HIWM leads launch of first Clinnovate WM cohort, empowering clinicians to build digital health solutions

Published on 27 February 2026

Health Innovation West Midlands (HIWM) has officially launched the first cohort of Clinnovate WM, a new digital health innovation programme designed and delivered by Cogniss to equip frontline clinicians with the skills, tools and support to turn realworld clinical challenges into deployable digital solutions.

Clinnovate WM gives clinicians across the region, including consultants, nurse specialists and allied health professionals, direct access to a fully funded six-month package of app development, testing and validation, all built within a compliant no code environment. Powered by Cogniss’s technology, the programme enables participants to transform their insights into fully functioning, NHS ready digital health apps without needing coding expertise.

10 innovators from 9 NHS Trusts were selected to join the programme. Their projects address a wide range of clinical priorities, including surgical preparation, sexual health education, mental health recovery, maternity communication, inhaler adherence, physiotherapy pathways, sustainability in clinical products, and trauma support. Each app concept reflects a real, unmet patient need identified directly by frontline staff.

Judith Stewart, Economic, Commercial and Business Development Director at Health Innovation West Midlands, said:

“We’re delighted to welcome our first cohort of Clinnovate WM. By combining our experience of innovation development with Cogniss’s specialised no-code technology, we are supporting these innovative clinicians from across the West Midlands with the opportunity to turn their frontline insights into digital tools that improve care for their patients.”

Cogniss Managing Director, Dr Lloyd Humphreys said,

“With a proven model that continues to scale across the NHS, we’re excited to empower subject matter experts in the West Midlands region to co-develop solutions that make a difference where they’re needed most.”

Clinnovate WM forms part of HIWM’s wider commitment to strengthening the regional innovation ecosystem, giving clinicians the tools to lead transformation from within, while ensuring their solutions can move quickly toward adoption, evaluation and future scaling across the NHS.

HIWM leads launch of first Clinnovate WM cohort, empowering clinicians to build digital health solutions

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Health Innovation West Midlands (HIWM) has officially launched the first cohort of Clinnovate WM, a new digital health innovation programme designed and delivered by Cogniss to equip frontline clinicians with the skills, tools and support to turn realworld clinical challenges into deployable digital solutions.

Clinnovate WM gives clinicians across the region, including consultants, nurse specialists and allied health professionals, direct access to a fully funded six-month package of app development, testing and validation, all built within a compliant no code environment. Powered by Cogniss’s technology, the programme enables participants to transform their insights into fully functioning, NHS ready digital health apps without needing coding expertise.

10 innovators from 9 NHS Trusts were selected to join the programme. Their projects address a wide range of clinical priorities, including surgical preparation, sexual health education, mental health recovery, maternity communication, inhaler adherence, physiotherapy pathways, sustainability in clinical products, and trauma support. Each app concept reflects a real, unmet patient need identified directly by frontline staff.

Judith Stewart, Economic, Commercial and Business Development Director at Health Innovation West Midlands, said:

“We’re delighted to welcome our first cohort of Clinnovate WM. By combining our experience of innovation development with Cogniss’s specialised no-code technology, we are supporting these innovative clinicians from across the West Midlands with the opportunity to turn their frontline insights into digital tools that improve care for their patients.”

Cogniss Managing Director, Dr Lloyd Humphreys said,

“With a proven model that continues to scale across the NHS, we’re excited to empower subject matter experts in the West Midlands region to co-develop solutions that make a difference where they’re needed most.”

Clinnovate WM forms part of HIWM’s wider commitment to strengthening the regional innovation ecosystem, giving clinicians the tools to lead transformation from within, while ensuring their solutions can move quickly toward adoption, evaluation and future scaling across the NHS.