Healthcare Technologies Capability Connector

Accelerating research translation, innovation and skills development in healthcare technologies

Image of HTCC Logo

The Healthcare Technologies Capability Connector (HTCC) is designed to support researchers and entrepreneurs looking to bring new products, services and technologies to market in the healthcare technologies sector. This work was supported by Research England under the Connecting Capability funding stream.

The programme brings together the joint expertise, infrastructure and networks of the University of Hertfordshire, Imperial College London and Cranfield University, with funding from the Research England Connected Capability Fund (CCF), to deliver sustainable impact and meet key industry needs.

The programme

HTCC is looking to drive healthcare technologies innovation forward by working across three distinct areas:

Accelerating research translation – supporting academic innovators from Herts, Imperial and Cranfield to generate impact by supporting their route to commercialisation. Selected projects and researchers will be supported with proof-of-concept funding, as well as one-to-one mentoring and access to a training programme.

Accelerating SME innovation – supporting UK SMEs with an innovative product, service or technology to take their ventures forward, providing fully subsidised access to senior academic expertise, researcher-led R&D support, specialist infrastructure such as labs and incubator spaces, as well as one to one business mentoring.

Talent pipeline development – through a programme of training and development in enterprise and commercialisation skills for researchers, as well as executive-level mentoring for business founders and entrepreneurs.

Healthcare technologies: a crucial area of growth for the UK and our region

The government’s UK Innovation Strategy has identified life sciences as a key growth area, advancing the UK’s position as a science and technology superpower.

The sector currently employs 256,000 people in the UK with a turnover of £80.6 billion. However, there is currently a growth-stage funding gap, and the government’s strategy highlights the importance of R&D to accelerate innovation.

HTCC is responding directly to this challenge by connecting London-based SMEs and innovators – including the London MedTech cluster around White City – to the flourishing biopharma ecosystem of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, which has the capacity to support rapid innovation on a large scale. Working together, Herts, Cranfield and Imperial will create the ideal conditions for innovation and growth, by providing access to space, specialist labs, equipment, research and manufacturing expertise in healthcare technologies.

The programme is currently running on an 18-month pilot scheme, with ambitions for a longer life-span.

How can I get involved?
The HTCC programme will officially launch in January 2024, with details of the launch event to be announced shortly.
In the meantime, any healthcare businesses, entrepreneurs and third sector organisations interesting in getting involved can register their interest now by emailing the HTCC team.
About the partners
The University of Hertfordshire has a wealth of experience supporting the growth of start-ups and SMEs, with a comprehensive business growth and innovation support offer including incubation, acceleration, consultancy and peer support networks. Clusters of research excellence at Herts include health and care, pharma, robotics and other enabling technologies. To learn more, visit the For Business webpages.
Imperial College London has a rich and vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem that has generated hundreds of spinouts and student-founded start-ups. With a focus on taking innovation out of the lab and into the public realm, Imperial are experts in translating research into commercial opportunities.
Cranfield University has a long history of entrepreneurship and business growth, with notable expertise in scaling-up – taking SMEs to the next level via programmes of support led by management experts.

HTCC SME Accelerator

Image of the logos of Cranfield university, Imperial College London, and University of Hertfordshire