The Association of British Healthcare Industries (ABHI) has partnered with Southern California’s leading business accelerator OCTANe and the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce in a strategic three-way collaboration, to provide trade support for HealthTech companies.
The partnership will see UK companies connect with one of the US’ most diversified technology communities in Irvine and the wider Orange County area, to develop their market entry and growth strategies.
ABHI CEO Peter Ellingworth said: “This particular district of Southern California is a real Health Technology hub and we are actively exploring opportunities for British businesses in the area. By creating these sustainable two-way trading bridges, HealthTech companies can bring significant benefits to patients on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Through its International Membership scheme, ABHI will also support California-based companies navigate the UK’s healthcare market, to help drive growth and investment in the UK.
OCTANe’s business expansion programmes provide advice and guidance as well as access to capital for growth stage companies.
Commenting on the news, OCTANe’s president & CEO, Bill Carpou added: “By connecting ideas and people with resources and capital, OCTANe has created one of the nation’s most dynamic ecosystems for driving technology growth. We are uniquely positioned to link UK companies to this environment and to help guide them as they explore this world-class marketplace.”
The announcement follows a recent business tour to the UK by OCTANe and the Greater Irvine Chamber.
Linda DiMario, Greater Irvine Chamber’s executive vice president, charged with Economic Development & Tourism added: Following our second visit to the U.K. in February, we are excited to more concretely establish a working relationship with ABHI, its membership and the UK’s HealthTech community. Irvine/Orange County is at the core of Southern California’s world-renowned life science industry and the epicentre for medical device and health care innovation. We hope that this agreement will encourage UK-based companies to explore, connect and engage with the region as they consider expansion into the U.S.”
These two strategic relationships add to ABHI’s US market entry programme, which has seen the association develop partnerships with key business groups in America’s most important centres for commerce. In November 2017 the association announced its Innovation Hub at Austin’s Dell Medical School and 2018 sees a series of trade missions to Texas, California and Pennsylvania.
