PwC to drive health tech in the North West
PwC’s (PricewaterhouseCoopers) ‘Future of Health’ programme launches to help innovative health and medtech start-ups scale.
The group’s start-up growth programme has announced the launch The Future of Health. Based in Salford and starting March 2017, in collaboration with UP ventures group, the 12 week programme focusses on employee wellbeing, connected healthcare and long term care. Through a mix of sector-focussed coaching from PwC, UP and their clients, introductions and senior executive engagement, the programme will enable 12 start-ups to grow their business and change the face of health.
The 12-week Future of Health programme connects fast growth scale-up businesses and large organisations in the North West to help drive innovation and create new business opportunities within the health, medical and life sciences sectors. The programme will be hosted at The Landing, Media City UK’s digital and technology enterprise hub which is home to over 100 tech start-ups and scale-ups.
Participating companies will receive privileged access to executive-level mentors and sponsors, and will leverage PwC’s and UP’s network of thought leaders, industry executives and health-tech specialists. Through the programme’s private VIP events, hosted in both Manchester and London, the start-ups have a great opportunity to pitch their business to potential investors and healthcare organisations.
Being based at The Landing will also give successful applicants, mentors and sponsors access to some of the most advanced UX, IoT and VR testing facilities in the UK. Future of Health participants will have access to all the amenities and benefits of The Landing’s recently opened Launch co-working space, where the programme will be based for its three-month duration.
Iwan Griffiths, PwC’s North West regional chairman said:
"PwC has launched The Future of Health in order to continue our support of entrepreneurs and small businesses. Healthtech will significantly change the way health services are delivered and is key to solving the challenge of providing better services to an aging population at a reasonable cost.”
“Collaborating with innovative health businesses and connecting them to our client base provides great opportunities for all involved as well as the wider population who use health services. Greater Manchester and the North West is at the forefront of health reform and has a thriving start-up community which we are keen to support through The Future of Health programme."
Danny Meaney from UP commented:
“UP specialises in building businesses that have the ambition and potential to transform industries by connecting corporates seeking to create real impact through more effective innovation, with later stage start-ups that are ready to scale up their businesses.”
“For us Manchester is the ideal location for such a project, given its rich ecosystem of industry-leading corporates, NHS Trusts, university research institutes, successful health and life science businesses, and an appetite for investment in the health and medtech sectors.”
Maya Dibley, head of programmes and partnerships at The Landing said:
“Hosting the Future of Health programme is great news for The Landing and the whole of the North West. Health and medtech are some of the most dynamic sectors in the world currently, and the commercial potential for any successful business in this space is massive.”
Companies who are interested in applying for the Future of Health Programme need to register their interest by February 17th by visiting https://www.f6s.com/futureofhealthprogramme