iX Challenge: Healthy Ageing Innovation Accelerator Competition
The Innovation Exchange Program is working alongside Oxford Innovation Advice and the UK National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA) to find innovative companies who are ambitious to grow their business. We seek innovators with new product or service ideas that can support us to stay healthy and active to help us to remain mobile and connected as we age. We will be providing free expert assistance to participants particularly focussing on the growing market opportunities in China.
Opportunity Details
When
Registration Opens
27/06/2022
Registration Closes
25/08/2022
Award
Successful applicants will be given the opportunity to benefit from a business growth support package delivered by Oxford Innovation and NICA to strengthen their entry into the Chinese Healthy Ageing market.
The free NICA Healthy Ageing Accelerator programme is targeted at high growth potential companies of any size and from any part of the UK. It will provide expert support to help companies to maximise their business growth including assisting participants to explore the fast-growing China Market. Successful applicants will benefit from 9 weeks of tailored fully funded support from NICA, Oxford Innovation Advice, and Innovate UK KTN experts.
These activities will be funded through the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Fund for International Collaboration (FIC), delivered by Innovate UK part of UKRI.
The Healthy Ageing market is one of the fastest-growing markets in the world. The market in China is the largest geographically-defined opportunity. Our Accelerator Programme includes a de-risking pathway to enter this market and make UK businesses competitive as well as growth and export-ready.
The Healthy Ageing Market
Increasing numbers of people are living longer. However often this results in more years of life experiencing the negative aspects of ageing meaning we often need more support to maintain quality of life.
Maintaining good health at an older age is therefore fundamental to quality of life allowing us to remain independent, to work or remain active in our local community. It also allows us to maintain and build our social connections and family life and to do the other things that give us all meaning and purpose.
Although this programme will explore many aspects of business growth including raising investment, and will also examine healthy ageing in the round, there will be a specific focus on the fast growing Healthy Ageing market in China and the potential commercial opportunities for British products and services.
This Accelerator programme is open to businesses with any ideas for products or services that may help any person (of any age) to live a complete and mobile life and be confident of being able to go out safely as well as safely return to their own home and again, have the confidence to move around and do tasks in their own home safely and competently. Products and services which help us retain existing mobility levels are also welcomed.