Meet the Speakers
Meet the Speakers
Digital health innovation is booming in the UK, and a growing number of clinical innovation fellowships are available for healthcare professionals. These programs equip doctors, students and other clinicians with skills in entrepreneurship, technology, and leadership to transform patient care. Notably, the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme, Topol Digital Fellowship, and newer alternatives like the BiteLabs Digital Health, AI & Innovation Fellowship are helping clinicians develop projects and startups in digital health.
This comparative review will examine these fellowships, along with other key UK programs such as the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme, the Topol Digital Fellowship, and additional digital health fellowships to highlight their structure, focus, and outcomes. We'll also include comparison tables (covering duration, eligibility, cost, format, curriculum, mentorship, credentialing, and career outcomes) and guidance on which fellowship may suit different clinician profiles.
Aspiring clinician-innovators and entrepreneurial doctors in the UK can use this overview to identify the best innovation training programme, whether you seek formal NHS programs or flexible alternatives. Each fellowship has distinct advantages, from the NHS's free, in-house approach to the fast-paced, global networking of BiteLabs. Let's explore how they compare.
BiteLabs Digital Health & Innovation Fellowship (UK & Global)
BiteLabs offers a rapid, intensive fellowship in digital health and entrepreneurship, completed in 2 months, with an optional 6 month diploma and lifelong alumni membership. It boasts an expansive reach and network. Over 800 fellows have been trained through BiteLabs to date, guided by 250+ faculty mentors and industry advisors. Alumni have launched startups and raised over £10 million in funding (as of 2026), with products they've worked on impacting millions of patients/users per month.
BiteLabs is open to clinicians and healthcare professionals internationally, including NHS doctors, but also those outside the NHS or even outside the UK, providing a cross-Atlantic presence and global peer network. BiteLabs runs cohorts in the UK and the USA, allowing participants to join remotely from anywhere or opt for hybrid sessions with in-person networking (e.g. a demo day in London or the US).
Structure & Format
The program is 8 weeks part-time, designed to fit around clinical jobs. Sessions are often in the evenings or flexible hours. Fellows can choose a Remote option (fully online) or a Hybrid option (which includes some in-person events like a final demo day and networking).
The remote fellowship costs about £999 for the 8-week program, while the hybrid fellowship (with additional mentorship and live events) costs £1,890 ($2,555 USD). Many NHS participants secure funding from their study or aspirational professional development budgets to cover these fees — BiteLabs reports that over 70% of their NHS fellows have used such funding support.
Importantly, BiteLabs provides a certificate of completion, and offers an optional Level 7 Diploma (postgraduate-level) pathway if fellows undertake extended coursework over 6 months after the fellowship. In other words, you cannot earn a full master's-level diploma in 8 weeks; BiteLabs emphasises practical skills, networking, core knowledge and career development in the fellowship, with an academic diploma available through additional study.
Curriculum & Focus
Despite the relatively short timeline, BiteLabs covers a broad digital health curriculum. Fellows are exposed to fundamentals of health technology product development, clinical entrepreneurship, and AI in healthcare. Each week has thematic modules:
- User research and needs assessment in healthcare
- Lean startup methods (e.g. Lean Canvas for healthcare problems)
- Regulatory basics (for UK and US markets)
- Strategies for product commercialisation and reimbursement
There is a strong emphasis on hands-on learning: fellows design and build a prototype digital health solution during the 8 weeks, applying concepts in real time. They receive mentorship on their project and practice pitching it. The fellowship culminates in a Demo Day, where participants pitch their solutions to a panel of healthtech leaders, investors, and advisors — this is a valuable experience for those aiming to found startups or secure innovation roles.
Throughout the program, networking opportunities are plentiful, both online and (for hybrid fellows) in-person. BiteLabs leverages its global advisor network — over 200 industry experts from leading health tech companies — to provide mentorship and career guidance. Fellows also get one-on-one career coaching on transitioning to digital health roles (such as healthtech product manager, project manager, operations manager or startup founder) through their global talent lead.
The content is CME-accredited for physicians in the USA (offering up to 17 CME credits in the US system), underscoring its educational value.
