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Six innovators from Ontario in Canada were selected to bring health innovations to the Yorkshire and Humber region as part of the third international Propel@YH Boot Camp.

Run by the Yorkshire & Humber Academic Health Science Network (Yorkshire & Humber AHSN), this Boot Camp seeks to bring the best health innovations from around the world into the UK, with the Yorkshire and Humber region being the first to make use of them.

The AHSNs are increasingly operating on a global scale – building strategic partnerships with international bodies to stimulate inward investment and export growth opportunities. The Propel@YH Boot Camp is a huge opportunity to bring the latest health technology from around the world to our region, where our patients will get to benefit from the best technology first, and the region also benefits from the inward investment that the programme secures.

Innovations coming into the region for the Canadian Boot Camp included a digital PTSD therapy platform, a pelvic health rehabilitation company and a multi-disciplinary virtual healthcare clinic.

The small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) selected were:

• Hyivy Health offers pelvic health rehabilitation for patients
• Fluid AI’s innovation, Origin, is a monitoring solution for detecting post operative leaks
• Orchid Analytic platform addresses scheduling challenges in the operating room
• Savyn Tech is a digital Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) mental health therapy platform
• Smile Digital Health is a complete, collaborative and comprehensive health data fabric and integration platform
• CANImmunize is a technology company specializing in immunization software. Its app and web portal helps patients keep track of their vaccinations.

The innovators took part in a range of masterclasses, workshops and networking events across Leeds. Programme content included understanding how the NHS works, NHS governance, finance and procurement frameworks, clinical safety and supplier regulations, developing evidence-based proposals and reimbursement models.

The companies also had access to the AHSN’s partners who bring specific expertise to the programme and include:

• Barclays Eagle Labs
• Hill Dickinson
• Nexus, University of Leeds
• Leeds City Council
• West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership

Talking about her experience of joining the Boot Camp, Hyivy Health CEO and Founder Rachel Bartholomew, said: “The Propel@YH Boot Camp gave us all of the tools and resources in one week to establish our company in the UK, navigate the regulatory and data protection requirements specific to medical devices, find sources of funding for business operations and clinical trials while making connections into their network of esteemed personnel at NHS hospitals, the NIHR, local lawyers and banks to get our company operations off the ground quickly and effectively.

The team also was able to introduce us to key health and care professionals and stakeholders who we can pursue clinical research with. I am proud to say that Hyivy Health is now a part of Nexus, signing up to participate in more programs put on by the group and is now incorporated in the UK, all thanks to the connections made during the program”.

The Yorkshire & Humber AHSN is one of 15 AHSNs set up by NHS England to operate as the key innovation arm of the NHS. It acts as a bridge between health care providers, commissioners, academia and industry and accelerates the spread and adoption of proven innovations across the local healthcare system to improve the health and prosperity of our region.

Neville Young, Director of Enterprise and Innovation at the Yorkshire & Humber AHSN said: “We’re excited to host more innovative companies from across the globe wanting to bring their products to the UK, particularly here in Yorkshire and the Humber.

As part of our mission to support economic growth and improve the health and wellbeing of our region, the Propel@YH Boot Camp helps secure investment and jobs by attracting these businesses to the NHS market.

Now in its fourth year, the Propel@YH programme and Boot Camps have supported 44 SMEs many of which have gone onto great success, including securing national contracts and securing millions of pounds of investment from both the public and private sectors.

If we can successfully support these innovators to establish themselves in Yorkshire, we can use the great regional assets available to us combined with the strength of the AHSN Network to spread these innovations across the country, securing investment, jobs and health and wellbeing benefits for the whole of the UK.

I’d like to thank our partners and our sponsor, the Government of Ontario, who enabled us to run this short but intensive programme, we hope to be able to host more boot camps for other international businesses in the future.”