New partnership for Health Innovation Wessex to stimulate growth

Health Innovation Wessex has joined three partners to help spark new opportunities for technology and innovation start-ups. 

Together with the National Oceanographic Centre and the University of Southampton’s School of Healthcare Enterprise and Innovation, HIW has joined Southampton Science Park’s Catalyst business accelerator programme.

Catalyst is a highly regarded business support programme which has benefited nearly 100 companies who have, between them, created around 260 jobs and raised investment of more than £66 million. The majority of participating companies continue to trade in and around Hampshire.

HIW will bring its expertise, honed over more than a decade, in connecting academics, industry, the NHS and others to spread innovation and boost growth.

Frank Ratcliff, Director of Industry and Innovation at Health Innovation Wessex, said: “Health Innovation Wessex supports the development and adoption of innovation in the health and social care sector to improve patient outcomes, drive value for the NHS and support economic growth in the health and life science sector. We have a long and fruitful relationship with Southampton Science Park and the University of Southampton, working together to support high-potential companies. Formalising our involvement with the Catalyst partnership is a logical extension of that, generating the ability to provide greater support for start-ups and furthering our ambitions to accelerate the adoption of viable solutions.”

With these three new partners joining the science park in Catalyst, there will be opportunities to capitalise on the locality’s reputation for innovation in the healthcare and maritime sectors.

Dr Robin Chave, Chief Executive of Southampton Science Park, said: “I am delighted that the Science Park will be working more closely with these three very successful and hugely inspiring institutions on our Catalyst business accelerator moving forward. These collaborations mean that we can work with twice the number of early stage businesses each year, and they will benefit from deeper learning experiences and faster problem solving through the cross fertilisation of the partners’ ideas and experiences.

“There is a rich seam of innovation flowing throughout the south central area, concepts that in many cases, aren’t developed to their fullest economic potential. With our new Catalyst partners, we hope to change that by giving more companies more opportunities to commercialise their ideas and research. Ultimately, this will grow our region’s reputation for innovation excellence and boost its economy by encouraging inward investment and retaining talented, visionary people here.”

Catalyst commences in March and September each year. Expressions of interest for the programme commencing March 2025 are now welcome via this simple online application form.