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We are delighted to announce that working in partnership with West Yorkshire Combined Authority, we are going to host the West Yorkshire Healthtech Accelerator as part of the West Yorkshire Mayor’s Investment Zone. £4.5m of funding has been allocated to deliver this initiative that will support up to 240 innovator companies between 2025-2029.

The funding will enable our highly successful, existing healthtech accelerator programme Propel@YH to expand and support the next generation of healthtech start-ups and scaleups. It will provide even more targeted business support and masterclasses for innovators and will help them to scale into the NHS, attract investment, and contribute to regional economic growth.

Now in its sixth year, Propel@YH supported 19 healthtech small-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in 2024-25. Between them, these 19 companies raised £24m of funding during their participation in Propel@YH, and the programme also invested £200k directly into the local economy.

The flagship support scheme was announced today (08 April) by Mayor Tracy Brabin to an audience of businesses and scientists at the Yorkshire Bio-Partnering 2025 conference, co-hosted by the University of Bradford and the North of England’s leading life sciences non-profit, Bionow. The Healthtech Accelerator has been funded through the first half of the £160 million, ten-year Investment Zone devolved to the region, for which £80 million has been secured from the Government.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:

 “The first priority of our Local Growth Plan is to boost our region’s fastest growing business sectors, because we know that’s how we’re going to drive investment, create jobs and put more money in people’s pockets.

“Today, we’re launching into our growth plan and our investment zone with new, wrap-around support for our world-leading health technology firms, which already generate £3 billion for our economy but could go even further with the right backing.

“Our flagship Healthtech Accelerator will support these businesses with finance and skills, and our investments in new workspaces will bolster their collaboration with hospitals and universities, boosting their growth and helping us build a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire.”

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

“This landmark investment recognises the incredible potential of West Yorkshire’s healthtech sector to drive innovation, improve patient care, and stimulate our regional economy. We are excited to collaborate with the West Yorkshire Mayor to foster a thriving health innovation ecosystem that supports businesses and delivers long-term impact across the region.

We recognise that there is a clear and vital link between good health and economic productivity, and this investment recognises that connection. It will support businesses developing innovations that address health and care system needs and enable people to stay healthier for longer aligning perfectly with our mission to drive the spread of innovations that benefit patients and support inclusive economic growth.

Our Propel@YH accelerator has a proven track record in scaling healthtech startups and scaleups, and it is the ideal platform to deliver the Healthtech Accelerator scheme. By offering tailored business support, we’ll help innovators scale their solutions into the NHS, attract investment, and contribute to inclusive economic growth throughout the region.”

Companies with a commitment to growing in the region, creating good local jobs and benefitting local patients, will be targeted. The support will provide innovators with the chance to join a network of experts who can offer guidance, mentorship and knowledge-sharing while also enabling access to peer-to-peer support.

Simon Gilbody, a participant in the most recent Propel@YH cohort, Co-Founder of Third Age Therapeutics and Professor of Psychological Medicine at the University of York and Hull York Medical School said:

“The Propel@YH team is so supportive and knowledgeable. The 1:1 mentorship and the workshops help us to move an idea into a workable plan to achieve scale and spread. We have made so much progress in such a short period of time. The other element worth highlighting is the Propel@YH partners – they are really at the top of their game and are incredibly knowledgeable and supportive.  I also now know a lot more about the digital and innovation ecosystem in Yorkshire, something that I had little knowledge of before I joined the programme.

Third Age Therapeutics has been introduced to some of the best in the business. We all want the region to be a nexus for innovation in the NHS. There is a sense of regional pride and recognition of the importance of the health-knowledge economy.”

Rebecca Wilson, Founder and Senior Clinical Safety Specialist at DigiSafe (a partner of the Propel@YH programme) said:

“Propel@YH stands out due to its personalised, community-driven approach. It’s deeply embedded in the local ecosystem and advocates for the region’s health and tech advancements. The programme creates meaningful partnerships, educates innovators on diverse topics, and leads to collaboration across the region and internationally! Not only is the programme helping UK-based innovations, it is also enabling great solutions to be showcased and used from overseas”.

To learn more about our healthtech accelerator, Propel@YH, please visit https://www.propel-yh.com/

If you are interested in joining our next cohort, get in touch at info@healthinnovationyh.org.uk