Thirty UK healthtech companies are in Florida for a week-long mission to promote the strengths of UK healthtech stateside.

The visit, led by the Association of British HealthTech Industries’ (ABHI), marks the trade association’s first major trade mission to the State and builds on the successes of recent visits to Texas, California and Tennessee, organised as part of its flagship US Accelerator programme to promote the best of the UK abroad.

Together, the delegation of 30 will showcase the excellence of the UK’s healthtech industry and highlight the strength of British innovation – seeking to strengthen trade ties between the two regions.

Florida is home to the nation’s second-largest medical device manufacturing industry, second-largest pharmaceuticals manufacturing industry and the fifth-largest biotech R&D industry. With a growing workforce and vibrant universities and research facilities, the region offers an ideal ecosystem for life science companies.

ABHI’s week-long mission will introduce members to the leaders from across this dynamic life sciences ecosystem, including hospital systems, accelerators, business chambers and professional service companies.

The visit will provide a prime opportunity for members to explore the strengths Florida boasts in the sector while fostering partnerships and providing them with advice and guidance to help build and de-risk their market access strategy.

As well as benefitting from the support and guidance of ABHI’s international team, the delegation will be able to tap into the expertise of a suite of NHS executives who are joining the mission.

This includes Lord Prior of Brampton, the immediate past chair of the NHS; James Davis, chief innovation officer at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust; Professor Paul Dimitri, vice president for science & research, The Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health, clinical director, NIHR; Dr Neville Young, director of innovation and enterprise, Yorkshire & Humber, Academic Health Science Network; and Louise Jopling, commercial director, Eastern Academic Health Science Network.

Paul Benton, managing director, international, ABHI said: “We look forward to bringing over 30 of some of the UK’s leading healthtech innovators as part of our first major trade mission to this buddling life science powerhouse, to support their business growth strategy. Florida boasts one of the nation's top life sciences industries with world-class talent and a breadth of opportunities for research and collaboration. The area has a huge engagement level and are keen to work with UK life sciences companies.”

Over 1,440 establishments operate within Florida’s biotech, pharmaceutical and medical development scene, with a solid foundation of more than 46,000 healthcare establishments. The state offers these companies and R&D centres a broad range of industry expertise.

Today the State is home to corporations such as Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, Amgen, and Pfizer, with the Tampa area housing world-class local institutions such as Moffitt Cancer Center. It also hosts a stellar list of life sciences companies with specialties ranging from global operations, R&D, and advanced manufacturing, and continues to attract talent from all over the world.

Centred in Texas, the ABHI US Accelerator is delivered in partnership with the Dell Medical School, one of the United States' most pioneering academic institutions, based at the University of Texas, in Austin. Using the state as a springboard to other key states, the programme offers nationwide support, drawing on the relationships and connections ABHI has cultivated across the US.

A centrepiece of the 12-month programme is ABHI’s calendar of trade missions, which take place throughout the year, taking members to key states across the US, enabling them to explore new markets, minimise risk, meet new customers and gain valuable market insight.

The cohort of companies taking part in the visit to Florida in November will be showcasing a range of UK healthtech products and solutions. Throughout the week, meetings will take place with a star-studded cast comprising senior leadership from the area’s leading hospital systems.

As the visit concludes this year’s trade mission activity, applications are now open for UK healthtech SMEs to join ABHI’s 12-month programme of support in 2023. Established in 2017, the ABHI US Accelerator provides companies with exclusive access to ABHI’s full year-round programme of trade missions and virtual activity across the US.