We won a grant! Help West Yorkshire become THE hub for inclusive health innovation! 💥

We’ve got exciting news. The One HealthTech Leeds Hub has been awarded funding from the Inclusive Growth Development Fund, so we're cooking up a bold, joyful, and unapologetically inclusive health innovation programme for West Yorkshire. Read all the way to the bottom for how to get involved!

The OHT Leeds Hub’s grant, Inclusive Innovation for Better Health, is all about centering women, disabled innovators, and people from ethnically minoritised backgrounds in health innovation. We're especially focused on those living at the intersections, making space for all the glorious complexity and brilliance that comes with that.

We’re relaunching with a fresh burst of energy, a big community hug, and a focus on doing healthtech differently. This is about building a space where people feel seen, supported, and hyped to shape the future of health and care.

So, what’s happening?

We’ve got a solid plan and a mighty crew. Together, we’ll be building a buzzing, beautiful community that makes health innovation actually feel like it belongs to everyone.

Here’s what’s on the cards:

• Seven events across Leeds, Bradford, and Calderdale. Think practical workshops, relatable speakers, and peer-led chats.

• A mentoring bank of 20 to 30 fab humans offering informal support with a "you've got this" vibe.

• A co-created resource to help others make healthtech spaces more inclusive. Could be a toolkit, a checklist, or maybe even a cheeky comic strip.

• A final showcase to celebrate, reflect, and plot our next big leap.

Why now?

Because the numbers are still rubbish. Only 17% of digital health founders are women. Less than 0.25% of UK VC cash went to Black-led startups. Disabled founders are still bumping into venues they can’t access and programmes that don’t even try.

But we also know that when people feel welcome, seen, and supported, they do incredible things. And in West Yorkshire, we’re lucky to have a community that’s hungry to connect, learn, and build things that work better for more people.

We’re picking up where we left off. Before the world turned upside down, our Leeds Hub ran more than 10 events and reached over 500 people. Now, we’re relaunching with deeper intention, better snacks, and a whole lot of listening baked in.

Wanna get involved?

We’re on the lookout for volunteers to help make all this magic happen. Here’s what you might get stuck into:

• 🧠 Co-designing and hosting events, from venue vibes to speaker line-ups.

• 📣 Spreading the word through local networks and social media.

• 🧵 Supporting our mentoring programme by connecting people with shared interests and lived experience.

• 🧰 Helping shape a public-facing resource on inclusive design in healthtech.

• 🗣 Feeding into pulse surveys and feedback loops to keep things grounded in what the community actually needs.

You don’t need to be a healthtech expert. We’re looking for people who care about inclusion, love bringing people together, and are up for trying new things. If you’ve got experience (lived or professional!), creative energy, or a knack for community building - we’d love to hear from you.

Volunteering with us is flexible, friendly, and supported. We meet regularly, share responsibilities, and make sure no one’s left juggling it all alone.

Email leeds@onehealthtech.com to find out more!

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Follow us for updates, event invites, mentoring opportunities, and ways to shape the future of healthtech in West Yorkshire and beyond. You bring the curiosity, we’ll bring the biscuits.

OHT Leeds is funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority as part of its Inclusive Growth initiative