Mentorship & Community
BiteLabs prides itself on a robust mentor network and ongoing community. With 200+ advisors and mentors on board, each fellow in the hybrid track is matched with a mentor for their project and gains access to many others through optional office hours and talks. The alumni community spans 20+ countries and remains active — alumni frequently connect for opportunities, with many hired by top digital health companies globally. The cross-Atlantic nature of BiteLabs means UK fellows might collaborate with or learn alongside peers from North America, gaining international perspectives on health innovation.
Career Outcomes
The fellowship is designed as a springboard into digital health careers. Unlike all other UK programmes, it is the only fellowship with a strong emphasis on career development. Many BiteLabs alumni move into roles such as clinical entrepreneurs, digital health consultants, or innovators within the NHS or industry. Alumni have landed positions at organisations like Flo Health, BCG, Doccla, Numan and other digital health companies. Others have founded startups, collectively raising over £10 million in startup funding, or initiated digital projects within their hospitals.
While BiteLabs is a private program (unlike NHS-run fellowships), its intensity and network seem well-suited for clinically trained individuals who want a fast, immersive introduction to clinical entrepreneurship without taking a full year out of practice. Flexibility, speed, and global networking are its standout features, making it a compelling Topol Fellowship alternative or complement for those who prefer a shorter, more entrepreneurial experience.
NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (NHS CEP)
The NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (CEP) is the flagship clinical entrepreneurship training program within the NHS. Launched in 2016 and led by NHS England in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University, the CEP claims to be the largest entrepreneurial fellowship for health professionals in the UK.
Structure & Duration
The NHS CEP is a 12-month program, structured as a part-time fellowship that runs alongside one's NHS job. Unlike academic courses, it's a more flexible, experiential program: there are periodic events, workshops, and "Pit Stops" (educational days) spread throughout the year, but participants do not typically take full time off work.
The programme is free of charge for those accepted. This makes it accessible to NHS employees. Each year's cohort includes a wide range of professionals; the CEP is open to all NHS staff, clinical or non-clinical, in England (doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, dentists, healthcare scientists, even NHS managerial staff with innovations). Because it's NHS-funded, applicants generally must work for the NHS in England.
Curriculum & Experience
The focus of the CEP is on helping participants develop their own innovation or startup idea that will benefit patients or NHS services. The curriculum is delivered through a series of CPD-accredited events known as "Pit Stops", which are workshops and masterclasses on key entrepreneurial skills. Topics include:
- How to build a startup
- Business case development
- Securing funding
- Regulatory navigation
- Scaling an innovation in the NHS
- Intrapreneurship (innovating within a large organisation)
These sessions often feature experienced entrepreneurs, industry experts, and NHS leaders. Attendance can be in-person or virtual, offering flexibility around work schedules. In addition to these formal learning days, the CEP hosts networking events and an end-of-year "Big Pitch" event where some entrepreneurs pitch their ideas or startups.
Like BiteLabs, participants do not have to leave their NHS roles — instead, the program encourages them to continue clinical work part-time and spend a portion of their time on building their innovation.
Mentorship & Network
The NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme provides extensive mentorship and networking. It has a network of over 1,200 alumni entrepreneurs and 300+ mentors and industry partners supporting the fellows. Each fellow is typically assigned one or more mentors relevant to their project.
The value of the community is frequently cited: fellows benefit from peer support (connecting with like-minded innovators across the NHS) and gain access to contacts across the healthcare system and industry.
Credentialing
Unlike BiteLabs, the CEP does not have an option to provide an academic degree program, but a certificate of completion may be provided.
Career Outcomes
The NHS CEP has some notable outcomes in terms of innovations and career development. Since its inception, it claims to have supported over 1,000 innovators to develop their ideas. Examples include a smartphone otoscope device, drone delivery of medical supplies between hospitals, apps to reduce health inequalities, and more.
In terms of personal career trajectories, participating in the CEP can help clinicians segue into hybrid careers, although the CEP certainly does not have the same focus on career development as BiteLabs. Some remain in the NHS but take leadership roles (e.g. chief innovation officer, clinical director for innovation), while others transition to become founders or executives of startups. The programme is also intentionally a retention tool, allowing ambitious, innovative clinicians to pursue entrepreneurial projects without quitting the NHS entirely.
