PAEDIATRIC HEALTHTECH SPRINT CROWNS WINNERS DRIVING THE FUTURE OF CHILDREN’S HEALTHCARE
Two innovative health technologies designed to improve outcomes for children and young people have been recognised at the Paediatric HealthTech Sprint, a collaborative initiative aimed at accelerating the development and commercialisation of breakthrough paediatric medical technologies.
Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) HealthTech Research Centre (HRC) in Paediatrics and Child Health, the programme brings together clinicians, researchers, engineers, commercial experts and industry leaders to help early-stage innovators overcome the unique challenges of developing technologies for children’s healthcare.
The Sprint was conceived through the NIHR HRC’s Mind and Body Integration Theme, led by Dr Kathryn Beardsall, in collaboration with Dr Tamsin Holland-Brown and Ms Louise Allen. It was delivered in partnership with Health Tech Enterprise, the University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, with sponsorship from 8Fold Governance and 42 Technology.
Supporting Innovation in Paediatric Healthcare
Health Tech Enterprise has delivered Health Innovation Sprint programmes for more than a decade, providing innovators with direct access to multidisciplinary expertise covering commercialisation, regulation, clinical development and investment.
The Paediatric HealthTech Sprint specifically addresses the limited investment available for children’s medical technologies and aims to accelerate promising innovations from concept towards real-world clinical adoption.
Participants received tailored advice throughout the programme to strengthen both their technology development and commercial strategy.
Orli Health Wins Overall Award
The judging panel named Orli Health Limited as the overall winner of this year’s Sprint.
Founder Mark Cox received £3,000 worth of in-kind product development support from sponsor 42 Technology to further develop Orli, a physical-digital emotional companion designed to support children throughout their healthcare journey.
Judges praised the technology for addressing an important unmet need within paediatric healthcare while demonstrating strong potential to improve young patients’ wellbeing and hospital experiences.
Meerkat Receives Double Recognition
The Meerkat neonatal monitoring system, developed by Alex Grafton and colleagues at the University of Cambridge, received both the Runner-Up Award and the Audience Choice Award.
The innovation monitors newborn babies’ behaviour, activity and vital signs, providing clinicians and caregivers with enhanced information to support earlier intervention and improved neonatal care.
The team received complimentary virtual access to the Paediatrics and Child Health Technology Conference 2026, organised by the NIHR HRC in Paediatrics and Child Health in partnership with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH).
They also received a Regulatory Review and Compliance Strategy package, together with one year’s access to 8foldTraining, provided by sponsor 8Fold Governance.
Collaboration Driving Better Healthcare
Keith Pugh, Head of Operations at the NIHR HRC in Paediatrics and Child Health, said the programme demonstrates the value of collaboration across healthcare, academia and industry.
“This year’s Paediatric HealthTech Sprint was a fantastic example of what can be achieved when clinicians, researchers and industry experts come together.
“It was inspiring to see innovators make such tangible progress in just one day, transforming early-stage concepts into viable solutions that move them further along the development pathway.
“At the NIHR HRC in Paediatrics and Child Health, we are proud to foster this collaborative ecosystem, and events like this play an important role in accelerating much-needed technologies for children and young people.”
Reducing Risk for Innovators
Dr Kathryn Beardsall, Associate Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Cambridge, said the Sprint gives innovators access to expertise that would normally take months to assemble.
“The Sprint is a rare opportunity for innovators to sit in one room with the full range of expertise they need — families, clinicians, engineers, regulators and industry — and receive honest, rapid feedback.
“That matters enormously in children’s health, where the bar for paediatric innovators is exceptionally high. It creates an environment where innovations can be genuinely de-risked and strategies refined in a remarkably short period of time.”
Karen Law, Head of Innovation at Health Tech Enterprise, added that the programme helps innovators strengthen both their technologies and their commercialisation strategies while addressing significant unmet clinical needs.
Building the Future of Children’s Healthcare
Organisers say the Paediatric HealthTech Sprint reflects a growing commitment to accelerating innovation across paediatric healthcare by bringing together expertise from the NHS, universities, industry and investors.
By supporting innovators at an early stage, the programme aims to speed the development of technologies capable of improving healthcare outcomes for children, young people and families across the UK and internationally.
