Who We Are

The BioInnovate Programme is a 10-month, full-time MedTech and digital health innovation programme based at the University of Galway. Rooted in the Stanford Biodesign framework, we train multidisciplinary professionals to follow a proven needs-led innovation process — Identify, Invent, Implement — to discover, design, and deliver impactful health technologies.

Participants are brought together in diverse teams that blend clinical, technical, and commercial expertise. Guided by leading mentors from academia, healthcare, and industry, teams collaborate to uncover unmet healthcare needs and transform them into viable, scalable innovations.

BioInnovate is more than a postgraduate programme — it’s an immersive launchpad for innovators determined to improve healthcare through creativity, teamwork, and strategic problem-solving.

Why We Do It

Healthcare innovation begins with understanding real needs. BioInnovate exists to bridge the gap between clinical challenges and practical solutions, empowering professionals to develop technologies that truly enhance patient outcomes.

Since its establishment in 2011, BioInnovate has built an exceptional track record of impact:

• 33 new start-ups have emerged directly from the programme.

• These ventures have collectively raised over €300 million in investment to date.

• The programme’s alumni network exceeds 160 innovators, many of whom now hold leadership roles across global MedTech, digital health, and healthcare innovation sectors.

Our mission is to educate and empower the next generation of health technology leaders to identify real clinical needs, invent transformative solutions, and implement them to improve patient outcomes and advance global healthcare.

By combining hands-on clinical experience, expert mentorship, and a structured innovation process, BioInnovate equips participants to lead change — whether as entrepreneurs, researchers, or industry innovators.

How We Do It

BioInnovate participants are guided through the three phases of the needs-led innovation process — Identify, Invent, Implement — over 10 intensive months of experiential learning.

Working in multidisciplinary teams that combine clinical, technical, and commercial expertise, participants collaborate to identify unmet healthcare needs and develop innovative solutions with real-world impact.

The programme follows a hybrid model, balancing in-person and remote engagement to maximise flexibility and collaboration:

• The year begins with a one-month intensive Bootcamp on-site at the University of Galway. Participants are expected to be on site, Monday to Friday.

• This is followed by an eight-week clinical immersion in hospitals and healthcare facilities across Ireland.

• After immersion, participants return to Galway for the remainder of the first semester, typically on-site four days per week until the Christmas break.

• From January to May, participants attend on-campus sessions two days a week (Monday and Tuesday), with every second Wednesday also dedicated to mentoring. 

While the structure allows flexibility, participants should expect to spend significant time in Galway and travel nationally for clinical engagement and collaboration activities.

Programme Monthly Breakdown 

The programme is exciting, action-packed and intensive from day one. Explore this monthly breakdown of the programme below:

August: Bootcamp 

The BioInnovate journey begins in August with an intensive Bootcamp, immersing participants in the programme’s clinical focus areas and the Biodesign process. Teams engage in a Biodesign Sprint, meet leaders in health technology, and build strong connections within Galway’s thriving MedTech ecosystem- all while laying the groundwork for a collaborative and rewarding journey in innovation.  

Identify 

September & October: Clinical Immersion 

Participants spend eight weeks embedded in hospitals and healthcare settings across Ireland, observing clinical workflows, shadowing healthcare professionals, and interviewing stakeholders. This stage focuses on identifying unmet or under-addressed healthcare needs — the foundation of the entire innovation process.
By the end of immersion, teams have documented hundreds of potential opportunities for improvement, ready to be refined and validated.

November & December: Filtering 

Teams analyse, evaluate, and prioritise the needs identified during immersion. The goal is to focus on the most pressing and high-impact challenges, preparing for concept generation and solution design.

Invent

January & February: Brainstorming 

In the new year, the focus shifts to creative problem-solving. Teams brainstorm multiple solutions to their chosen healthcare need, evaluate technical feasibility, explore prototype concepts, and begin assessing clinical and commercial viability.
Key topics include design and prototyping, regulatory and reimbursement planning, and early business strategy.

During this stage, participants also choose their postgraduate pathway — the Postgraduate Diploma in BioInnovation or the MSc in BioInnovation.

Implement

March & April: Business Case Development

Teams enter the Implement phase, focusing on translating their innovation into a viable business opportunity. They build business models, refine value propositions, and learn key entrepreneurial skills such as market analysis, fundraising, and investor communication. 

May: Final Pitches and Diploma Submission 

The BioInnovate year culminates in final presentations to a panel of experts, investors, and healthcare leaders. Teams showcase their journey from unmet need to validated innovation. Participants completing the PG Dip BioInnovation submit their diploma reports at this stage.

August: Research Dissertation Submission 

Participants pursuing the MSc in BioInnovation continue to develop their research through the summer, submitting their dissertation in August to formally complete the programme.

A Year of Immersive Innovation

From the first day of Bootcamp to the final pitch, BioInnovate is intensive, collaborative, and transformative. Participants leave with a deep understanding of the needs-led innovation process, the confidence to lead multidisciplinary teams, and the skills to bring healthcare innovations from idea to impact.

Programme Mentors

Throughout the programme, participants benefit from mentorship by senior clinicians, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts with extensive experience in MedTech and digital health innovation.

Mentors provide guidance in areas such as:

• Clinical needs identification

• Product and prototype development

• Regulatory and reimbursement strategy

• Business planning and fundraising

• Intellectual property and market access

This mentorship ensures that every BioInnovate participant is supported through each stage of the innovation journey.