June 19th was one of the hottest days of the year, but that didn’t stop over a thousand of us from travelling across the UK to Central Hall Westminster in London to attend The Big Pitch 2025, the annual event of the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (CEP).
Now in its ninth year, the NHS CEP aims to upskill and support clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to bring innovation into the NHS – for the benefit of patients, the public, and the wider system. This year also marked year two of the Patient Entrepreneur Programme (PEP), which extends the same mentoring and support to members of the public with lived experience of the NHS or health-related conditions.
The Big Pitch was both a celebration of the achievements of Clinical and Patient Entrepreneurs and an opportunity to welcome a new cohort of inspiring innovators into the programme. It brought together like-minded stakeholders from across the NHS and industry to share, spark ideas, network, and look ahead to the future of healthcare.
Split across two fast-paced sessions, the audience was treated to 20 compelling visions for the future of healthcare. Twenty Clinical and Patient Entrepreneurs took to the stage to pitch their innovation in no more than two minutes each.
The innovations presented were wide-ranging – from digital applications that put care into patients’ hands, to advanced diagnostic support tools, to smart solutions helping NHS trusts operate more sustainably and meet their Net Zero targets.
You can read more about the Clinical and Patient Entrepreneurs supported by the programme and their innovations here.
One of the day’s highlights was a powerful segment on improving patient experience through innovation. Three Clinical Entrepreneurs invited patients who had benefited from their innovations to share their stories – demonstrating not just the impact of the programme, but the real-world value of bringing new ideas into frontline care.
A standout moment was hearing from a young patient of Dr Tamsin Holland Brown, Co-Clinical Lead for the CEP, who was supported by Hear Glue Ear while living with temporary deafness caused by glue ear. The now teenager charmed the audience of 1,000+ professionals, sharing how access to the technology opened incredible opportunities – including performing in the West End and landing a role in a feature film. It was heart-warming to hear the real life impact innovations supported by the CEP has had on patients.
You can read more about Hear Glue Ear here.
Throughout the day, there were thought-provoking keynote speeches, interviews, and panel discussions featuring NHS leaders – including Sir Stephen Powis and Sir James Mackey – as well as representatives from government and partner organisations such as the Office for Life Sciences, National Institute for Health Research, and, of course, the Health Innovation Network. But some of the most valuable moments came between the sessions, in the introductions, conversations, and chance encounters – all key to a thriving innovation community.
The Big Pitch was a great opportunity to reconnect with long-standing partners of Health Innovation East – including Cogniss and Strolll, who we’ve supported through the innovation pathway. It was also a brilliant chance to meet emerging innovators and colleagues from across the wider Health Innovation Network.
The Big Pitch 2025 was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when innovation, collaboration, and lived experience come together to improve patient care. From lightning pitches to inspiring patient stories, the day showcased not just the future of healthcare, but the people driving it forward.
As the innovation arm of the NHS in the East of England, Health Innovation East is proud to support innovators on their journey to improving patient outcomes. We look forward to continuing to work with this growing community to turn promising ideas into real-world impact.
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