Overall, the Clinical Entrepreneur Programme is ideal for NHS staff who have a specific innovation idea or early-stage venture and want structured NHS support, mentorship, and education to accelerate it, all while keeping their NHS position. It's less about formal instruction in technology (compared to digital fellowships) and more about hands-on entrepreneurial development within the NHS context.
Topol Digital Fellowship
The Topol Digital Fellowship (often simply called the Topol Fellowship) is a one-year program focused on digital health transformation projects within the NHS. It was created in response to the 2019 Topol Review, an independent report by Dr. Eric Topol on preparing the NHS workforce for digital technologies. The fellowship's goal is to give frontline clinicians the "gift of time" and training to lead digital change in their organizations.
Structure & Funding
The Topol Digital Fellowship is a 12-month fellowship (running annually from around April each year). Uniquely, fellows are granted dedicated time in their job to focus on an approved digital project. NHS England provides funding (~£15,000 per fellow's employer) to backfill part of the fellow's salary, ensuring they have at least 0.2 FTE (one day per week) protected for fellowship work (and up to 0.4 FTE recommended).
This funding and backfill make the fellowship feasible as a secondment; fellows remain employed by their NHS organisation which benefits from the project outcomes. The fellowship itself does not charge the participant any fee; it's essentially funded by the NHS. Each cohort has about 50 places.
Eligibility is targeted: applicants must be clinical staff in England, post-FY2 or equivalent (Band 5 or above). This means doctors who have completed foundation training (or higher), nurses/allied health professionals at Band 5+, etc., who are working in roles delivering NHS services. The fellowship historically has only funded those in England.
Curriculum & Project Work
Each Topol fellow pursues a digital transformation project within their NHS workplace. Examples might include implementing a new digital tool (like an AI decision support system, a remote monitoring platform, an EHR improvement, etc.), developing a data-driven service, or evaluating and scaling an existing innovation.
The fellowship provides training and support infrastructure around this project. Key components include:
- An online course in digital health and data science (fellows learn foundations of machine learning using tools like Jupyter notebooks, even if they aren't data scientists)
- A series of half-day online workshops throughout the year, covering topics such as user-centered design, project management, procurement, clinical safety of digital tools, etc.
- Masterclass events featuring experts discussing cutting-edge innovations and how to implement them
- Lunch-and-learn sessions for informal learning and sharing
- Networking days at the start and end of the fellowship, where cohorts meet to share experiences and build connections
- Continuous mentoring and support: Each fellow has access to mentors and the Fellowship team for guidance over the project's course
The curriculum emphasises "people-centered" digital development and the full project lifecycle. Fellows are taught to consider not just the technology but also stakeholder engagement, workflow integration, data governance, and measuring impact. By the end, fellows present their project outcomes, lessons learned, and plans for sustainability to the cohort and sponsors.
Mentorship & Collaboration
The Topol Fellowship fosters a cross-disciplinary community. Fellows come from various clinical backgrounds, which encourages sharing of insights across fields. They are often encouraged to collaborate with IT departments, data analysts, or external tech partners on their projects, gaining real-world leadership experience. Mentors (including alumni from earlier cohorts) provide advice on overcoming organizational barriers and technical hurdles.
Outcomes & Impact
The Topol Digital Fellowship is relatively new (started around 2019-2020) but has quickly become a prestigious pathway for clinicians aiming to be digital health leaders. Some fellows go on to take up leadership roles such as Chief Clinical Information Officer (CCIO), Chief Medical Information Officer, or digital transformation lead in their organisations.
The projects implemented have led to tangible improvements — for example, creating digital competency frameworks for staff, deploying new digital pathways for patient care, or upskilling teams in using AI tools. On an individual level, Topol fellows develop advanced skills in managing technology-driven change, which is highly valuable as the NHS pushes for digital modernization.
In summary, the Topol Digital Fellowship is best suited for NHS clinicians who have a clear digital innovation or quality improvement project in mind and want formal support and protected time to execute it. It's less about creating startups (unlike the Clinical Entrepreneur Programme) or specific career development (unlike BiteLabs) and more about intrapreneurship and digital leadership within the NHS.
Other Notable UK Clinical Innovation Fellowships
Beyond the above three programs, the UK offers several other fellowships and initiatives for clinicians in digital health and innovation:
NHS Fellowship in Clinical AI
This is a 12-month part-time fellowship specifically focused on Artificial Intelligence in healthcare. It is the first structured route in the UK for doctors and dentists to gain expertise in deploying AI in clinical settings. Fellows are typically senior trainees or new consultants who spend about 2 days per week embedded with an AI project team.
