London Institute For Healthcare Engineering (LIHE)
Call to adventure
LIHE, a trailblazing initiative of King’s College London, was positioned to become a game-changing force in healthcare innovation, with a unique advantage: collocation with St Thomas' Hospital and access to world-class talent. But the founding team recognised that physical proximity alone wouldn't create the collaborative environment needed for true innovation. They asked me to help them transform the space into a thriving community where MedTech entrepreneurs and healthcare professionals could come together to drive meaningful change.
Challenge
While many innovation hubs focus solely on providing workspace and networking opportunities, LIHE aimed higher. It needed a community strategy that would create the perfect conditions for innovation while supporting members' holistic needs. The challenge was complex: How could LIHE balance being a serious innovation hub with creating a welcoming community space? How could it cater to members with varying risk appetites and communication styles, while ensuring activities didn't feel like "work after work"?
Approach
I took a research-driven approach, conducting in-depth interviews and surveys with stakeholders from all target groups. My analysis was grounded in sociological and psychological frameworks, particularly Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Oldenburg's Third Place theory. This scientific foundation helped me create a strategy that addressed both physical and emotional needs of members.
The resulting strategy centered on five core values: Belonging, Connection, Trust, Collaboration, and Motivation. I brought these to life through carefully curated community rituals that balanced professional growth with personal wellbeing:
The LIHE Lunch Hour and Breakfast Brainstorm sessions to create natural opportunities for connection
Weekly Walkshops along the Thames to provide space for movement and informal collaboration
The CommuniTEA Garden, tended by community members, to become a living symbol of collective care
The LIHE Library of curated resources for personal and professional development
I crafted a powerful community manifesto that emphasised equality, respect, and the unique opportunity for collaboration with patients and clinicians. This wasn't just about creating nice-to-have activities – it was about building a safety net that would allow innovators to push boundaries and take risks in their pursuit of better healthcare solutions.
Transformation
By grounding the community strategy in research and human psychology, I helped LIHE create more than just an innovation hub – a true community of support and collaboration. The strategy makes LIHE a space where progress happens at pace, but never at the expense of human connection.
My holistic approach ensured that every aspect of the community, from daily rituals to physical spaces, worked together to foster innovation while nurturing members' wellbeing. Now LIHE is perfect positioned to unite high-performing entrepreneurs and organisations in MedTech and enable them to do their best, every day.