Innovators to receive support to help develop their care solutions

Four companies developing solutions to improve health and social care have been selected winners of the Isle of Man’s 2026 Innovation Challenge.

They were picked from a group of 15 global finalists, which attracted 125 entries from 25 countries. Now in its fourth year, the challenge focused on health and social care, recognising the opportunity for innovation to play a greater role in supporting evolving patient needs, workforce demands, and service delivery.

Finalists took part in a 10-week programme, working with Isle of Man government, Manx Care, Public Health and frontline professionals to better understand sector needs and refine their solutions accordingly. The category winners are:

• Working smarter: Concentric Health – an AI-powered digital consent and shared decision-making platform that helps clinicians and patients make informed healthcare decisions through personalised, evidence-based information.
• Wellness: BeatModules – a digital wellbeing and education platform that uses interactive learning, AI-supported behavioural simulations and peer-led content to help young people build healthier habits.
• Home first: Plainstep Ltd – a digital platform that helps healthcare providers recover unused outpatient appointments by automating waitlist management, reducing missed appointments and improving access to care.

An additional Biosphere award was presented to The Wellbeing Doctors/helfy®, a doctor-led digital health platform that uses clinical diagnostics, personalised lifestyle medicine and AI to help prevent chronic disease, improve long-term health outcomes and empower people to take control of their wellbeing.

The companies will now receive six months of continued support, including access to mentors, investors, regulators, government representatives and industry stakeholders, helping them develop their solutions and explore potential pathways to piloting, deployment and collaboration opportunities.

‘Health and social care systems across the world are facing significant challenges, but they are also facing unprecedented opportunities for innovation,’ said Claire Christian MHK, minister for health and social care. ‘We look forward to continuing conversations with the winners and exploring how innovation can help shape the future of health and social care both on the Isle of Man and beyond.’

Lyle Wraxall, chief executive officer of Digital Isle of Man, said: ‘What makes the Isle of Man unique is our ability to bring together innovators, clinicians, policymakers and regulators in a way that allows ideas to be explored, challenged and progressed quickly.’