Anglia Ruskin University has secured £4.8 million to continue delivering the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme, which supports innovation across the National Health Service, according to a June 29 announcement.
The NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme was established with Anglia Ruskin University ten years ago to help NHS staff develop innovations addressing real-world healthcare challenges. The new funding from NHS England will allow the programme to expand over the next five years and maintain Anglia Ruskin University's involvement in healthcare innovation and entrepreneurship in the United Kingdom.
Since 2016, the programme has supported the creation of 691 businesses, generated 5,184 jobs, and helped raise more than £1.27 billion in investment for these businesses. Products, processes, and services developed through the programme have reached an estimated 278 million people worldwide.
The initiative also aims to retain talent within the NHS by enabling clinicians to pursue entrepreneurial ventures alongside their clinical roles. Among its supported businesses is Apian, a drone and robotics company co-founded by Dr. Hammad Jeilani that facilitates rapid transport of urgent medical items between sites and is expanding across the NHS following regulatory approval in London. Another business aided by CEP is Concentric Health—a digital consent platform founded by Dr. Dafydd Loughran—which now serves over a million patients annually after starting on surgical wards in Wales.
The programme has also contributed to projects such as the Dementia Innovators Programme with Alzheimer's Society and recently launched a Patient Entrepreneur Programme at Anglia Ruskin University for individuals with lived experience of healthcare challenges. One early success from this initiative is MyFolks—founded by Louise Thompson—which connects older people with local assistants who provide companionship and practical support.
Professor Tony Young OBE, National Clinical Lead for Innovation at NHS England and Director of CEP at Anglia Ruskin University, said: "The NHS Clinical and Patient Entrepreneur Programmes are central to how we identify, support and scale innovation from within the NHS and from our patient communities." He added: "As we celebrate 10 years of the programme, it is clear just how impactful this model has become. Anglia Ruskin University has been instrumental in building a thriving, national innovation community, and their continued leadership will ensure we maintain this momentum and deliver even greater impact in the years ahead."
