Need-Led Innovation in HealthTech - Workshop 2026

Workshop overview:

This workshop introduces Need-Led Innovation (NLI) a proven methodology to critically identify and select the most pressing unmet needs for healthcare to drive the development of (commercially) relevant solutions.

Workshop lead

The workshop will be led by Professor Jeroen Bergmann, who is HRC lead of the Need-led Device Development and Regulatory theme.  Jeroen is honorary Professor of Innovation in Engineering at the University of Oxford and Professor and Head of the Department of Technology and Innovation at the Southern University of Denmark.

What you'll gain:

Participants will obtain access to a proven methodology to identify unmet needs, supporting the invention and validation of appropriate solutions for real-world deployment. The workshop will equip you with practical tools to define the right problem, interrogate it, and develop solutions only for the problems worth solving - thereby developing a ‘market pull’ approach. 

Agenda:

09:00 - Arrival and networking

09:30 - Introduction to Need-led Innovation with hands-on activities

11:30 - Debrief and networking with refreshments

12:00 - Close

Venue:

This workshop will be held in the Kloppenburg Room, Cohen Quad of Exeter College Oxford. Exeter College was founded in the 14^th century and is the fourth oldest college of the collegiate University. The Cohen Quad site was added to the College's facilities in 2017, providing a state-of-the-art auditorium, meeting rooms and student accommodation.

There is no parking available at the venue, however the Cohen Quad is a relatively short walk from the train station and also easily accessible from central Oxford public transport drop-off points from the five Park & Ride locations around the Oxford ring road.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE COHEN QUAD IS A DISTINCT SITE FROM EXETER COLLEGE'S MAIN LOCATION

Registration:

Registration is free of charge, with costs covered by the NIHR HRC.

We have a limited number of places available; the first 24 registrants will be offered a place at the workshop with subsequent registrants offered a place on a waiting list in case places become available.

Who we are:

The NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Community Healthcare is hosted by Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and led from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford, with collaborators from across the collegiate University, at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Queen Mary University of London, and the University of Warwick. The HRC supports industry in evidence generation across the development pipeline. We have a dedicated Need-Led Device Development and Regulatory theme, led by Professor Jeroen Bergmann, who holds an honorary appointment at the University of Oxford and is Head of the Institute of Technology and Innovation at the University of Southern Denmark.

We bring together NHS clinicians and leading clinical and academic experts in evidence generation across research methodologies, including statistical, qualitative, regulatory and health economics.

We are aligned with other NIHR infrastructures, including the other NIHR HealthTech Research Centres, the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, and the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Oxford and Thames Valley. We also work closely with Health Innovation Oxford and Thames Valley, Oxford Respiratory Trials Unit, TheHill Innovation Catalyst and a number of teams within the Oxford University Hospitals and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trusts.