Health Innovation Research Alliance Northern Ireland, 3 Dargan Crescent, Belfast (2026)

02/03/2026

💡 The 2026 Health Tech Spring conference 'Call for Pitchers' invites Northern Ireland life sciences innovators, entrepreneurs, and creative thinkers to present groundbreaking ideas, products, or projects that address real-world health challenges and inspire meaningful change.
💡 This event provides a platform to showcase visionary concepts, connect with industry leaders, and gain valuable exposure and support.

💡 Who Can Apply
Startups and early-stage companies
Independent innovators and creators
Students and academic teams with a commercial product or service

💡 Submission requirements
A concise pitch deck (maximum 4 slides)
A one-page executive summary
Optional: short video (up to 2 minutes) introducing the idea or team

💡 Key Dates
Call Opens: March 2, 2026
Submission Deadline: March 31, 2026
Pitch Event: Friday 24th April, 2026

💡 Evaluation Criteria
Originality and innovation
Feasibility and scalability
Market potential and impact
Team capability and vision

💡 What you get:
Mentorship from industry experts
Media exposure and networking opportunities
Access to investors and potential partners

💡 How to Apply
Submit all materials to emma.mccarley@hira-ni.com before 12 noon on March 31st.
Late submissions will not be considered.

25/02/2026

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has developed a pilot programme offering clinical investigation application fee waivers to micro and small sized UK enterprises. The programme aims to support patient access to innovative devices by testing the impact of removing regulatory costs for smaller sized firms, where those fees might act as a barrier to growth or innovation.

Pilot programme details
Duration: The pilot programme will run from 5 January 2026 until 31 March 2026.
Waivers available: A total of ten waivers will be available during this period for Class I, IIa or Class IIb applications.
Effect: No clinical investigation application fee will be payable for applicants who are successful in receiving a waiver.
Innovative Device Criteria
To be considered an innovative device, the investigational medical device must meet all the following device acceptance criteria:
(a) The product is either new or a novel modification of existing technologies.
(b) There are no solutions that fulfil the same clinical need that have regulatory approval in the UK.
(c) The device can be scaled with the end goal of benefiting the system, patients and/or care providers.

The pilot will close on 31 March, or once ten waivers have been granted. This may occur before the scheduled end date.
At the end of the pilot, the MHRA will analyse the outcomes and publish a summary of next steps.

Email CI-applications@mhra.gov.uk if you have further questions regarding the fee waiver pilot.
For updates on an ongoing SME status application, please contact sales-invoices@mhra.gov.uk.

Find out more: https://lnkd.in/e_8qs7Xd

18/02/2026

Join HIRANI and the Academy of Medical Sciences for their first cross-sector event of 2026; ‘Connecting Regional Strengths for Health System Impact.’

Northern Ireland has world-class health innovation assets from integrated health and social care with embedded solutions, strong academic and clinical research capability, and established public engagement structures, yet these assets too often stop at infrastructure or pilot stage.

This event focuses on how regional capability becomes something the system can actually use, with data infrastructure and data skills treated as means to adoption, not ends in themselves.

We will hear from speakers across areas including NIPACs+, Ulster University Centre for Digital Healthcare Technology, UU School of Medicine, Health and Social Care Northern Ireland R&D, Queen's University Belfast (Momentum One Zero), and those involved in running clinical trials.

Who should attend? We welcome individuals from all sectors and all career stages. We encourage you to invite colleagues and peers, especially those who are in the early stages of their research careers.

When: Tuesday 10th March

Location: Momentum One Zero, Queen's Titanic Quarter, BT3 9DT

Register: https://lnkd.in/eqU5gspH

16/02/2026

👩‍⚕️ Closing tomorrow 17th February - Don't miss out on early bird tickets for Health Tech Spring 2026 taking place on the 23rd and 24th April 2026!
Hosted by the Health Innovation and Research Alliance NI (HIRANI), the annual Health Tech Spring conference is a two-day event showcasing the region, supporting local innovators and promoting cross sector collaboration.

🧬 With over 20 fringe events, the conference will include a “Life Sciences, Life Support” event for businesses who provide support services to the life science industry and an industry skills workshop for further education students.

💡 With innovation zones, masterclasses, pitching competitions, patient engagement sessions, interactive forums, global keynotes and local thought leaders, Health Tech Spring 2026 promises to be another iconic conference hosted in the Titanic Building.

Get your early bird ticket here: https://hira-ni.com/health-tech-spring/

13/02/2026

The Patients Association are looking for women to take part in their focus group to help develop a Women’s Health Plan for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

As part of a wider initiative for reducing health inequalities, the MHRA is developing a Women’s Health Plan. The plan aims to encourage innovation in medicines and medical devices for women’s health and address different outcomes between men and women when using these, without adding unnecessary regulations.

