An alumnus of the Propel programme has been named among the winners of the Mayor’s Big Ideas Challenge, an open innovation competition led by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to tackle health inequalities across the region.
Following seven months of development and testing, three businesses have been awarded £100,000 each to support the commercialisation of their solutions, alongside a bespoke package of future support from Innovate UK. The winners were announced on 10 March 2026 after progressing through a competitive process that initially attracted more than 100 applications from SMEs across West Yorkshire.
Among the three winners is Asclepius MedTech Ltd, a Propel alumnus, which developed Surgfit – a remote monitoring system designed to help hospitals deliver safer and more effective surgical care.
The other winning organisations include Harmonai Hub, which created an AI-powered wellbeing platform designed to support carers through personalised mental health resources, and Mind Body Goals, which developed Luma³ Editions, a tool that has been integrated into existing NHS patient pathways.
The Mayor’s Big Ideas Challenge was launched by West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin in February 2025 to accelerate innovative products, services and technologies that address health inequalities affecting communities across the region.
In July 2025, nineteen finalists were selected and awarded £20,000 development grants alongside a package of support to help refine and test their ideas. Six of these finalists were companies connected to the Propel programme, reflecting the strength of the region’s growing health innovation ecosystem and the role Propel plays in supporting early stage healthtech innovators.
The Propel-connected finalists included (please click each tab to read more):
Leeds-based Asclepius MedTech has developed Surgfit to help hospitals deliver safer and more effective surgical care. Built by clinicians, Surgifit uses wearable biosensors to assess patients before their surgery, in the comfort of their own home, providing a more convenient and patient friendly alternative that reduces hospital visits.
Read more here: https://asclepius-medtech.com/
Created by Carly Walter Coaching and Consultancy, MAGI is an AI-powered wellbeing companion designed by, and for, neurodivergent women or any women navigating burnout, overwhelm, or hormonal shifts. From emotional regulation to daily decision support, it’s accessible, non-judgmental and personalised.
Read more here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/carly-walter-wellbeing/about/
Loneliness can deeply affect the lives of older people and is an often overlooked health issue. Third Age Therapeutics is tackling the epidemic of loneliness by empowering people to make meaningful changes in their lives through an evidence-based telehealth solution that prevents poor mental health and loneliness in aging populations; harnessing the power of local communities, in partnership with the region’s best science.
Read more here: https://www.thirdagetx.com/
UKind Therapy CIC delivers trauma-informed virtual reality (VR) therapy, co-designed with survivors of domestic abuse. Combining immersive VR with AI-guided support, UKind XR empowers users to heal from trauma, build confidence, and reconnect with purpose. The solution increases access to safe, self-led mental health support across diverse communities.
Read more here: https://ukindtherapy.io/
Humant enables occupational therapists to conduct remote home assessments using 3D scans, images, and videos captured via smartphone. It supports clinical decision-making, reduces delays and improves patient safety by streamlining adaptive equipment planning, cutting costs and increasing capacity across NHS and social care services.
Read more here: https://humant.io/
Created by KayHector Consulting, DiaHype Lifestyle Solutions is an AI-powered platform helping South Asian and African Caribbean communities in West Yorkshire to prevent and manage chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. The platform delivers culturally-tailored lifestyle education, self-care tools, and virtual support – boosting health literacy, reducing hospital visits, and promoting lasting, family-focused behavioural change.
Read more here: https://kayhector.com/
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Our region is home to endless talent, creativity and ambition, and today I’m thrilled to announce the three winners of our Big Ideas Challenge. Each team will now receive £100,000 to accelerate the development of their lifechanging technologies – boosting health and wellbeing throughout West Yorkshire and creating good skilled jobs in our region.
“By investing in innovation and backing the entrepreneurs who are determined to make a difference, we’re building a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire that works for all.”
The challenge forms part of a wider effort to address health inequalities while strengthening the region’s innovation economy. By supporting local SMEs to develop and commercialise new solutions, the initiative aims to improve health outcomes while driving inclusive economic growth.
Tim East, Workstream Lead for Start-Ups at Propel Healthtech, said: “We’re incredibly proud to see Asclepius named as one of the three winners, and to see six companies from the Propel community recognised as finalists. It’s a fantastic achievement for the teams involved and a testament to the quality of innovations being developed across our programme.
“Their success highlights not only the strength of the entrepreneurs we support, but also the collaborative ecosystem we’re continuing to build across our region. Seeing Propel innovators at the forefront of initiatives like this reinforces West Yorkshire’s reputation as a place where impactful health and care innovation can start, grow and scale.”
Led by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the challenge was delivered by global innovation expert Challenge Works. The winning teams will now continue developing their technologies with further access to research expertise, specialist facilities and a community of innovators to help scale their ideas.
While three organisations have received the top awards, the remaining sixteen finalists will also continue to develop their solutions with the funding and support already provided through the programme.