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White Rose partnership builds health innovation bridge between Yorkshire and Telangana’s Genome Valley

New agreement with IKP Knowledge Park in Hyderabad opens doors for innovators in both countries, signed during the White Rose programme in India

Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IKP Knowledge Park, in Hyderabad’s Genome Valley, one of India’s largest life sciences clusters. The agreement creates a Yorkshire to Telangana Innovation Bridge, linking the health innovation ecosystems of the two regions.

The MoU was signed today by Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber Chief Executive Professor Richard Stubbs and IKP Knowledge Park Chief Executive Dr Satya Prakash Dash.

It took place during the White Rose partnership’s programme in Hyderabad, with representatives of all three White Rose mayoral combined authorities, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, and York and North Yorkshire, attending the signing.

The programme is part of The Great North India Mission, the first visit by a Northern delegation since the UK–India Free Trade Agreement came into force in July.

Under the partnership, the two organisations will:

• connect innovators, companies, universities and health organisations in Yorkshire and Telangana, opening routes to new partners and markets
• promote and support trade missions, delegations and visits between the two regions
• collaborate in areas of shared strength, including life sciences, healthtech, digital health and medical devices

Professor Richard Stubbs, Chief Executive of Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber, said:

“This agreement builds a two-way innovation bridge between two of the world’s most exciting health and life sciences regions. It gives Indian innovators a clear route into Yorkshire to work with the NHS, our universities and our industry, and it gives Yorkshire companies a door into Telangana’s Genome Valley and one of the world’s fastest-growing health markets.

“The Free Trade Agreement has created the opportunity. Partnerships like this are how we turn it into jobs, investment and better care for patients in both countries.”

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “My ambition is to make South Yorkshire the healthiest region in the country. While the challenges South Yorkshire and India face may be different, we share the same vision. We all want people to live healthier, happier lives and have the chance to fulfil their potential.

“We have some of the biggest health inequalities in the country, but we also have some of the brightest minds working to overcome them.

“By building stronger links with Genome Valley and IKP Knowledge Park, we can share expertise, spark new ideas and build partnerships, turning research and innovation into real benefits for our communities and our economies.”

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “By working together as one White Rose partnership abroad, we’ve helped to open a direct line between Yorkshire’s health innovators and one of India’s largest life sciences clusters.

“Our Healthtech Investment Zone is one of West Yorkshire’s greatest strengths, and this new agreement will help us drive jobs, growth, and the development of lifechanging technologies.

“With more Indian businesses choosing Yorkshire, more homegrown firms selling to India, and more innovations reaching the NHS sooner, our White Rose trade delegation is delivering for the country.”

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire said:

“Collaborating as a White Rose partnership, we are able to find innovative ways to secure investment into our region and change lives.

“Our trade mission in India is enabling us to create new partnerships to benefit our regions. This partnership will help to create jobs in our life sciences sector and help our companies grow and expand internationally.”

Dr Satya Prakash Dash, Chief Executive of IKP Knowledge Park, said: “Signing this MoU with Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber, one of England’s most respected NHS innovation networks, is an exciting moment for businesses and health systems in both our regions. This MoU is our shared commitment to make that combination work for innovators, health systems and patients in both countries.”

The agreement is a practical outcome of the White Rose partnership’s work in India. Health and life sciences is a named priority in the White Rose Agreement between the three combined authorities, and Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber, the NHS’s health innovation network for the whole region, leads that work for the partnership. It builds on the Invest in Yorkshire life sciences prospectus, published by Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber with the support of the White Rose combined authorities, and on its successful Propel programme, which is already bringing Indian health innovation into Leeds.

The partnership also builds on strong and growing links between Yorkshire and India. Yorkshire’s trade with India is worth around £1.9bn and has doubled since 2021, and almost 130,000 jobs in Yorkshire are linked to Indian-owned businesses. UK Government analysis suggests the Free Trade Agreement could add £170m a year to the Yorkshire economy in the long run, as part of £450m a year for the North.

Alongside the wider Great North programme in Delhi, the White Rose partnership is delivering a dedicated programme in Hyderabad and Mumbai, led by West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, and York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith. It focuses on sectors where Yorkshire and India have complementary strengths, including health and life sciences, advanced manufacturing, digital and AI, and higher education, with the aim of attracting investment, supporting Yorkshire businesses into the Indian market and building a long-term strategic partnership with India.