Dutch medtech specialist joins Nexus as KPMG and Nexus scale-up support expands

Leeds has welcomed another pioneering healthcare business to bolster its reputation in the MedTech sector following the addition of a medical VR specialist to KPMG@Nexus – the dedicated support space for scale-up businesses at Nexus, the University of Leeds innovation hub.

Netherlands-headquartered SyncVR Medical implements VR and wider XR (extended reality) in healthcare organisations by providing hardware, software, workshops and research. The company was founded in 2019 and already works with more than 180 healthcare providers across eight countries, including supplying to 80 per cent of the Netherlands’ hospitals and 10 NHS trusts in England.

SyncVR is the latest high-growth business to join KPMG@Nexus, which brings together the brightest minds from business, technology and academia from across the globe. The joint incubation space was launched earlier in this year, to bring together a vibrant community of like-minded entrepreneurs and innovators, and connect them to academic experts, skills and talent to further support their growth.

Managing Director Ari Billig cited the healthcare “buzz” across Leeds, including the city being home to NHS Digital, as a major factor in SyncVR being excited to join the project.

She added: “We’ve already been able to launch several pilots with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and start a study within the University. Leeds being home to NHS Digital creates a high level of focus on digital innovation within the city, which in turn creates endless opportunities for entrepreneurs. We look forward to our future collaborations and are thankful for the support of KPMG and Nexus to help us access and develop them.”

Dr Martin Stow, Nexus Director, said: “We’re really proud to play our part in helping an overseas business at the heart of healthcare technology innovation to arrive and continue to scale in the UK. The addition of SyncVR will continue to build the reputation of KPMG@Nexus and the wider Nexus community, as a centre of excellence in the MedTech industry, making a real difference in the healthcare settings it supports.

“We look forward to working with Ari and the team as they benefit from access to extensive collaborative research and consultancy opportunities across the University and our wider network, and continue to innovate and grow.”

Euan West, Senior Partner at KPMG in Leeds, said: “This is another great example of how our partnership with Nexus and the University of Leeds is backing innovative companies and fostering collaboration between industry and academia. Universities are critical drivers of talent and fresh thinking that businesses and regional economies depend on.”