The patients association will host a discussion with women on the early themes identified by the MHRA for this plan, and what is likely to have the biggest impact for them in their use of medicines and medical devices throughout their lives. The focus group will take place on Wednesday, 18th February, and patients will receive an £80 Love2Shop voucher for their contributions.

Find out more: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MHRAWHP

05/02/2026

$200k challenge closing on 15th February - register now for an information session on 10 February https://luma.com/ttmtcpvr ! Join a global pitch competition offering emerging Medtech and Biotech startups access to a $200,000 pool of in-kind support plus significant cash awards to help bring breakthrough innovations to market.
The University of Massachusetts Lowell’ Medical Device Development Center (M2D2) have launched the 15th Annual M2D2 $200K Challenge, an opportunity designed to showcase the innovative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit of seed and early-stage medical device and biotech companies.
Secure your spot at the AwakenHub and University of Massachusetts Lowell info session on Tuesday, February 10 from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM GMT, hosted online via Zoom https://luma.com/ttmtcpvr

The M2D2 $200K Challenge Program is sponsored in partnership with Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative Institute, Hologic, Inc., MPR Product Development, Mintz, RQMIS (Regulatory/Quality Management Information Source), Withum and UMass Chan Medical School.

Register now to find out exactly how your Medtech or Biotech startup can tap into the 2026 M2D2 $200K Challenge. Learn what judges are looking for, how international founders successfully use M2D2 as a landing pad into the Boston ecosystem.

What Is the M2D2 $200K Challenge?
Now in its 15th year, the M2D2 $200K Challenge is a global competition for early-stage medical device, diagnostic, and biotech startups. Finalists pitch at UMass Lowell’s iHub in front of industry judges and sponsors, competing for a share of in-kind prizes such as lab and office space, engineering and product development support, legal and regulatory guidance, and business services, plus cash awards that can meaningfully extend a startup’s runway.

03/02/2026

Calling Northern Ireland health innovators, researchers and spin-outs!

Digital Isle of Man is inviting innovators, researchers and spin-outs from Northern Ireland to enter the Isle of Man Innovation Challenge 2026 — a global competition focused on health and social care innovation.

This year’s Challenge explores how digital transformation, collaboration and new technologies can strengthen services, improve outcomes and support a healthier, more connected Island.

Innovators are invited to present solutions aligned to three core themes: Working Smarter, Wellness and Home First.

Applications close: 27 February 2026

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ekqAaDnJ

02/02/2026

This weeks funding roundup! Ulster Bank has launched a pitch competition to offer entrepreneurs and small business owners the opportunity to win a share of funding to fuel their growth. This is part of a wider prize pot of £1m to be given out over a series of competitions across the UK this year and will make a dedicated £60,000 prize fund available to businesses registered in Northern Ireland.

To mark 10 years of the bank’s accelerator programme, Ulster Bank has launched its biggest ever cash prize and, to be in with a chance of winning, entrepreneurs are invited to submit a 60-second video pitch on their business and making the case for how a share of the £60,000 prize pot would help them grow their business.

Twelve of the best submissions will be selected to compete in a live semi-final event where they will deliver a live pitch and Q&A infront of a panel of judges from Ulster Bank and other partner organisations and also participate in an online voting process on the Belfast Telegraph website.

Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eK8bCKSj

Looking for further funding opportunities?

EUP OHAMR 2026 transnational call: New treatments to tackle Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), closes 2nd February https://lnkd.in/eHjvViGK

Pre-announcement: Future Leaders Fellowship: round 11, closes 2nd February https://lnkd.in/e_kjfHay

Horizon Europe - European Partnership on Transforming Health and Care Systems - Joint Transnational Call 2026, closes 2nd February https://lnkd.in/eshzHHXE

Innovate UK Growth Catalyst – Investor Partnerships Round 2, closes 3rd February https://lnkd.in/e7YWVSdJ

Women in Innovation Awards 2025 to 2026, closes 4th February https://lnkd.in/e4eHs2sw

Application Development Award for Health and Care Professionals, closes 4th February https://lnkd.in/eVtYYbr9

Knowledge Transfer Partnership: 2025 to 2026 round five, closes 4th February https://lnkd.in/e9KPZufu

BBSRC 2025 Transformative Research Technologies (25TRT), closes 11th February https://lnkd.in/ea5vX5hF

Research for Patient Benefit - November 2025, closes 25th February https://lnkd.in/eCc42PkJ

Science Community Grant, closes 27th February https://lnkd.in/e4NzknP5

28/01/2026

👀Open call for health tech collaborators. 🏥The NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) HealthTech Research Centre Devices digital and robotics (NIHR HRC-DDR) collaborates with innovators to accelerate the development of health tech by generating evidence to support the future acceptance of their technology.

