A new programme based in Sheffield is set to drive forward innovative technologies aimed at improving children's health and addressing disparities in healthcare access. The Children and Young People’s HealthTech Accelerator, known as Kids UP, is being launched through a partnership between Par Equity, UP Ventures, and Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.
The accelerator is tied to the development of the National Centre for Child Health Technology (NCCHT), which will be constructed at Sheffield’s Olympic Legacy Park. It aims to support innovative businesses in creating advanced medical technologies designed with input from children and young people to ensure the solutions meet their specific health needs.
Two groups of ten businesses will participate in a 12-week programme to help secure investment and accelerate the development of their health technology ideas. The initiative focuses on key health priorities, including childhood obesity, mental health, health inequalities, long-term conditions, disability, cancer, and maternal and child health.
The programme highlights the significant need for investment in children's health, as they make up 25% of the population but receive only 5% of national research funding. The initiative is seen as a crucial step toward addressing these gaps and improving healthcare outcomes for young people.
The Children and Young People’s HealthTech Accelerator is expected to attract top businesses to South Yorkshire, with the goal of revolutionizing healthcare for children both regionally and across the UK. The collaboration between local authorities and health organizations is also seen as an opportunity to address health inequalities that have long affected the region.
The programme’s unique approach of directly involving children and young people in the development of healthcare technologies ensures that the innovations created will be both relevant and impactful. This initiative is part of a broader effort to improve the health of future generations while supporting economic growth in South Yorkshire and beyond.
