Each GBIP aims to help UK businesses grow and scale on a global stage through building R&D and innovation collaborations and partnerships and accelerating access to the market.
The programme consists of a Get ready preparation phase followed by a market visit to India (Bengaluru& Chennai), to include a 5-day tailored programme to connect with businesses, research organisations, and other key stakeholders, followed by an Exploit the opportunity workshop.
The programme will provide a unique opportunity to find partners and identify opportunities for technology and innovation collaboration. Participants will benefit from bespoke support from an innovation and growth specialist to leverage the contacts, opportunities and knowledge gained and to support the growth journey of the business. Two cities that have been selected Bengaluru & Chennai host growing MedTech and biotech ecosystems supported by incubators, funding, and talent pipelines.
This women in innovation GBIP is being delivered by Innovate UK in partnership with the Indian partner, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), and funded by UKRI India and Innovate UK. It is the first component of the two-way business innovation programme between the UK and India focused on women-led businesses in Health-Tech. A second component of the programme that will support Indian women-led businesses to the UK will be announced in the next financial year.
Register now for our applicant briefing on Wednesday 22 October, 10am UK time.
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Successful applicants will benefit from an intensive 9-12 month, three phase programme with bespoke support from an innovation and growth specialist throughout.
Get ready: A two-day preparation workshop to build knowledge and understanding of the market and opportunities, including cultural aspects, how to do business, protecting Intellectual Property, and support to better articulate your value proposition.
Visit the market: Explore the innovation opportunities first-hand through pre-arranged matchmaking events, meetings with key contacts, research organisations and potential collaborators and partners.
Exploit the opportunity: An exploitation workshop and one-to-one bespoke support from an innovation and growth specialist to help you follow-up and maximise the opportunities identified through the programme.
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To apply for this GBIP, you must be:
- a UK-based innovation-led company with ambitions to grow and scale globally
- a company with fewer than 250 employees
- a woman CEO, founder, or senior decision maker in the business
- able to attend all workshops and complete all activities
This GBIP is targeted at technology providers with the capability to deliver innovative solutions for the Health-Tech sector.
Businesses that have been on a previous GBIP (in the same market and/or technology area) will need to demonstrate they have exploited the previous opportunity to be considered and how this programme will add significant additional benefit. Preference may be given to businesses that have not participated previously.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, a business can only take part in two GBIPs in any rolling 12-month period (measured by the date of the Get Ready Workshop).
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Innovate UK is committed to improving the diversity of who we support. We welcome applications from under-represented groups.
We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments, for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us.
You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance. We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this GBIP’s closing date to allow us to put the most suitable support in place. The support we can provide may be limited if you contact us close to the application deadline.
You can contact Innovate UK by email (support@iuk.ukri.org) or call 0300 321 4357. Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
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India is witnessing a thriving entrepreneurial momentum driven by a vibrant startup ecosystem and emerging capabilities in cutting edge technologies. This is a result of forward-looking policies and national missions along with institutional reforms. India ranks 39th in Global Innovation Index (GII) 2024; 6th in patent filings according to World Intellectual Property Indicators report 2023 and is the 3rd largest startup hub globally.
In July 2025, the Prime Ministers of India and the UK endorsed the India-UK Vision 2035 reaffirming their shared commitment to unlocking the full potential of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This forward- looking roadmap aims to elevate the bilateral partnership’s role in shaping tomorrow’s technological landscape. The Vision 2035 lays out concrete mechanisms to integrate ecosystems through innovation hubs, incubators, accelerators, and knowledge sharing platforms. The goal is to drive cutting edge research and emerging technology adoption and to strengthen supply chain resilience, foster responsible growth and generate high value jobs.
Against this backdrop of thriving innovation ecosystem and aligned long-term strategies, UKRI India is proposing to work with BIRAC to support women-led businesses in Health Tech as a part of its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy in India.
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We welcome applications from new or established innovative technology providers with capability to deliver Health-Tech solutions in the following focus areas:
Key technologies:
- Digital Health Technology Solutions
- Telemedicine & Virtual Care Platforms
- AI & ML-Based Diagnostic Tools
- Wearables & Remote Monitoring Devices
- Women’s Health
Focus themes:
- Women led businesses
- Innovations in Healthcare for Women
- Community based diagnostic solutions
- Chronic Disease management and diagnostics
Out of scope: Therapeutics and medicines such as but not limited to cell and gene therapies, antibiotics, vaccines, biologics and tissue engineering.
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- Build market knowledge and intelligence
- Seed new business partnerships, develop RD&I collaborations, and identify partners for bilateral funding calls
- Introductions to senior figures and influential contacts
- Raise your profile and stimulate new business opportunities and ideas
- Improve your value proposition, hone your skills, and grow in confidence to tackle global markets
- Connect with peers, expand your network, and learn from like-minded, ambitious businesses
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- Applicant briefing: Wednesday 22 October, 10am UK time
- Application deadline – 5pm Thursday 13th November 2025
- Application outcome – Friday 21st November 2025
- Get ready workshop – 10th & 11th December 2025
- Market visit – 18th to 24th January 2026 (with travel)
- Exploit the opportunity workshop – Thursday 12th March 2026
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- Introductory briefing with the British High Commission in New Delhi and British Deputy High Commissions in Bengaluru and Chennai, India.
- Visits to research and technology organisations in Bengaluru and Chennai
- Company site visits and meetings with key contacts
- High quality networking opportunities
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Innovate UK will fund and organise flights, accommodation, in-market travel and conference fees for successful applicants.
Innovate UK will also pay for any reasonable adjustments throughout the initiative. Only one representative from each company will be funded and the same person is required to participate in all parts of the programme.
On acceptance to the programme, a commitment fee of £1000 will be obtained from each participant. This will be refunded on completion of the full activities (Get ready workshop, Visit, Exploit the opportunity workshop, and active engagement with an innovation and growth specialist) and agreed work plan.
Non-completion after formal acceptance may result in forfeiting some or all of the commitment fee.
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To learn more about the Programme, including hearing how this has worked for previous participants we will be holding an applicant briefing on Wednesday 22 October, 10am UK time: register here.
If you have any questions, we are happy to help, email Dr Dilruk Yahathugoda at Innovate UK Business Growth.
To make a complaint please follow the Innovate UK complaints procedure.
Accessibility and Inclusion
Innovate UK welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments, for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us.