🩻They are seeking collaborative project proposals from innovators across the health and care sectors (including health care professionals, researchers and SMEs).

⚕️Join an upcoming webinar to find out more:
Register: https://lnkd.in/eT7geAau

27/01/2026

The Applied Partnership Awards – Women’s Health 2026 call is designed to bring knowledge users and researchers together to develop applied research projects that address a documented need within the Irish health or social care system in the area of women’s health. Research findings will have a direct impact on decision-making in the knowledge user organisation.

Two million euro of dedicated funds are being made available to the HRB from the Department of Health, under the aegis of the Women’s Health Taskforce, to fund up to ten research projects (a maximum of €200,000 per project) over 12–24 months.

As with all applications to the APA scheme, along with a Lead Applicant – Researcher, each proposal requires a Lead Applicant – Knowledge User. The level of co-funding commitment from the knowledge user partner(s) must be equivalent to a minimum of 10% of the total amount requested from the HRB (assessed as direct or “cash” contributions only).

Applications in any aspect of women’s health research are eligible for funding.

Applications in the following four priority areas are especially welcome:
· Postpartum Mental Health, with a particular focus on Traumatic Births
· Endometriosis
· Menstruation
· Research on Culturally Sensitive Healthcare/Intersectional impacts on Women’s Health

Find out more and apply: https://lnkd.in/dk4TN3Na

26/01/2026

Matrix, The Northern Ireland Science Industry Panel, in collaboration with the Department for the Economy NI (DfE), has commissioned a strategic research project to map Northern Ireland's engineering biology landscape and identify opportunities for sectoral development.

Northern Ireland has distinctive strengths in manufacturing, life sciences research, and agri-food innovation. Your expertise is essential to identifying our unique competitive advantages, understanding capabilities and gaps, and shaping realistic recommendations that will inform government, academia and industry.

The project is being delivered by IfM Engage, University of Cambridge, from November 2025 to March 2026, with leading experts and academics.

Engineering biology applies engineering principles to biological systems, including combining biology, manufacturing, data science, and computational expertise. This emerging discipline has transformative potential across four priority sectors, which will be covered in the project:
• Healthcare and Medicine
• Agri-Food and Environment
• Industrial Biotechnology
• Environmental Solutions

This study aims to:
• Map Northern Ireland's current engineering biology capabilities and strengths
• Conduct SWOT analysis across the four priority sectors
• Benchmark Northern Ireland against international engineering biology initiatives
• Develop strategic roadmaps identifying opportunities
• Provide recommendations for policy and investment

The project employs Cambridge's strategic roadmapping methodology (S-Plan), which involves:
• Literature review and international benchmarking
• Stakeholder interviews with leaders across academia, industry, and government
• Comprehensive sector survey and analysis
• Strategic roadmapping workshop on 3rd February 2026 at Belfast Metropolitan College

For more information and to get involved, contact Anthony Donnelly Email: Anthony.Donnelly@economy-ni.gov.uk

23/01/2026

6D-Dementia is a clinically developed digital workforce development platform that supports health and social care staff and family caregivers to better understand dementia, recognise and respond to distress, and deliver consistent, person-centred support.

The company was independently developed by Dr Frances Duffy, informed by insights gained through years of frontline clinical practice supporting people living with dementia. “After more than 15 years working in older people’s mental health services, I repeatedly saw people living with dementia experience distress not because of dementia itself, but because their needs were misunderstood or responses were shaped by pressure, fear or risk. Staff and carers wanted to help, but often lacked a shared framework, confidence or practical tools to guide their decisions.

“6D Dementia was created to bridge that gap, translating psychological theory and evidence into practical, accessible training that supports real-world care. While early delivery focused on in-person training and consultancy, it quickly became clear that digital delivery was essential to achieve scale, consistency and sustainability,” said Frances.

The company has been supported through a combination of clinical networks, academic partnerships and innovation programmes, including the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme, Invest Northern Ireland, InterTradeIreland, Innovate UK, national Health Innovation Networks, regional support through HIRANI, and Awaken Hub. This support has provided both practical and strategic insight to enable platform development, evaluation and sustainable growth.

Find out more here: https://hira-ni.com/creating-an-informed-dementia-framework/

Health Innovation Research Alliance Northern Ireland

02/03/2026

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05/02/2026

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