Early-Stage Innovators
Innovation Call
Submission deadline of Thursday 30 April
InnoScot Health is issuing a general call to inspire those working across Scotland’s ambitious healthcare sector who may have innovative concepts or ideas which they aim to develop further with the help of expert assistance.
We are particularly reaching out to early-stage healthcare entrepreneurs, including those in their final year of training or first year of qualified practice, whether they are nurses, doctors, midwives, allied health professionals, scientists, or other specialties. The call may also appeal to industry (e.g. SMEs) and student entrepreneurs.
Our support
InnoScot Health provides a package of support for ideas that meet our criteria, helping innovators turn concept into reality with the ultimate goal of getting a new product or service onto the market which can make a difference to patients and service users.
An associated benefit is the generation of income for the innovator themselves and NHS Scotland where appropriate. Our experts are particularly looking for innovations that target areas of unmet need and have commercial potential.
Join our launch webinar
On Wednesday 11 February, InnoScot Health will discuss its phased transition from NHS Scotland partner to a more expansive consultancy offering which will more closely engage Scotland’s ‘triple helix’. It will also formally launch this new call inviting innovators across Scotland, including NHS staff, SMEs, academic groups, and industry partners, to submit concepts that have the potential to significantly benefit NHS Scotland.
The webinar takes place from 12-12.45pm and will be presented by Executive Chair, Graham Watson, Head of Innovation, Robert Rea, and Head of Innovation Commercialisation, Gillian Henderson.
Fundamentally, amid challenges on public finances, InnoScot Health will continue to sit at the heart of the innovation ecosystem, encouraging more accessible and equitable health and social care, but with an enlarged focus that increasingly helps to get great ideas to market.
Head of Innovation Commercialisation, Gillian Henderson
Frequently asked questions
How many projects will be supported?
There is no set limit. The intention is to rapidly assess all submissions and fast track those with potential. The deadline for submitting ideas is 30 April 2026.
Detailed responses will be provided by end of May 2026.
What applicants will receive
Expert concept evaluation.
A comprehensive assessment of:
- Problem definition and clinical need
- The proposed solution and its potential impact on the healthcare market
- Feasibility, scalability, and alignment with national priorities
- Intellectual property advice
What ideas are you looking for?
All ideas are welcome — from simple to complex, and from any role or medical discipline.
We are particularly interested in healthcare solutions that:
- Improve care quality, safety, and outcomes
- Increase efficiency affordability, and sustainability
- Support workforce resilience and access for underserved communities
- Enable digital, data-driven, and remote care
Innovations may relate to products, digital tools, services, clinical pathways, processes, or enabling technologies.
We are particularly looking for innovations that have commercial potential — ones that can be developed as a new product and generate income.
What support is available?
InnoScot Health has strong experience in developing projects, and our focus is bringing new devices to market via a commercialisation route. This ensures that not only the best new healthcare products reach the market and improve patient outcomes but also create some profit for the inventor and their Health Board employer.
Can anyone submit an idea?
In simple terms, yes. InnoScot Health has worked in partnership with NHS Scotland since 2002, protecting and supporting NHS initiated ideas, but we also assess and support ideas from students, members of the public, start-ups, SMEs and established companies that would benefit from collaboration within healthcare.
How much time do we need to spend?
New ideas are central to the improvement of sustainable patient care. It’s true that health and social care professionals are extremely busy, but they also have incredible knowledge, expertise and first-hand experience of healthcare, how it works, and how to make things better. It is InnoScot Health's mission to provide the right encouragement and support, to attract and develop these ideas.
A simple online submission form captures the idea, and the InnoScot Health team will then work closely with health professionals to develop the innovation. The team has always worked in this way, managing projects that would otherwise be difficult for health and social care staff to balance with personal or clinical commitments.
How long until proposed solutions will be available/used?
This will vary by project and depends on many factors, including complexity, stage of development, and funding requirements.
What are the stages?
InnoScot Health has an established pathway for projects, and also has the capacity to act quickly on new ideas with immediate relevance. The initial steps couldn’t be easier — make a submission using our online form with non-confidential information about your idea (a general summary).
This short form needs you to submit your basic information, the concept, and then your idea will be evaluated by our team, who have years of experience in healthcare development and regulation.
Who will assess these ideas?
The innovation team at InnoScot Health will assess and support selected ideas from concept to the final product. The team has over 20 years of experience evaluating ideas from health professionals.
What is the assessment criteria?
InnoScot Health has established criteria when assessing ideas including the strength of the idea, novelty, regulatory considerations, commercial viability, clinical evaluation and technical feasibility.
What other support is available?
Our innovation team covers the whole of Scotland, largely operating remotely, and are available for basic questions or a bespoke consultation, while our innovator guide talks about our innovation pathway.
Got an idea?
Every innovation starts with an idea. Ideas from people like you. People working within health and social care who can spot opportunities, solve problems, and identify ways to make things better.
If you have an innovative healthcare idea, then InnoScot Health would like to hear from you. You can start by booking a consultation or submitting your idea.
Chat