The Innovation Agency is the Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) for the North West Coast, one of 15 AHSNs tasked with speeding up the spread of innovations across the NHS and social care.

AHSNs are described by NHS England’s National Director for Innovation, Ian Dodge, as ‘the innovation arm of the NHS’ and they boost local economies by helping companies do business with health and social care organisations.

The Innovation Agency is a founding partner of the HealthTec Cluster; and helps to deliver three ERDF funded business support programmes – in Liverpool City Region; Cheshire and Warrington; and Lancashire, with dedicated teams supporting health and care sector businesses.