Megan Chick tells us about the National Institute for Sport & Health (NISH) and how it's transforming how Wales tackles rising health challenges while supporting wellbeing.
Megan Chick
Communications Manager, National Institute for Sport & Health
Wales is a nation passionate about sport and committed to wellbeing, but to meet the challenges of today, we need new ideas and new ways of working. There are increasing pressures on the NHS, rising levels of chronic illness, and an urgent need to keep people active and healthy for longer. Sport and health technology is advancing quickly, but too often, brilliant ideas stay stuck in silos, never reaching the people who could benefit most.
That’s the gap National Institute for Sport and Health (NISH) was created to fill. By bringing together athletes, clinicians, entrepreneurs and researchers, we can turn promising ideas into real-world solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities.
NISH brings researchers, clinicians, entrepreneurs, sports scientists, and communities together to deliver new solutions that make a real difference to health and performance in Wales — and beyond.
What do we do?
We support start-ups and SMEs through to multinational organisations to find innovative solutions to health and sport challenges. By encouraging idea sharing, providing business support and fostering research, roll-outs and implementation, we drive innovation to boost economic growth, create new opportunities, and position Wales as a leader in sport and health technologies.
NISH stands at the forefront of Wales’s growing sport-tech and health innovation landscape. As a dynamic hub, we unite academia, industry, and healthcare sectors to accelerate cutting-edge developments in performance, wellbeing, and technology across the nation.
Supported by Swansea University, Swansea Bay City Deal and local health boards, NISH serves as a collaborative platform where research, entrepreneurship, and sport collide to create real economic and social impact in Wales and beyond.
NISH is a constantly evolving collaborative partnership between academia, industry and the NHS. Our aim is to strengthen existing partnerships and forge new alliances, attract talent and encourage investment in order to boost the local economy and make Swansea a global leader in medical and sports technology innovation.
Membership is growing rapidly, with a range of local SMEs, national sporting bodies and tech giants such as Vodafone already part of the community.
Professor Keith Lloyd, NISH Director, said:
“We are excited to introduce this ground-breaking initiative dedicated to enhancing sport and wellbeing across Wales and beyond. By fostering a community across sport, health and technology, we aim to drive forward innovative solutions that will revolutionise the sector.”
Turning challenges into opportunities
Every idea comes with challenges, so we support our members to:
- Find funding to move from concept to prototype
- Navigate complex regulations in health and wellbeing
- Build bridges between different sectors and disciplines
- Promote their organisation
- Meet other organisations who want to collaborate
By providing access to spaces, expertise, and networks, we help innovators overcome these challenges and realise their potential. For example, a tool designed to improve athlete performance might also help increase participation in sport from the general public. A wellbeing solution for local communities might become a global game-changing. We’ve already seen the impact through projects like CanSense, who are developing blood tests for early cancer detection, and Imersifi, who use immersive technology to transform medical training.
These case studies show the power of collaboration - when clinicians, researchers, and innovators come together at NISH, ideas quickly move from the lab to real-world solutions that save time, improve health, and change lives. When people get together and share ideas – whether it’s virtually or in-person - innovation happens.
How NISH helps
We’re proud of the support we provide at NISH. Our services are designed to help innovators, at every stage of their journey. We provide:
- Spaces to experiment: labs, prototyping workshops, and immersive facilities like our Simulation and Immersive Learning Centre
- Tailored support: programmes that help ventures develop, refine, and scale their ideas
- Collaboration opportunities: access to clinicians, researchers, athletes, and funders
- Events and showcases: where ideas are shared, partnerships are formed, and momentum grows
It’s not just about equipment or advice — it’s about being part of a community that believes in doing things differently.
Join NISH
Anyone working in sports-tech, med-tech or healthcare who would like to be part of the NISH’s vision – to transform the landscape of health and sport technology in Wales – can join here or apply for office space here.
We’re revolutionising the worlds of sport, health, and technology – one ground-breaking idea at a time.
Author bio:
Megan Chick is the Communications Manager at the National Institute for Sport & Health, based at Swansea University. She works closely with the small team to bring researchers, healthcare professionals and tech companies together to find solutions to real-world challenges in the worlds of sport and health.