They receive a curriculum aligned with a Clinical AI Competency Framework and work on real-world implementations of AI (for example, validating an AI diagnostic tool or integrating AI software into hospital workflows). Each fellow is matched with an AI expert supervisor and becomes part of a growing network of clinician AI specialists.
Ideal for: Those with a strong interest in data science who want to be at the forefront of clinical artificial intelligence deployment.
Digital Pioneer Fellowship (DigitalHealth.London)
The Digital Pioneer Fellowship is a 12-month program run by DigitalHealth.London to support NHS staff delivering digital transformation projects. It is regionally focused (initially for London). Each year, up to about 30-40 fellows (clinicians, nurses, NHS project managers, etc.) are selected.
They attend approximately six "learning days" over the year, covering themes of change management, user-centered design, leadership, and innovation in practice. Fellows also get access to expert mentors and site visits.
Ideal for: Early-career clinicians or NHS managers who want formal support in executing a digital change within their local organisation.
NHS Digital Academy - Digital Health Leadership Programme
While not a "fellowship" in name, this is a year-long study program aimed at developing CCIOs and digital leaders in health. Participants enroll in a curriculum (delivered by Imperial College London and partners) that leads to a Postgraduate Diploma (Level 7) in Digital Health Leadership.
Ideal for: Those who prefer an academic route with a recognised diploma and can allocate time for study.
NHS Innovation Accelerator (NIA)
The NIA is not a training fellowship for individuals' development, but rather an accelerator program for proven innovations. Each year, a cohort of innovators with a mature product that addresses NHS priorities is selected. Over 12 months, NIA Fellows get support to spread their innovation across the NHS.
Ideal for: Clinicians who have already built a startup or product with evidence and want to scale it across the NHS.
Specialist Innovation Fellowships
There are also fellowships tied to specific fields or organizations, including:
- Health Education England Simulation, Digital and AI Fellowships — Some regions offer junior doctors the chance to take a year out of training to work on simulation or AI projects in education
- Shuri Network Fellowship — A program aimed at boosting diversity in digital health leadership, supporting women of color in NHS digital roles
Comparison of Key Fellowship Features
Which Fellowship Suits Which Clinician?
With several options on the table, choosing the right fellowship depends on your career stage, goals, and the nature of your innovation interests. Here's some guidance for different clinician profiles:
Junior Doctors (Foundation to Mid-training) Exploring Innovation
If you are early in your career with a strong interest in digital health or startups but no fully formed project yet, BiteLabs is an excellent choice. Its 8-week timeline and broad curriculum give a fast exposure to the healthtech sector without requiring you to take a year out. It's especially useful if you want to build your network beyond the NHS (including internationally) and gain entrepreneurial skills quickly. Many junior doctors use it to "dip their toes" into entrepreneurship and then decide on larger ventures or further fellowships.
The Topol Fellowship, on the other hand, usually requires a bit more experience (post-FY2) and a defined project; it might be something you aim for after a couple more years, once you identify a project in your specialty you want to lead.
NHS CEP is also open to junior doctors; if you already have a clear startup idea or product you're working on (even at concept stage) and you want to develop it within the NHS context over a year, applying to CEP could be beneficial. With the CEP, be prepared to juggle it with clinical training commitments for 12 months. In contrast, BiteLabs is shorter and more intensive, which some trainees prefer as it's easier to fit between rotations or during a less busy period.
For both, you only get out what you put in.
Mid-Career Clinicians (Registrars, GPs, Consultants) with an Idea or Problem to Solve
For those further along, the decision might hinge on where you see the impact of your innovation.
If you are passionate about improving NHS services from within — for example, you have an idea to fix a workflow or introduce a new digital tool in your department — the Topol Digital Fellowship or Digital Pioneer Fellowship are tailored to those aims. They will give you the time, project management skills, and institutional backing to implement your idea in the NHS setting.
If your interest lies in a specific technology like AI, the Clinical AI Fellowship is ideal to gain deep expertise and credibility in that niche.
