UK and India are set to embark on a collaborative journey in healthcare technology, with the announcement of the second edition of the UK-India Health Tech Bootcamp. This initiative, which builds on the success of its inaugural event last year, is scheduled to take place from 24 to 29 November.
The boot camp will see six innovative Indian Health Tech companies visit the United Kingdom for an immersive experience spanning five UK cities. These companies, handpicked from a competitive pool of 262 tech companies from across India, will have the opportunity to unlock collaborative opportunities and gain insights into the UK's healthcare landscape.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced the selected companies during his trip to New Delhi in July 2024, including Backyard Creators, Onward Assist, Neodocs, Niramai Health Analytix, Ramja Genosensor, and Yostra Labs. These companies have been recognized for their groundbreaking solutions, which range from non-surgical hearing aids and tools for the detection of antibiotic resistance, to AI-powered cancer diagnostics.
The week-long bootcamp will provide these companies with the opportunity to interact with prominent UK institutions. These include the London Institute of Healthcare Engineering at King's College London, Cardiff University, the University of Birmingham, and the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre at Strathclyde University.
More than a Learning Exchange
However, the bootcamp is not just a learning exchange. It is a platform designed to forge new partnerships leading to business growth. It offers a unique opportunity for Indian HealthTech leaders to showcase their innovation to NHS stakeholders, venture capitalists, UK companies, and clinicians.
Reflecting on the impact of the bootcamp, Abhilash Chakraverty, Co-Founder of Larkai Healthcare and an alumnus of the previous cohort, shared his transformative experience. He said, "The bootcamp was transformative, opening doors to invaluable partnerships and providing insights into the UK's HealthTech ecosystem, enabling us to refine our solutions to meet global standards."
Following their participation, Larkai Healthcare established a strong presence in the UK with a London corporate office and an Innovation Campus in Huddersfield.
Chandru Iyer, His Majesty's Deputy Trade Commissioner for South Asia, expressed his pleasure at interacting with the six winners of the bootcamp. He said, "The UK's thriving HealthTech ecosystem offers Indian innovators an unparalleled opportunity to scale globally. With pioneering initiatives like the UK-India Health Tech Bootcamp, we're deepening our partnership to co-create transformative solutions that address global healthcare challenges. I'm confident this experience will unlock many doors for the winners and help accelerate their growth journey."
This initiative is reminiscent of similar events where nations have collaborated to foster innovation and growth in the healthcare sector. For instance, the UK-India Tech Partnership announced in 2018, aimed at pairing businesses, universities, and tech institutions in the two countries, has been a significant step in this direction. The current bootcamp, in many ways, is a continuation of this spirit of collaboration and mutual growth.
