Propel@YH

Ten SMEs have been announced as the new cohort of this year’s Propel@YH digital health accelerator, as part of a launch event held at Nexus, University of Leeds.

The event started with a welcome from Neville Young, Director of Enterprise and Innovation. Neville discussed the NHS and the current climate, reflected on the programme’s achievements in the last three years and provided an overview of the 2021 programme. Each SME then introduced themselves and delivered a short pitch about their innovations that aim to help the NHS with recovery and transformation in the wake of the COVID-19.

After the presentations, delegates and SMEs had the opportunity to network.

The cohort includes:

• Chatterbug
• Hummingbird Medical
• Heyr
• Genome
• PhysioBuddie
• YourMeds
• SocialRX
• Vitacam
• Rewire
• Syrona Health

Propel@YH is Yorkshire & Humber AHSN’s digital accelerator programme that provides innovative organisations developing digital health solutions with access to a structured course of support and advice aimed at enabling accelerated company growth and increased market presence.

Now in its third year, Propel@YH will provide SMEs with a six-month course of structured support and advice. The programme is aimed at companies that already have a base in Yorkshire and the Humber or would be willing to establish one. It will also help them accelerate their company growth and increase market presence.

Following the launch event, the innovators will participate in an onboarding session and subsequent masterclasses and mentoring sessions delivered by our partners: Nexus, University of Leeds, Barclays Eagle Labs, Hill Dickinson and Leeds City Council.

Thrive by Design, (formerly mHabitat), will continue to curate and run the programme of masterclasses with us.

Dr Rakeeb Chowdhury, from Hummingbird Medical said:

‘We’re at a stage where we are growing and we really want to tap into the expertise that the AHSN has”.

Maisie Swannell from SocialRX said:

“We’re a Leeds based start-up. We thought it would be a great thing for us to be able to make connections within Yorkshire and the Humber and all the support and advice and expertise that comes with being part of the programme would really help us.”

Neville Young, Director of Enterprise and Innovation said:

“This is our third cohort and it’s great to have everybody here face-to-face and that’s part of what we’re here to try and do – build some networks for young upcoming innovators. Quite a few of our sponsors will be with us today as well and we couldn’t do this programme without our sponsors, they’re incredibly generous in both their time and their effort they put into the programme.

“Really for me it’s getting to know the innovators and getting to know a little bit more about their innovations and being able to help them on that journey and understanding how we will tailor that help to really drive them forward into the market”