On the other hand, if you have a more commercially oriented idea (perhaps a product that could be used both inside and outside the NHS) or you see yourself potentially founding a company, BiteLabs or the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme are ideal for you.
Some mid-career clinicians also undertake BiteLabs as a sabbatical or out-of-hours project to broaden their horizons — for example, a GP might do BiteLabs to learn about global digital health startups and then apply those lessons locally. BiteLabs' flexibility (remote access) is a plus if you cannot secure formal time off; you can complete it alongside work in evenings/weekends. Meanwhile, CEP and Topol require more schedule commitment over the year.
Clinicians Considering a Career Shift to Industry or Leadership
If you're thinking about moving from full-time clinical roles to roles in health tech companies, pharma, or digital health leadership, you'll want a fellowship that provides networking beyond the traditional NHS sphere and perhaps some formal qualification.
BiteLabs stands out for industry networking; you'll meet experts from startups, digital health, pharma tech, and global healthtech firms, which can directly lead to consulting or job opportunities outside the NHS. Its alumni stories include doctors who became product managers or clinical leads in tech companies.
NHS CEP also can open doors, but its network is somewhat more NHS-centric (though increasingly, industry partners are involved too).
If you value an academic credential as a bridge to leadership roles, the NHS Digital Academy (PGDip) is worth considering — a year of study that signals you have leadership training in informatics. However, that program is more about policy/management than hands-on innovation. The BiteLabs Level 7 Diploma in Healthcare Technology and Innovation is also a good option for anyone seeking a formal, accredited degree credential.
Topol fellows often do gain recognition that propels them into leadership (since having led a successful digital project is a strong CV item for a CCIO post, for example). If your goal is to be a change agent in the NHS, Topol or Digital Pioneer show you have done it from the inside. For going into industry, BiteLabs or CEP might be more directly relevant.
International or Non-NHS Clinicians in the UK
If you work in the UK health sector but not directly for the NHS (or you're in the private sector, or an IMG doctor not yet in training), the NHS-sponsored programs might not be accessible.
BiteLabs in this case is a great option since it does not require NHS employment; you can build your innovation credentials and network regardless of your current role. Later, that experience can actually strengthen applications if you pursue NHS programs or an MBA, etc.
Additionally, some clinicians pair fellowships: for instance, doing BiteLabs for an intensive skill and network boost and then joining the NHS CEP to get NHS-specific guidance for scaling their idea internally.
Summary
Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all. Ambitious clinicians have even done multiple fellowships sequentially to cover different bases.
What's clear is that the UK's landscape of digital health fellowships and clinical entrepreneurship programs is rich and growing, reflecting the demand for doctors and health professionals who can straddle the worlds of clinical practice, technology, and business.
Whether you choose the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme, the Topol Digital Fellowship, BiteLabs, or another route, each offers a valuable learning experience and community. The "best" fellowship is the one that aligns with your personal career vision: transforming patient care through innovation, either from inside the NHS or in partnership with the wider digital health ecosystem.
Ready to explore the BiteLabs Fellowship?
References
- BiteLabs Fellowship Impact – BiteLabs (Global site) (2025). "800+ Fellows; 250+ Faculty Members, Mentors & Advisors; 200+ Industry Placements."
- BiteLabs NHS Fellowship Page (2025). "Remote Fellowship: £999... Hybrid Fellowship: £1,890."
- NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme – BADN News (2024). "The programme is free, lasts 12 months and is open to all NHS staff."
- NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme – BADN News (2024). "Boasting a network of over 1200 entrepreneurs and over 300 mentors."
- Topol Digital Fellowship – npj Digital Medicine (2023). "The first and largest of these UK-based fellowships is the Topol Digital Fellowship."
- Topol Digital Fellowship FAQs – NHS Digital Academy (2024). "Up to 50 NHSE funded places... each employer will receive up to £15,000."
- NHS Fellowship in Clinical AI – AI Centre, GSTT (2024). "Year-long programme integrated part-time alongside medical training."
- Digital Pioneer Fellowship – DigitalHealth.London (2022). "12-month programme that supports NHS staff to lead and deliver digital transformation projects."
Success Stories:
Our Impact in the Industry
At BiteLabs, we take pride in our ability to develop incredible talent across healthtech and pharma, and successfully connect businesses with top hires.