Building Bridges 2025: Connecting CEE Health Innovators with the UK Healthcare Ecosystem

CEE–UK Building Bridges 2025 brought together health-tech companies from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) for a four-day international trade mission to the United Kingdom.
The programme was co-organized by the DHI Cluster, CEBioForum, and the UK Department for Business and Trade.

The mission focused on creating real opportunities for CEE innovators to explore the UK healthcare market, connect with healthcare partners, meet investors, and build long-term business relationships.

The group visited key innovation hubs across London, Birmingham, and Leeds, where they engaged with accelerators, research centers, healthcare organizations, and life sciences investors.

Who represented Bulgaria?

Among the health-tech innovators from Central and Eastern Europe were seven Bulgarian companies, all members of the DHI Cluster:

• Kelvin Health - Thermography AI advancing vascular care through rapid, non-invasive diagnostics. Expanding into the UK provides an exciting opportunity to support clinicians with cutting-edge diagnostic tools that enable earlier detection of vascular conditions, reduce healthcare costs, and improve patient outcomes.
• MY Synergy - Microsoft Solutions Partner specializing in Data & AI and Azure; a key digital health solution and consulting provider in the CEE region. MY Synergy is paving the way into the UK, combining its expertise in patient pathway optimization with the UK’s social care system.
• Sqilline Health - Accelerating medical research with real-world data (RWD) and AI technology to improve patient outcomes. By entering the UK market, they can collaborate with healthcare systems and research institutions to unlock insights from clinical data, support evidence-based decisions and enhance the quality of care.
• Tiger Health Technology - Effective healthcare data lifecycle management with a primary focus on digital pathology. By bringing their cutting-edge solutions to the UK, they have the opportunity to enhance diagnostic efficiency and support the NHS and private healthcare providers in adopting advanced digital pathology workflows, ultimately improving patient outcomes and streamlining clinical processes.
• WeLoveDigi - Creative, flexible, AI-powered technology solutions. Their entry into the UK healthcare landscape offers the chance to revolutionize patient and HCPs engagement, digital communications and operational efficiency with adaptable platforms designed to meet the evolving needs of NHS and private sector organizations.
• VertiPay - Smarter solutions for managing clinical trial subject reimbursements. VertiPay offers one of the most innovative and competitive solutions for effective, sustainable reimbursement across global healthcare systems.
• VECTOR Labs - Combining data science, AI, and custom software development expertise. By entering the UK market, they have the opportunity to empower healthcare providers and research organizations with tailored, AI-driven solutions that enable better decision-making, streamline workflows, and drive innovation in patient care.
  

Together with their CEE peers, these companies showcased the strength, creativity, and growing international potential of the region’s healthcare innovation ecosystem.

What happened during the UK Mission?

Day 1: London - Opening conversations with the UK Healthcare Sector

The mission kicked off at the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in London.
Each participating company introduced its solutions and connected with fellow innovators from across Central and Eastern Europe.

Highlights included presentations from Tom Elliott (CEO, Medilink North of England) and Wael Muselmani (MedCity), who shared strategies for scaling in the UK healthtech space.

The day provided a valuable overview of the UK’s healthcare landscape and offered early insights into how CEE companies can build sustainable partnerships in the UK.
The energy was high, the conversations were open, and the connections quickly started to form.

Day 2: Birmingham - Exploring the UK’s Innovation Ecosystem

The second day took the group to Birmingham, a growing life sciences hub.

The participants were welcomed by the West Midlands Growth Company, where they pitched their companies in fast-paced elevator sessions.

The group then engaged in working sessions with:

• Health Innovation West Midlands – Presenting how partnerships can drive healthcare transformation.
• PHTA Ltd – Creating a launchpad for medtech and biotech innovators.
• University of Warwick – Bridging academic research and real-world healthcare.
• Plug and Play – Offering global growth opportunities for health-tech startups.
• Global Growth Programme – Supporting international companies with tailored soft-landing pathways into the UK.
  
  

In the afternoon, the companies toured the Birmingham Health Innovation Campus (BHIC), where clinical care, research, and industry collaborate on next-generation therapies.

The day also featured a practical panel discussion with companies that have successfully scaled in the West Midlands. They shared valuable, real-life advice on doing business in the UK, entering the market, and navigating healthcare procurement.

Day 3: Climb25 – A deep dive into Growth and Commercialisation

On the third day, the group joined ClimbUK 2025 - one of the UK’s leading business growth festivals.

The event provided full-day access to investor meetings, commercialisation workshops, and NHS collaboration sessions.

The exhibition space became a lively networking zone, where CEE companies had dozens of valuable conversations with UK innovators, growth experts, and investors.

The companies explored market-fit strategies, funding opportunities, and direct growth channels for entering the UK healthcare market.
Several participants walked away with active leads and partnership discussions already underway.

Day 4: Leeds - Building connections at Nexus

The final day took place at Nexus - the University of Leeds’ innovation hub.

The group explored West Yorkshire’s growing healthcare innovation network and met with organizations supporting international companies entering the UK.

The day included:

• Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber – Sharing entry points for international companies.
• Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust – Presenting opportunities for clinical pilots and joint projects.
• NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) – Offering research and funding pathways for health-tech innovators.
• Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s Innovation Pop-Up – Providing practical routes for introducing new health technologies.
  
  

The mission wrapped up with Nexus Connect networking sessions, where sustainability, supply chain resilience, and business growth were the key topics of discussion.

Day 5: Manchester - Continuing the conversations

On the fifth day, some of the participants extended the mission with a visit to Manchester, where they explored additional opportunities within the local healthcare and life sciences ecosystem.

The session was hosted at Deloitte’s Manchester office, in partnership with the UK Department for Business and Trade.

The programme included:

• Company introductions and targeted networking sessions.
  
• An overview of the Manchester life sciences and health (LSH) ecosystem presented by the West Midlands Growth Company.
  
• A dedicated session on diabetes care in Greater Manchester, led by Prof. Adrian Heald, which offered valuable insights into the region’s healthcare priorities and approaches.
  
  

Georgi Kadrev from Kelvin Health took part in the Manchester sessions, further strengthening the connections between CEE innovators and local UK partners.

The visit provided one more chance to meet potential partners and explore new ideas before the end of the mission.

CEE’s Growing Role in the UK Healthcare Ecosystem

CEE–UK Building Bridges 2025 was a shared effort to position Central and Eastern Europe as a region full of health-tech, medtech, and biotech companies that are ready to scale internationally.

The participating companies from across the CEE region demonstrated that they can bring real value to the UK healthcare innovation space, offering practical, cost-effective, and scalable solutions.

Beyond the formal sessions, this mission also created space for something just as valuable:
We built real friendships, exchanged stories over a glass of wine or beer, shared morning workouts, and laughed together along the way.
These moments helped turn a professional programme into a genuine community.

The conversations and partnerships that started during the mission are already moving forward, with several companies planning follow-up meetings and new collaborations in the UK.

Building bridges doesn’t end with a mission - this is where all the partnerships begin.