Nordic–British collaboration opens the door to the UK healthcare market

📸 Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber

The UK Nordic Propel Bootcamp is a joint initiative between Norway Health Tech, Swecare, Business Region Göteborg, Business Tampere and Danish Life Science Cluster, supported by Nordic Innovation. On the UK side, the programme is led by Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber, in close collaboration with the NHS, hospitals, regulatory bodies and industry. The aim is to give companies realistic insight into how the UK healthcare system actually operates – and what it takes to move from pilot projects to scaling in a complex system.

“Leeds is an excellent place to start for Nordic companies looking to enter the UK healthcare market. The region is highly integrated and provides strong access to the NHS, while also serving as a springboard to the rest of the UK,” says Therese Oppegaard, Nordic project lead for the UK Nordic Propel Bootcamp.

She also highlights the value of the Nordic collaboration within the programme.

“Many of the companies either have ambitions in, or are already operating across, other Nordic markets. Being able to build relationships across Nordic borders through this programme is therefore a significant added value that participants can carry forward,” Oppegaard adds.

This year’s cohort and organisers of the UK Nordic Propel Bootcamp

Four days of insight, networking and collaboration

In January 2026, 11 Nordic companies took part in the third edition of the UK Nordic Propel Bootcamp in Leeds. Over four intensive days, participants gained direct access to UK decision-makers, clinicians and market actors.

The Yorkshire & Humber region is one of the UK’s most important hubs for health technology. Leeds City Region alone accounts for more than 22% of all digital health jobs in the UK, underlining the region’s significance in the sector. The region is home to a large and growing health and life science ecosystem, with hundreds of healthtech companies and close collaboration between industry, academia and NHS partners. This strong integration across healthcare services, research, business and public support schemes makes it easier for new entrants to find the right entry point.

“In our region, everybody knows everybody, and everybody works with everybody,” said Sean Clarkson, Head of Strategic Operations at Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber, at the opening of the bootcamp.

The UK Nordic Propel Bootcamp provided the Nordic companies with insights into, among other things:

• how the NHS is organised and how it procures technology
• the requirements for documentation, regulation and clinical validation
• how to build a realistic go-to-market strategy for the UK market

For several of the companies, participation led to concrete next steps. The Norwegian company ExAC, which has been working strategically towards the UK market since 2022, gained significant value from taking part in the programme.

“This time, we took one step closer. An intensive week with the right meetings and clear feedback can make a real difference,” says Trond Heitmann, CEO of ExAC. The company is now working towards a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a UK partner.

A realistic perspective on market entry

Gaining a foothold in the UK healthcare market requires more than a strong product – it demands a deep understanding of a complex system.

“The UK healthcare system is complex, with multiple entry points and different procurement processes. That is precisely why it is crucial to understand the system before attempting to scale,” says Karoline Mokleiv, Advisor at Norway Health Tech, after following the participants throughout the week in Leeds.

This round brought together companies from Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. The participating companies were YetiCare, EchoVice, Omaia, Abomics, Upptimely, ExAC, Crisis Linguistics, Nil Medical, Global Health Technology, Monidose and Dossier.

Several of the companies highlight the programme’s honesty as one of its greatest strengths. Entering the UK market is rarely about quick wins, but rather about resilience, prioritisation and the ability to learn fast.

“Succeeding in the UK requires grit, stamina and rapid learning cycles. It’s only when you truly understand the context that you can achieve real product–market fit,” says Nina Larsen, co-founder of the Swedish company Omaia.

For Upptimely, getting close to the clinical reality was key.

“It’s not just about entering a market, but about understanding the engine room of the NHS: where capacity is lost, why equipment downtime happens, and how technology can support clinicians without adding friction,” the company noted after the programme.

The Finnish company YetiCare also points to the importance of system understanding before scaling.

“The bootcamp gave us valuable insight into how the NHS works in practice, and what it actually takes to develop and scale digital solutions in the UK market,” the company wrote in a LinkedIn post.

The UK Nordic Propel Bootcamp is not designed for quick contracts, but to help companies get started on the right footing. Through structured market insight, access to decision-makers and strong local partnerships, participants have gained a more realistic and robust foundation for further growth in the UK.

8 tips for companies looking to enter the UK market

Basert på erfaringene fra UK Nordic Propel Bootcamp, har vi samlet noen tips til selskaper som ser mot UK:

1. Adapt your value proposition to the UK context
   What works in the Nordics does not necessarily resonate in the UK. Language, priorities and decision-making criteria differ.
2. Choose your entry point carefully
   Regions such as Leeds and Yorkshire & Humber offer a more integrated ecosystem than London and can be a better place to start.
3. Build a local evidence base
   A solid evidence base from a UK context is critical to prove value, justify investment and support adoption.
4. Find a “champion” within the NHS
   A clinician or professional who is willing to advocate for your solution internally is often critical to progress.
5. Understand the patient pathway – in a UK context
   Your technology must fit into clinical practice as it actually operates within the NHS.
6. Familiarise yourself thoroughly with UK regulation
   Post-Brexit, the UK has its own regulatory pathways for medical devices and software. They resemble MDR, but are not the same.
7. Be prepared for a long time horizon
   Entering the UK market requires capital, patience and a clear strategy – rapid scaling is rarely realistic.
8. Build relationships before you sell
   Trust and presence matter more than pitch decks in the early stages.