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Propel@YH partner series: Barclays Eagle Labs

Written by: Jen Estherby - 14th November 2024

Our Propel@YH digital accelerator programme provides a six-month course of bespoke support to enable HealthTech startups and scaleups to bring innovative digital health and patient solutions to the Yorkshire and Humber health economy.

Barclays Eagle Labs has been a partner of Propel@YH since its inception back in 2018. In this blog, Jen Estherby, Head of Eagle Labs Life Sciences and HealthTech discusses Barclays Eagle Lab’s partnership with Propel@YH.

Barclays Eagle Labs’ mission is to connect the UK’s entrepreneurial ecosystem through a network of business incubators, growth programmes, access to experts and business support. We support specific industry verticals, including Life Sciences and HealthTech. The Propel@YH accelerator is a perfect fit for us to work with innovators in that marketplace and this is why we were brought on as a partner.

Barclays Eagle Labs brings a wealth of expertise to the programme and supports entrepreneurs in the UK to connect, innovate and grow. The masterclass we deliver ensures innovators know what support is available to understand the funding landscape better. We also assist innovators with high-growth banking expertise, investor connectivity and digital skills training alongside access to resident experts and coaches, education and mentor events and workshops with industry experts.

Since being a partner from the beginning of Propel@YH, we have seen it grow over the last five years, particularly in expanding its range of partners. The innovators on the programme now receive a broad range of bespoke support from partners on topics such as legal advice, user-centred design and evidence and evaluation. More recently, the programme has developed its offer to global organisations. Propel@YH recognises the importance of attracting health innovation talent to the UK from overseas and has established a successful series of international Boot Camps to bring innovators into the region from countries such as the USA, Canada, the Nordic region and India.

Together with the Boot Camps, programmes like Propel@YH build on the great HealthTech ecosystem there is in place in the region. Now, with the new government in position and having a shared mission to build an NHS fit for the future, this has enabled a real focus to further drive innovation into the sector resulting in a more joined-up and collaborative collective of organisations working closely together. The accelerator is a great example of how bringing together key components of a local ecosystem can result in the successful adoption of innovation into public sector settings.

Since the programme engages with key stakeholders from across the ecosystem, the relevant decision makers are involved in supporting the innovation to gain traction in the healthcare system locally. Having the local city council, university and hospital networks involved in the programme is a unique support offering.

If I could offer one piece of advice to any HealthTech startup it would be to take the time to understand what support is available out there for businesses as not everything has to be invented or created when you can gain insight or knowledge from being part of an established ecosystem.

Further details about the programme can be found on our Propel@YH website.