CEE-UK Building Bridges 2025 Delegation: Your Gateway to the UK Healthcare Market

30 Jun 2025 | 09:00

London, Birmingham, Leeds

CEE-UK Building Bridges 2025 Delegation: Your Gateway to the UK Healthcare Market

DHI Cluster Bulgaria is pleased to announce, that together with our partners from Department of Business and Trade and CEBioForum, we are organizing the:

The CEE-UK Building Bridges 2025 program is a strategic initiative designed to support Central and Eastern European (CEE) healthcare companies in expanding their business operations, partnerships, and market reach in the United Kingdom. By facilitating direct engagement with key players in the UK life sciences sector, the program offers a unique opportunity to gain practical knowledge, establish high-value business connections, and explore funding and investment prospects.

Webinars and visits

As part of the program, with the support of our colleagues from Department of Business and Trade and CEBioForum, we are preparing a study visit and a series of webinars. Over the course of five intensive days, selected participants will visit leading innovation hubs, research institutions, NHS procurement bodies, and venture capital networks across major UK cities. The program is structured to provide first-hand insights into UK healthcare regulations, business setup processes, investment opportunities, and collaboration pathways with UK-based organizations.

This is an unparalleled chance for ambitious healthcare companies to navigate the complexities of the UK market with expert guidance and position themselves for long-term success in one of the world’s most dynamic life sciences ecosystems.

Why Join?

✅ Insider Knowledge: Gain direct access to market insights, NHS decision-makers, and investment experts

✅ Networking & Partnerships: Build high-value relationships with UK investors, accelerators, and research institutions

✅ Market Readiness: Learn how to set up and scale your healthcare business in the UK

✅ Funding & Growth: Discover grants, venture capital opportunities, and NHS procurement pathways

Exclusive benefits

✅ Complimentary tickets to the CLIMB conference: Gain free access to one of the most influential conferences, offering valuable insights and networking opportunities.

✅ Free 1 -year subscription for Medilink: Enjoy a complimentary subscription to premium resources, keeping you informed on industry trends and opportunities within this invaluable network.

✅ Direct Meetings with Investors: Engage in one-on-one meetings with top investors, creating pathways for potential funding and partnerships.

✅ Access to key stakeholders in major cities: Connect with influential business leaders and decision-makers in Leeds, Birmingham, and London, expanding your network and fostering new collaborations.

Who Should Apply?

The CEE-UK Building Bridges 2025 program is designed for innovative healthcare companies from the Central and Eastern European region that are looking to expand into the UK market. Ideal candidates include:

➤ Biotech, medtech, and digital health companies interested in entering the UK healthcare ecosystem

➤ Startups and scale-ups seeking investment, partnerships, or business development opportunities

➤ Companies aiming to collaborate with NHS institutions, accelerators, and funding bodies

➤ Businesses looking to understand NHS procurement processes and commercial pathways in the UK

What are the eligibility criteria?

European company with solution to address the following challenges being faced by the NHS and social care with ambition to set up UK business entity.

Workforce: Innovations that support NHS workforce by driving efficiency and streamlining workflow. Data and data analytics to make more informed decisions on patient care pathways and the integration of AI and ML tools to facilitate this.
Waiting lists: Innovations that help manage NHS waiting lists, prioritizing patients, and managing waiting well, including for elective treatment and cancer diagnostic pathways and improve patient experiences in hospitals.
Early diagnostics: Innovations that help in diagnosing disease early leading to early and cost-effective interventions.
Child health: Innovation and technologies that can address critical child health challenges in the UK and improve outcomes for children across the regions. Specially focusing on management of mental health and obesity.
Urgent and emergency care: Innovations to prevent / reduce unscheduled care episodes, speed up ambulance care and discharge.
Mental Health: Innovations that can help to bridge the gap in access to mental health care, especially for those in remote or underserved areas. Solutions that can provide innovative therapeutic interventions for conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, and substance abuse.
Female Health: Solutions that would aid in swiftly diagnosing issues such as painful periods, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), as these conditions often go undiagnosed or are not taken seriously, leading to delays in treatment and management. Innovations that would aid in improving maternity care and supporting mothers who suffer birth trauma. Innovations that would help address disparities in maternity outcomes and ensure high-quality care for all women. Innovative technologies that would support parents in breastfeeding and managing postnatal care.
Healthy society & Health ageing: Systems that connect people, platforms that promote physical and cognitive health, and remote therapies. Solutions that support caregivers and ease pressures on healthcare systems.

The announcement of the pre-selected companies will be in April 2025. The announcement of the selected companies by the Jury will be on May 6th.