The HealthTech Residency 2027 is a six-month programme based at the Life Sciences Innovation Centre on Inverness Campus. It brings together entrepreneurs developing health technology products and services in a collaborative environment where they can develop their ideas and access relevant expertise and support.

Led by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and supported by NHS Highland’s research, development and innovation team, the programme provides access to:

• specialist expertise and experienced entrepreneurs
• relevant networks and facilities
• funding opportunities
• support to understand clinical validation requirements and identify appropriate routes to generating evidence
• four activities or workshops each month
• a dedicated desk at the Life Sciences Innovation Centre, available on weekdays throughout the six-month residency

The programme is aimed at entrepreneurs developing health-tech products or services. This includes digital and physical products and services that provide a health benefit, health outcome, diagnosis or treatment for an end user, customer or clinician. Products and services may be targeted at private customers, business users or the health service.

The NHS Highland support will be relevant to entrepreneurs developing products or services that try to improve patient outcomes, enhance patient experience or support the delivery of healthcare services.

Yes, if you are an entrepreneur or small-to-medium sized business developing new health technology products or services. 

You are not eligible if you or your business is:

• not developing a new health-tech product or service
• primarily funded by the public-sector
• a religious or political organisation

The programme is fully funded and participation is free-of-charge.

The programme does not provide any funding for salary costs. 

Travel and accommodation costs are not normally provided, but they will be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the applicant’s location.

Entrepreneurs that are developing a health-tech product or service. This includes digital and physical products and services where there is a health-benefit, health-outcome, diagnostic or treatment for an end-user, customer, or clinician. The product or service could be targeted at private customers, business users or the health service.

The NHS support in this programme will be most relevant to those aiming to improve patient outcomes, patient experience or provide health-care-service-delivery outcomes.

You must submit your expression of interest by 12 noon on 30 November 2026.

You'll receive a reply to your expression of interest by 14 December 2026. 

Visit the Highlands and Islands Enterprise website for more information and to submit an enquiry.