Highlights: MY Synergy Joined Building Bridges 2025 in the UK
Organized by CEBioForum, the Digital Health and Innovation Cluster Bulgaria, and the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the programme offered a unique opportunity to explore collaboration, investment, and expansion pathways across three major UK cities: London, Birmingham, and Leeds.
Here’s a day-by-day recap of this inspiring journey.
📍 Day 1 – London (30 June)
The delegation was welcomed at the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in London, where we explored opportunities for entering the UK market. Highlights included insights from Tom Elliott (CEO, Medilink North of England) and Wael Muselmani (MedCity), who shared strategies for scaling life sciences ventures in the UK.
📍 Day 2 & 3 – Birmingham (1-2 July)
The day began with a warm welcome from the West Midlands Growth Company and Eversheds Sutherland, setting the tone for a packed agenda focused on innovation and expansion opportunities in the region. Participants introduced their companies in an elevator-style format, followed by insightful presentations from Health Innovation West Midlands, PHTA, University of Warwick, and Plug and Play. The session also featured an overview of the Global Growth Programme and a panel discussion on scaling in the West Midlands. The day concluded with a guided tour of the Birmingham Health Innovation Campus (BHIC)—a hub for cutting-edge healthtech collaboration
📍 Day 4 – Leeds (3 July)
The final day of the programme brought the delegation to Leeds, where the agenda was rich with strategic meetings and knowledge exchange.
The day began with a warm welcome from Jane Green of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, setting the stage for a series of high-impact engagements. A strategic meeting and guided tour at Nexus, led by Barry Singleton and Nathan Berry, provided valuable insights into the region’s innovation infrastructure.
Participants explored the Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber network and its international collaborations during a session with Tim East, followed by a discussion with Sarah Hall from the Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust. This session highlighted recent innovation developments, technological achievements, and opportunities to enhance patient care.
A key moment of the day was the presentation by David Lawson, Director of Medical Technology and Innovation at the Department of Health and Social Care, who outlined the UK Government’s strategy and key initiatives supporting MedTech innovation and adoption. Roxana Dumitrache from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) followed with an overview of how NIHR is driving national health and economic impact through research.
The programme concluded with an engaging session hosted by Dr Richard Evans and Beverley Riley from the Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust’s Innovation Pop Up team. Their presentation showcased how the Trust manages innovation across the system and actively collaborates with corporate partners to accelerate healthcare transformation.
🤝The success of the Building Bridges 2025 programme would not have been possible without the dedication and vision of its organizing partners. We extend our sincere thanks to:
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CEBioForum – A leading platform connecting biotechnology professionals across Central and Eastern Europe and the USA, fostering collaboration in research, innovation, and commercialization.
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Digital Health and Innovation Cluster Bulgaria – A nonprofit organization uniting IT, pharma, academia, and policy makers to drive digital health transformation and cross-industry knowledge sharing.
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UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT) – The UK government body supporting international trade, investment, and economic growth, helping businesses expand and thrive in the UK market.
This journey reaffirmed our belief in the power of cross-border collaboration to drive meaningful change in healthcare. We’re excited about the partnerships and ideas sparked during this visit—and what lies ahead!
