Medilink Midlands offers Patronage to leading organisations that champion the medtech and life sciences sector.
We are proud to highlight our Patron, Anglia Ruskin University, whose commitment and expertise support our innovation programmes and events, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and sector growth.
About
At Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), they believe innovation should be accessible, collaborative, and transformative. That’s why they created Arise Innovation Hubs, dynamic spaces designed to help businesses thrive. Whether you need a virtual office, coworking space, or a dedicated base, Arise connects you to something bigger: a vibrant ecosystem of researchers, students, and specialist partners.
They don’t just offer space, they wrap support around your business. From talent pipelines and skills development to expert advice and funding opportunities, Arise accelerates growth in Life Sciences, Advanced Manufacturing, and Digital Technology.
With hubs in Chelmsford and Harlow, they’re proud to support over 70 businesses and 280 jobs. Their locations offer the best of both worlds: riverside calm just 30 minutes from London in Chelmsford, and a strategic position in the London–Stansted–Cambridge Innovation Corridor at Harlow.
Highlights from the past year
Innovation Grants & Expert Support: ABOVE Programme
They launched ABOVE (Arise Beyond Open Innovation Value and Entrepreneurship) a partnership with Medilink Midlands and Pioneer Group, funded by Essex County Council. ABOVE delivered innovation grants, expert mentoring, and specialist events, helping 35 businesses develop new products, processes, and services, and safeguarding 20 local jobs.
Outstanding Recognition: Gold-Star KTP (Knowledge Transfer Partnership) Award
They’re also celebrating a major win in knowledge transfer. ARU’s partnership with Detoxpeople, led by Professor Mohammad Najlah, scooped the prestigious Business Transformation Award and a Silver Golden Award from Innovate UK which recognised the KTP as one of the UK’s most innovative in the past 50 years. This collaboration brought liposomal supplement manufacture inhouse, drove global expansion into 27+ countries, and demonstrated how academic expertise can supercharge commercial growth.
Member Success Stories
- Aerial Icon is pioneering VR therapy for anxiety and phobias, powered by AI-driven video generation. With ARU’s clinical insight, they’ve secured £310,000 in non-dilutive funding, proving the impact of linking innovation with academia.
- Antobot, featured in The Ambitious Essex Tech 50, combines AI, robotics, and agriculture to boost yield estimation and precision – showcasing the region’s agri-tech strengths.
- Japeto used an ABOVE grant to build an in-house AI server powering grant-writing tools for SMEs and non-profits, demonstrating tech’s ability to transform communities.
Connected to ARU
Arise members benefit from ARU’s Entrepreneurs’ Community, the Anglia Ruskin Enterprise Academy (AREA), and links to the NHS Clinical Entrepreneurs Programme. These connections create clear pathways from idea to implementation, delivering economic growth and community impact.
ARU’s partnerships in life sciences and biotech continue to grow, and it’s exciting to see our expertise making a real difference. Recent collaborations with Life Science Group Limited and LinkGevity are great examples. Together, they’re helping develop sustainable, animal‑free cell media and pioneering new anti‑necrotic technology that could transform cryopreservation and improve diagnostics. These projects don’t just showcase innovation – they show how they work side‑by‑side with industry to support better care, better tools and better outcomes for patients and professionals alike.
At the same time, their Health and Care Research Centre and Primary Care Research Centre are strengthening how they support communities across the region. Their work spans everything from improving patient experiences to tackling health inequalities and helping build a resilient workforce. Most importantly, they bring people together – researchers, clinicians, partners and the public – to create solutions that feel practical, inclusive and genuinely useful. It’s collaborative research with purpose, and it’s shaping healthier futures every day.
Regional Impact
Essex is at the heart of the UK’s £1.2 trillion life sciences, agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare revolution. With over 5,000 businesses employing 20,000+ people, the region is buzzing with opportunity. Arise acts as a catalyst, linking talent, infrastructure, and ambition to drive growth that’s agile, innovative, and rooted in place.
ARU’s achievements reflect this momentum:
- THE Award Winner 2023
- University of the Year 2023 at the UK Social Mobility Awards
- Entrepreneurial University Award 2024 from NCEE
These accolades underscore their commitment to enterprise and innovation.
Why choose Arise?
Arise is more than desks and WiFi. It’s a community of innovators, backed by ARU’s academic expertise, clinical insight, and talent pipelines. Here, ideas accelerate, ventures thrive, and businesses grow.
CEO of Aerial Icon, Ekene Ukemenam, says “Collaborating with ARU has been a game-changer for Aerial Icon. Their clinical insight and research excellence have given our technology the credibility and evidence base it needs to thrive in healthcare. The A3AIS project is proof of what’s possible when innovation and academia truly align we’re not just building cutting-edge VR therapy; we’re creating something that can make a real difference in people’s lives.”
Get in touch
Whether you’re an early-stage founder, a scaling venture, or an established company ready to innovate, Arise Innovation Hubs offer the perfect home and springboard. Join our ecosystem, collaborate with ARU, and access the support you need to succeed. Learn more or join their community: www.ariseinnovation.co.uk
We hope that the above highlights just some of the sector-leading work being carried out by Anglia Ruskin University, one of our valued Patrons.
More information on Medilink Midlands Patronage is available here.
