After pausing operations due to Covid-19, the Care Innovation Hub (CIH) was approached by the National Care Forum (NCF) to take over the running of the CIH and the annual Challenge on behalf of the whole sector.
NCF is dedicated to developing innovation in the social care and support sector and this is a natural home to drive the CIH into the future.
Founded by Alex Ramamurthy (Mirthy), Ben Wilkins (Good Boost), Ashish Goyal (Principle Care Homes) and Ben Allen (Oomph Wellness), and later led by Navin Mayani as CEO. The Care Innovation Hub was established in 2018 to create a platform for exploration and innovation in the social care sector.
The Care Innovation Hub initially launched the Care Innovation Challenge, an annual incubator programme putting university students and care sector colleagues together to create predominantly digital solutions to key challenges faced by the care sector.
Teams of young entrepreneurs went head to head in the Challenge which hosted a dragons den style final at the Department of Health and Social Care with cash prizes for the top spots.
Previous CIH chairman Alex Ramamurthy, Founder of Mirthy, said: ‘We are thrilled that NCF are excited by our vision and are going to take forward the concept of an annual Innovation Challenge as a channel to drive new ideas into the care sector.
‘I’m especially excited to see NCF grow on the great work we did with Universities and use this as an opportunity to encourage more young people and entrepreneurs into a sector that is often overlooked by this demographic.’
NCF chief executive Vic Rayner, said: ‘This is a great opportunity for NCF.
‘We are an organisation that has shown leadership in transformation across the care and support sector as Co-Chair of the government Digital Advisory Group, strategic leaders in Digital Social Care and engaged in a range of transformation agendas around data, housing, workforce, and wellbeing.’
‘This means that NCF is in a good position to take forward the Care Innovation Hub programme to stimulate aspiring innovators to develop solutions for the benefit of providers and those receiving care and support.’
CIH sponsors and founding supporters include Hallmark Care Homes, Home Instead, QCS, Apetito, Royds Withy King, Hilton Nursing Partners, Person Centred Software, Greensleeves Care, and Borough Care.