Health Innovation West Midlands (HIWM) has launched a new cohort of the Digital Innovators Skills Programme in collaboration with Digital Innovators (DI).  

 Announced at ‘’The Ideator” event at iCentrum, Birmingham, on 7 October, the Digital Innovators Skills Programme aims to bridge the gap between education and employment by bringing together education providers, businesses and young people to solve some of the healthcare industry’s most pressing challenges.  

The 30 participating students will, through expert guidance and cross industry collaboration, develop the skills and confidence needed to succeed and excel in their careers as healthcare innovators, while gaining exposure to potential career pathways within the sector. 

 The programme is also anticipated to benefit businesses within the West Midlands, by providing collaborative opportunities to develop innovative solutions to business and industry challenges, while accessing a diverse pool of young talent. 

 During the “Ideator” workshop, facilitated by the DI team and HIWM representatives, the participants were introduced to a series of industry challenges, such as Public Health (vaping and e-cigarettes) and Digital Technologies (remote monitoring and health inequalities) to solve in teams and present back at the end of the programme in a “Dragon’s Den” style pitch. 

 HIWM team and students on the Digital Innovators Skills Programme will continue to collaborate over a series of 13 weeks to develop their ideas into a proof of concept or minimum viable product.  

Speaking of the programme, HIWM’S Commercial Enterprise Lead (Digital Health Innovation), Reena Sidhu said: 

‘’It is our goal to provide alternative routes to employment and unlock young people’s potential, hence why we are proud to partner with Digital Innovators to launch this new programme in the West Midlands.  

‘’It was inspiring to see so many talented students come together at the ‘Ideator’ event to share their innovative solutions on solving some of healthcare’s most complex problems. We are now looking forward to working with these young people and watching their thoughts and ideas flourish into viable products that will help to benefit the health of our region.’’ 

Mick Westman, CEO and Founder, Digital Innovators, added: 

‘’Through expert guidance, and specialised training, the Digital Innovators Skills Programme will be key to help our young innovators unlock their potential and achieve their career ambitions.  We are excited to be working closely with these talented students and the HIWM team over the next 13 weeks to watch their ideas grow and become a reality. 

‘’Although the programme is currently being delivered in the West Midlands, our ambition is to expand it outside the region, thus benefiting young people, businesses, customers and education providers nationwide.’’ 

Following the successful introduction of the Digital Innovators Skills Programme to the healthcare sector, the second stage of the partnership will see the launch of the Junior Incubator.