Showcase your idea or solution to a unique audience of NHS leaders and investors
![](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Pitchfest-1.jpg)
What is Rewired Pitchfest?
Digital health start-ups are invited to compete at Pitchfest for the opportunity to showcase their idea or solution to a unique audience of NHS leaders and investors. You can apply in the pre-revenue and post-revenue categories. Successful applicants progress to a round of live heats competing at AI and Data 2024 in London Olympia to become finalists. The live finals take place at Digital Health Rewired, 18-19 March 2025 in Birmingham.
Why apply?
- Winners will access expert advice from CW+ and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS FT’s CW Innovation team, and the potential to run a project in the trust
- Pitch to influential judges including NHS stakeholders, digital health investors and innovation programme leaders
- Get exposure by pitching live to audiences at two major industry events
- Secure media coverage in leading publication Digital Health News
- 50% off The Hill Grant Writing Workshop (2 day, in person, usually £1,000) if shortlisted
- 50% off The Hill Procurement Workshop (1 day, online) if shortlisted
![](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Pitchfest-2.jpg)
![](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Pitchfest-3.jpg)
Key dates:
Applications open: 29 May 2024
Applications close: 23 August 2024
Shortlists announced: 7 October 2024
Live heats: 22/23 October 2024
Finalists announced: 28 October 2024
Live Pitchfest: 18/19 March 2025
Our definition for this competition a start-up is a company in the early stages of its development – an entrepreneurial start-up venture focused on using digital and data tools in an innovative fashion in health and care in the UK or internationally.
Typically, the start-up will be started by one or more founders who focus on addressing upon a perceived market demand by developing a viable product, service, or platform with a strong digital and data component.
You will be self-funded, pre-seed, at seed round, or possibly series A or even beyond.
Pre-revenue for very early-stage start-ups, which will likely have a MVP
Post-revenue for start-ups who have sufficiently progressed to having multiple paying clients.
The judges are looking for information and evidence about the following five key areas:
- Vision – how clear is the vision for the start-up and what it is trying to achieve?
- Innovation and originality – how innovative and original is the start-up in its focus, service and use of technology? How differentiated is it from competitors in its chosen field?
- Impact – what is scale of the potential impact on health and care provision (in the UK or internationally)?
- Business plan – how well defined and credible is the business plan?
- Team – how knowledgeable and credible is the team?
- Entrants should be start-ups or registered businesses that have been established for less than five years
- Entrants must have health and social care services, medical devices, consumer or employee health and wellbeing or life sciences as their primary focus of activity
- Entries can be from any country – but the judging criteria include evaluating potential impact on UK and/or international healthcare.
- The information provided in the entry form must be accurate, honest and true
- The selection of pitches will be made based on the data in the web-form
- If you are invited to take part in the Pitchfest we need you to confirm by the specified date, or we will offer the place to another start-up
- You may be invited to take part in a Pitchfest practice session ahead of Rewired – this is not obligatory, but you are strongly encouraged to take part if able
- Your pitch must be provided in advance and be no longer than 3 minutes long
- Pitches must be made by a single presenter (no teams)
- In the event of a tied decision the chairman of judges will have the deciding vote
- The judges’ decisions are final in all instances
- By entering Pitchfest you agree to have your start-up included in marketing and promotion of the competition.
Judging Panel 2025
![Chris Chaney Judge](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Chris-Chaney-Judge.jpg.webp)
Chris Chaney
Chief Executive,
CW+
Bio (Read more)
![Chris_Sawyer_-_pic.JPG](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Chris_Sawyer_-_pic.JPG.jpg.webp)
Chris Sawyer
Innovation Lead,
Digital Health, Innovate UK
Bio (Read more)
![John Lee Allen Judge](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/John-Lee-Allen-Judge.jpg.webp)
Dr John Lee Allen
Managing Partner,
RYSE Asset Management
Bio (Read more)
![Jon Hoeksma Judge](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Jon-Hoeksma-Judge.jpg.webp)
Jon Hoeksma
CEO, Digital Health
Bio (Read more)
![Maria Burpee Pitchfest](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Maria-Burpee-Pitchfest.jpg.webp)
Maria Burpee
Marketing Artisan & Top Consultant
Bio (Read more)
![Megan Morys-Carter](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Megan-Morys-Carter.jpg)
Megan Morys-Carter
Director of Digital Innovation, Oxford University Hospitals
Bio (Read more)
![Mindy Simon](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Mindy-Simon.png)
Mindy Simon
Co-Director, NHS Innovation Accelerator
Bio (Read more)
![Sara Nelson](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Sara-Nelson.png)
Sara Nelson
Senior Nurse for Digital, Guy’s and St Thomas’
Bio (Read more)
Pitchfest partners
![CW+_Logo_Jpeg](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/CW_Logo_Jpeg.jpg.webp)
![digitalhealth.london-1](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/digitalhealth.london-1.jpg.webp)
![Silver Buck](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Silver-Buck-Primary-Logo-RGB.jpg.webp)
![Health Foundry](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Health-Foundry-Logo-1.jpg.webp)
![Innovate](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Innovate.png.webp)
![HIN+Logo+Large+PNG](https://668faff97d68b98d365a.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/HINLogoLargePNG.png.webp)
Watch the 2024 Pitchfest finalists
Pre-revenue generating category
Revenue generating category
View the runners-up here