Building the next generation of MedTech Ventures from the UK’s Top Universities
We guided 10 ventures from idea to commercialisation through a 6-month, end-to-end venture building programme.
Context
Accelerating Deep-Science Innovation to Market
The MedTech Superconnector (MTSC) brought together eight leading UK academic institutions — from Imperial College London to the Francis Crick Institute — to bridge the gap between world-class research and market-ready healthcare solutions. With £5 million in government funding, MTSC’s challenge was bold: accelerate commercial adoption of academic MedTech breakthroughs and create tangible impact on public health, particularly in mental health and wellbeing.
MTSC engaged Studio Zao to design and deliver a comprehensive six-month venture-building programme for postdoctoral, PhD, and Masters researchers. The goal: take over 100 individuals, help them form high-potential teams, and develop a cohort of viable MedTech startups ready for real-world adoption.
Approach
Our programme consisted of:
A Creation Hack: A 2-day, high-tempo hack to turn 100+ innovators into 10 venture teams, using Lean Startup principles to move rapidly from idea generation to pitch.
Design Sprints: An intensive 3-day sprint focused on customer discovery, user journey mapping, rapid prototyping, and MVP experimentation, including live customer feedback in a shopping-mall setting.
Lean Venture Building Workshops: Targeted sessions on customer validation, value proposition development, and pitching, tailored to each team’s needs.
Ongoing Coaching: Bi-weekly business coaching and venture reviews, ensuring accountability, momentum, and real progress towards market validation.
Throughout, teams were challenged to test, iterate, and demonstrate traction at every stage.
Impact
Translating Academic Innovation into Startup Success
Six months after launch, the impact of the programme was clearly evidenced by the results:
10 new venture teams accelerated, tackling issues from cancer support to digital addiction and clinical-trial efficiency
6 ventures publicly showcased their progress at Imperial College London, with several already launching products and trials
15 patents filed, 11 university spinouts
formed, and £7.2 million raised in venture capital and grants
Researchers from eight institutions, who began as individuals, became entrepreneurs building new businesses with lasting impact.