ABHI and CPI partnership aims to stimulate healthtech SMEs

The Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) and the CPI have entered into a partnership to stimulate innovation development and fuel growth of the UK’s SME healthtech sector.

The collaboration will support the UK’s SME business community cultivate research, development and innovation capability and bolster manufacturing in the UK. A particular focus will be to catalyse the commercialisation of diagnostic innovations to address unmet population health needs.

CPI, which is part of the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult, is a leading technology innovation centre, working with a range of clients to translate research into the marketplace. With significant breadth of expertise and innovation facilities across medicines manufacturing, flexible hybrid electronics and photonics, advanced materials, biotechnology and digital, CPI are utilising its capabilities to support the healthtech market, with a particular focus on point-of-need diagnostics, wearables and the digital healthcare sector.

ABHI supports its 300 members to provide products and technologies to patients in the UK and abroad. Small businesses make up a significant group and the partnership with CPI is part of a refreshed effort to provide SMEs with a one-stop service to research, prototype and manufacture their innovations. ABHI was recently tasked by parliamentary under-secretary of state for innovation, Lord Bethell, to develop a strategy to invest in “resilient, scalable and holistic” diagnostics capability for our country, which this strategic relationship will complement.

Nishan Sunthares, chief operating officer, ABHI said: “I am delighted to announce this partnership with CPI to boost SME growth. By bringing ABHI’s expertise in areas such as regulation, innovation adoption and health policy, closer to CPI’s significant technology development capabilities, I am excited about the support we can deliver to the many small UK healthtech companies, to scale up their operations, and promote excellence across the industry.”

Dr Arun Harish, strategy director at CPI added: “We are delighted to be forming a partnership with an organisation that brings significant value to healthtech companies. This partnership will enable us to support more companies to develop their innovative products at reduced risk, by providing access to world-class facilities and finance and leading experts in commercialising medical technologies.”