At Health Launchpad, creator of the Social Entrepreneur in Residence programme, supported by NESTA, we develop promising ideas into new social enterprises, services and ventures to meet the growing challenges of the 21st century - including the demands of an ageing population and an epidemic of long term conditions.

We help to secure funding and offer entrepreneurial expertise, business, consulting , clinical and marketing skills plus enthusiasm and a knowledge of how the health and social care sectors operate within local authorities, the NHS and the civil sector. We scout for people with good ideas and give them the practical and psychological support that turn their ideas into enterprises and services that have social impact; deliver more for less - and are attractive to commissioners.

One of the aims of the Health Launchpad team is to identify and utilise assets often undervalued in large organisations and which now play a prominent part of the Coalition's concept of the Big Society. For instance, we have developed methods that seek out the skills and experience of frontline staff , patients and volunteers and marries them to their often latent talent for innovation and enterprise. The results are a strong partnership with Health Launchpad and projects and services that work - and last.

Health Launchpad has had several years experience promoting innovation in health and social care using a range of tools that, for instance, draw on investigative journalism, service design, ethnography and the latest theories on behaviour change - as well as using the most up-to-date metrics that prove value for money. These tools help to tailor services that meet a genuine need particularly in coping with long term conditions such as asthma, diabetes, obesity, mental illness, chronic back pain and heart disease. Health Launchpad and its ventures is undergoing a long term evaluation by Acton Shapiro.

Health Launchpad's most recent and exciting development, again in step with the Big Society, is the creation of a network of Social Entrepreneur in Residence (SEiR) - a concept that has attracted national and international recognition.

Further information on the SEiR programme.

Read more on our portfolio of projects.