The NIHR is investing £22 million to strengthen UK health and life sciences innovation, supporting cutting-edge research, new technologies, and collaborations across the sector
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has announced a £22 million investment to accelerate innovation in UK health and life sciences. The funding aims to support groundbreaking research, foster the development of new technologies, and encourage collaboration among businesses, universities, and healthcare organisations. This initiative is part of the UK government’s strategy to drive scientific excellence, improve patient outcomes, and maintain the nation’s global leadership in healthcare innovation.
Long-term commitment to horizon scanning
The £22m funding will begin in April 2026, building upon a decade of NIHR funding that has underpinned pioneering work at Newcastle University.
The new award will support the Innovation Observatory in expanding its methods, strengthening its technical infrastructure, and further developing its foresight outputs. The funding award reinforces the UK government’s long-term commitment to horizon scanning, a vital tool in planning the future of health and social care.
Furthermore, the funding will allow the Innovation Observatory to work closely with key government departments, national and regional stakeholders, charities, SMEs, and potential inward investors across the health and life sciences sector.
Strengthening the UK’s health system
The Innovation Observatory is crucial for enhancing the UK’s health system by providing early insights into emerging health and life sciences innovations. Unlocking this intelligence enables policymakers, regulators, charities, and industry to act early and take a proactive approach to aligning policy, investment, planning, and regulations with health and life science innovations.
In turn, this enhances patient health and care, enabling the UK to maintain its position as a key leader in health and life sciences, thereby driving competitiveness, attracting inward investment, and fostering economic growth.
The new funding will allow the Innovation Observatory to:
- Further advance world-leading horizon scanning methods and tools that help turn data into actionable insights to inform decision-making and competitive advantage.
- Build capacity and capability in horizon scanning, ensuring insights are understood and applied across the ecosystem – from NHS clinicians, policy makers and industry innovators.
- Expand cross-sector international collaboration through nurturing collaborative partnerships that bring together partners from across the health and care ecosystem.
- Support SMEs, charities and investors by providing timely access to data and intelligence on the UK innovation landscape, smoothing the path to market and maximising patient impact.
The Observatory’s current work focuses on a range of transformative health and life science technologies, including quantum sensing, wearable technology, rapid genomics, AMR monitoring, and 3D printing.
Professor Dawn Craig, Director of the NIHR Innovation Observatory, said: “We are delighted to have been successful in this competitive funding award. The award will further enhance our ability to turn data into rapid, actionable insights – driving more intelligent decisions, faster innovation adoption, and deeper collaboration with industry and national partners.
“By strengthening our analytical capabilities and fostering cross-sector partnerships, we are not only looking to improve care but also to play a role in positioning the UK as a global leader in health tech and innovation-driven growth.”
