Leeds Beckett University has received £1.1 million to open a research-informed hub known as the Sport Health Tech Incubator, targeting entrepreneurs, start-ups and growing businesses, with the aim to encourage innovation in the health sector.
The incubator will reportedly support “cutting-edge research to help tackle health inequalities” and drive businesses within the region. It aims to “provide access to world-leading academic expertise, collaborative innovation programmes and state-of-the-art sport science and health technology facilities”, inspiring the development of a range of technologies. This includes tools that focus on promoting physical activity and improving health and fitness, as well as tech that can help prevent obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The funding was awarded by West Yorkshire Combined Authority through the West Yorkshire Investment Zone, with plans to transform the ground floor of Fairfax Hall into a “vibrant community of sport health tech companies”. The incubator will also be given access to equipment and expertise from the Carnegie School of Sport.
“The creation of a physical Sport Health Tech Incubator will stimulate further collaborations between industry, academia and healthcare providers to drive innovation and change. The Incubator aims to enhance the existing health innovation ecosystem in Leeds and support the city’s position as a leader in health and life sciences,” Pete Mackreth, dean of the Carnegie School of Sport at LBU, said.
Health and care innovation across Leeds
HTNLive in Leeds is next month – an event designed to facilitate discussion around innovation in healthcare through a series of challenge questions, roundtables, participation and focused deep dives into digital projects across the NHS. It promises to be an event like no other with a fantastic lineup of speakers leading the agenda. Learn more and register here.
For a recent HTN Now webinar on the topic of building digital literacy, confidence and skills, we were joined by a group of expert panellists, including Sue Ottley, digital capability transformation manager at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Sue spoke about some of the current digital projects taking place at the trust, focusing on a recent collaboration with Leeds City College on addressing the digital skills gap in the workforce through a new EDSQ course.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has launched the Centre for Emergency Care and Global Health (CENT-EC Global), designed to foster international collaboration and innovation as a “direct and necessary response” to urgent challenges facing emergency departments across the country. Described by the trust as a “centre of academic excellence”, CENT-EC Global will focus on practical and scalable solutions, promoting digital innovation alongside frontline education and international partnerships to make emergency care safer and more equitable around the world.
In June, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency launched a digital hub in Leeds with a view to driving partnerships and innovation across the region. Set to be located in Wellington Place in Leeds city centre, the hub will initially be staffed by 30 permanent and highly skilled roles that will sit within the Digital and Technology Group, focused on digital delivery, software development and data science.
