The King’s MedTech Accelerator exemplifies King’s commitment to bring MedTech innovations to the market for patients benefit. The scope of the innovations supported in the inaugural programme demonstrates the potential impact from such innovations. I'm glad to see the significant translational output already achieved by innovators from across our faculties. I strongly recommend our academics and staff that aspire to see their innovations achieve real clinical impact to apply to join the next MedTech Accelerator.
Professor Sir Bashir M. Al-Hashimi, Vice President (Research & Innovation)
03 February 2025
Inaugural King's MedTech Accelerator completes at the London Institute for Healthcare Engineering
The King's MedTech Accelerator is a 6-month, part-time programme for King's researchers and staff focused on transforming research innovations into viable healthcare ventures.
The programme provides an acceleration stream with specialist support for aspiring entrepreneurs in medical devices, including medical software and AI.
The inaugural King’s MedTech Accelerator (KMA) programme has completed its first iteration of supporting aspiring entrepreneurs from across King’s in medical technologies (MedTech) to grow their understanding of the translation path from bench-to-bedside-to-boardroom.
21 project teams from across the faculties of Life Sciences & Medicine; Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences; Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences; and Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience undertook the programme to further their novel medical technologies commercially.
Created and delivered by the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences at the London Institute for Healthcare Engineering (LIHE), the centre for MedTech translation at King’s, programme participants were supported through monthly mentorship sessions, consolidating their learning and addressing venture-specific challenges in real time.
The KMA launched with a three-day bootcamp covering key topics on the entrepreneurial mindset, the founder journey, the funding landscape, the NHS ecosystem, and value proposition development.
Other key highlights included masterclasses on MedTech fundamentals delivered by partners such as Science & Engineering Health Technologies Alliance (SEHTA), as well as a co-creation workshop by the KHP Digital Health Hub, a masterclass in health technology assessment by King’s Technology Evaluation Centre (KiTec), and IP support delivered by LIHE Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Matt Aldridge of Keltie.
The translational output of the programme has been impressive:
- 2 translational grants
- 2 projects accepted to the Innovate UK ICURe Programme
- 2 founding teams created
- 5 potential spin-outs
- 1 new cross disciplinary academic collaboration between the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences and the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences
- 1 new IP patent filed
- 1 active licencing deal in negotiation
- 2 potential spin-outs approached by investors
Dr Saoirse O’Toole who is a programme participant in the process of spinning out, had this to say:
The programme was instrumental in catapulting our team’s device to detect extra-oesophageal reflux along it’s translational journey. Before the programme, we were a bit lost and did not know the next steps or how to approach industry or investors. This accelerator answered all the questions and opened up all the doors.
Dr Saoirse O’Toole, Clinical Lecturer in Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences
Dr O’Toole’s has also successfully filed for a patent and is in negotiation for an IP licencing deal.
Another KMA participant, whose device is also in the process of spinning out, is Biomedical Software Engineer, Miquel Serna Pascual. Miquel says he is extremely grateful for the opportunities to make meaningful connections with researchers and industry leaders throughout the programme.
“I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to explore the real-world feasibility of our technology, after working on it for so many years. I would encourage anyone and everyone in my position to be part of this program. If you never try, you’ll never know!” he says.
The KMA culminated in a showcase, where the participants pitched their ventures to a room full of investors, industry leaders, and healthcare innovators.
LIHE Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Tony Kypreos, said: “It has been a privilege to be involved in the King’s MedTech Accelerator, from its initial conception to the design, team selection and program delivery. A key highlight of my involvement with the Accelerator has been witnessing the remarkable health innovations emerging from King’s College London. The final Masterclass on Investor Readiness showcased over 15 exceptional teams presenting transformative healthcare innovations”.
Dr Antoinette Cameron-Pimblett, KMA programme coordinator, says she is immensely proud of the progress all participants made through this program.
The accelerator is designed to unlock the entrepreneurial potential of the King’s community—whether they’re academics, clinicians, early career researchers, postdocs, or PhD candidates. Our showcase day was a powerful testament to what happens when passion, innovation, and training converge. The feedback and energy in the room reflected just how much potential our King’s colleagues have to make a real-world impact.
Dr Antoinette Cameron-Pimblett, Research Translation & Innovation Manager at LIHE
The KMA positions itself as a validation point for medical device technologies readying them to engage with King’s IP & Licensing. The IP & Licensing team delivered sessions on their offerings and explained the ways they can support companies to reach a commercial reality.
From 2025 the KMA will include specialist support for Digital Health innovation projects. The next iteration of the programme will also cater specifically to solutions with a strong digital element that treat, diagnose, or predict health outcomes. This may include software, analytics, wearables, or similar technologies.
The programme will expand further in its second year and be open to researchers and staff from King’s Health Partners.
To register your interest for the next King’s MedTech Accelerator programme sign up here.
In this story
Clinical Lecturer in Prosthodontics
Research Translation & Innovation Manager
Director, Commercial Operations and Partnerships, London Institute for Healthcare Engineering
Professor of Healthcare Engineering
Related departments
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences
- Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine
- Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences
- Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
- London Institute for Healthcare Engineering
- King’s Entrepreneurship Institute
- King’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence