Building on the success of the pilot Innovation for Healthcare Net Zero Programme in spring 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is launching the NIHR Net Zero Innovation Catalyst. The Catalyst supports early-stage innovators in embedding sustainable practices into their innovations and advancing toward translational funding applications and adoption.
Delivered in partnership with Pd-m, sustainability specialists within HealthTech product design, the Catalyst offers innovators hands-on support from academic, clinical, and industry expertise in sustainability and HealthTech. In alignment with the DHSC ‘Design for Life’ framework for establishing a circular economy of reuse, remanufacture and recycling in medical products. The three-month CPD accredited programme equips innovators with practical approaches and knowledge to embed sustainability within their innovations.
A prize fund will be split between exceptional innovators participating in the Catalyst to support future development and evidence generation for follow-on funding applications.
Visit the HRC Network Website for more information
The Net Zero Catalyst is led by a partnership of the following organisations:
Pd-m: Founded in 2005, Pd-m is a Product Design and Sustainability consultancy with a focus on Health Technologies. The business works with a range of clients including boot-strapped start-ups to med tech multinationals, to embed sustainability into their organisations at a strategic and practical level.
NIHR Climate, Health & Sustainability (CHS): Responsible for NIHR’s mission to drive and promote sustainable health and care systems. The CHS team supports this mission by funding research, supporting knowledge mobilisation and building research capacity in climate, health and environmental sustainability.
NIHR HealthTech Research Centre Network: provides strategic leadership and coordination for NIHR’s 14 HealthTech Research Centres (HRCs). The Network’s ambition is to transform UK healthtech into a thriving ecosystem of industry, academia, and the NHS, bringing innovative healthtech solutions to patients more rapidly and driving economic growth.
NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Accelerated Surgical Care: drives HealthTech innovation to deliver socio-economic benefit, through quicker diagnosis and treatment of surgical conditions. Sustainability and Net Zero is a cross-cutting research theme that focuses on the methods and technologies needed to reduce waste and promote sustainability.