Provide key contacts to facilitate future interactions and foster innovative collaborations.

NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre Online Seminar Series: Tips for a Successful Grant Application
2025-03-19 12:30 - 13:30 | Microsoft Teams
We are delighted to host the NIHR Leeds BRC Seminar Series on the topic “Tips for a Successful Grant Application” on Wednesday 19th March 2025 from 12:30 to 13:30.

Please sign up using the link below by this Monday 17th March 2025, 10 am:
https://forms.gle/FC9ygTPYNtDcyQ4V6

Please see the flyer for more information.

The meeting link will be distributed to those who have signed up on the day before the event.

The sessions will be recorded. Recordings will be available about a couple of weeks following the event on our YouTube channel using the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/@nihrleedsbiomedicalresearc4165/videos

NIHR webinar: Approaches to Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) - Thursday 20th March at 11.30am
2025-03-20 11:30 - 12:30 | Microsoft Teams
NIHR are hosting a webinar on Thursday 20th March at 11:30am aimed at anyone funded or applying for an NIHR Award, as well as staff accountable for public involvement in their research projects/ roles.

The webinar will cover:
• NIHR’s definition of PPI
• Public Partnerships Strategic Commitments
• The importance of involving members of the public in research
• Expectations of PPI in NIHR
• Different approaches in PPI

Register here

Women in IP - Connected Bubbles
2025-03-26 12:00 - 14:00 | Horizon Leeds, Kendall Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS10 1JR, United Kingdom
